Bailiffs,advice.

[blue b4 the moon]

Probably depends on the type of lease on the car.

I had one via the Civil Service on a Private Users Scheme (PUS) where the car wasn't mine but I paid a contribution each month and the agents covered all repairs,services, car tax etc. The logbook wasn't in my name and if there would have been any issues the cops would have made contact with them first.

 

[Martin*]

I had a similiar thing but with council tax - completely my fault, changed banks and it was one of a couple of direct debits which didn't get carried across for whatever reasons.

First I knew of it was a hand delivered letter posted through the door by a debt recovery firm. Long story short, I spoke with the courts and made a staturoy declaration that I knew nothing of the offence, had received no letters and as such request they take the case back. They did, the recovery firm did nothing and I sorted it directly with my local council to pay them the money owed.

FYI - legally, they can not enter your property as they are suggesting. They may put a clamp on your car so worth keeping this out of sight but they can't break in. Not unless they have a written consent from the court which is a real last throw of the dice by them. Hell, they can't even barge past you if you do happen to open the door to them. It's all scaremongering/bully tactics to intimidate you. If they do gain access peacefully then they have free roam of your house to make a list of items they are claiming (but again, there's rules on what they can take). Best to just cut all communication with the recovery firm and focus on the courts.

It sounds like you have a genuine reason so I do hope everything works out for you, mate.

 

[peoffrey]

The days of Bailiffs kicking your door down and taking whatever they want are long gone. When I worked for a small business, our gaffer would use court Sheriffs to get what he was owed as they had more powers (at a higher cost.)

 

[JPBB]

You need to make a statutory declaration at a magistrates court saying that you unaware of this until the bailiffs turned up. You will have to prove that you did not know about it. Basically the magistrates need to believe your story. If they do they will allow you to make a statutory declaration and then the offence will be set aside. And then you can tell the bailiffs to fuck off.

However, The magistrates will put the original offense to you immediately after your statutory declaration so be prepared to enter plea, one way or the other, to the original offence.

Call the magistrates court they will be helpful. Move quickly the amount of time you wait after hearing about the offence will greatly influence the magistrates decision

Good luck.

 

[mancityvstoke]

I'd be ringing the magistrates court too