Help: When they threaten you with a baliff

Subject: When they threaten you with a baliff
From: GUEST
Date: 21 Nov 00 - 05:35 PM

OK,

You owe money, you're prepared to come to an arrangement to pay it off as best you can, but whenever you try to be reasonable, you get unreason back.

I'm not having anyone selling my CD collection for 20p a go, or my instruments at a tenth of their value.

Help!

(i'm in the uk)

Subject: RE: Help: When they threaten you with a baliff
From: Morticia
Date: 21 Nov 00 - 06:33 PM

Ok, best thing you can do, asap, is get yourself to the CAB and they will ( hopefully) offer you a debt counselling service who will intercede on your behalf with your creditors.Most creditors will accept interim arrangements, preferring to settle for £2 a week rather than nothing but they will usually behave more responsively to an agency such as CAB.If you join Mudcat, you could pm me as to how you're getting on and I'll offer more suggestions if I can.

Subject: RE: Help: When they threaten you with a baliff
From: GUEST,someone who's been there
Date: 21 Nov 00 - 07:06 PM

The easiest way is to run away, change address etc...

Sometimes you get tired of running, though.

Face up to it - it's hard but if I managed...

Get good advice, the CAB are great if you're prepared to queue for a bit, agree a payment plan you can afford (they'll accept that) and you'll be in the privileged situation of truly understanding what a 'weight off your mind' really means.

Whatever you do, don't ignore letters - the situation won't just go away.

Good luck.

John H

Subject: RE: Help: When they threaten you with a baliff
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 21 Nov 00 - 07:13 PM

Hi Guest, I can't add to the advice given above but I wish to say that I hope that this matter can be resolved without the baliffs.

Good luck,

Jon

Subject: RE: Help: When they threaten you with a baliff
From: pict
Date: 21 Nov 00 - 08:28 PM

"Give" all your valuables to family and friends for safe keeping until you come to an arrangement that way they will have nothing to take if they get nasty.I'm pretty sure they can only take non essential stuff paintings,cars,hi-fi etc they can't take washing machines,fridges,cookers and beds etc I've even heard of someone getting to keep a tv because it was regarded as an essential item.Citizens advice is definitely an essential port of call in your situation they can inform you of your rights and suggest solutions to these kinds of problems.Generally if you give the strong impression that you are willing to pay what you can afford the authorities who arbitrate in these matters will tend to look more favourably on your situation than on the creditors.

Subject: RE: Help: When they threaten you with a baliff
From: SINSULL
Date: 21 Nov 00 - 09:27 PM

Tuck your computer safely away. We want regular updates. And don'r despair. This will pass and better times will come. Honest.

Subject: RE: Help: When they threaten you with a baliff
From: Bert
Date: 21 Nov 00 - 09:41 PM

Pay something, however small, EVERY week. Most judges won't rule against you if you are 'demonstrating' willingness to pay. In fact many judges wont even consider a case against you if you are paying something.

I remember a time when the Electricity board got nasty with us when I was in England. My lawyer said offer them half a crown a week. They will pretty much have to accept it. - Mind you that was some years ago.

Subject: RE: Help: When they threaten you with a baliff
From: mmm
Date: 21 Nov 00 - 10:03 PM

I don't know about the laws in the U.K. but in the U.S. if you pay them something everyweek or even once a month they can't garnish your wages, never heard of them coming after your personel stuff , unless it was uncle sam :( hope every thing works out for you i have been there and know what a bummer it is

Subject: RE: Help: When they threaten you with a baliff
From: GUEST,Sam Hudson
Date: 22 Nov 00 - 03:01 AM

All the advice above is good, especially the note about not ignoring it and reading very carefully any correspondence that arrives - particularly anything that comes from the Court, if it gets that far.

Something to remember about bailiffs is that they cannot force an entry into your home. If you let them in, however, you cannot prevent them removing items, and generally speaking offering them cash at that stage won't work. It should also be noted that bailiffs don't work for nothing, and their charges will be added to the original debt, so try not to let things get to that stage. As mentioned above, make a realistic offer and start paying to establish your willingness to sort the problem out.

Subject: RE: Help: When they threaten you with a baliff
From: okthen
Date: 22 Nov 00 - 04:15 AM

you can get a short time free with some solicitors.

is the debt with a recognised institution? or a loan shark type company ?

during the poll tax "celebrations" i got my mother to write a letter saying she had loaned several pieces of furniture, and left my guitar at a friends house.

this is a time of stress so take advice and act on it

godd luck

cheers

bill

Subject: RE: Help: When they threaten you with a baliff
From: Irish sergeant
Date: 22 Nov 00 - 12:40 PM

Guest: (That sounds impersonal sorry.) Anyway, offer them payment by all means even if it is only a few pounds a week. I don't know how they do it over there across the pond but don't ignore any correspondence! This is very vital! It toook me seven and a half years to get out of that fix. If you can trust family or friends, you can put your instruments, CDs and computer etc. in their name (Provided they're not being sued for payment.) If it is serious enough that you are worried about balliffs then get a good solicitor or see the CAB (sp?)as soon as possible! I can not strss this too importantly! Unless there is absolutely no other option, do not declare bankruptcy!Don't move to avoid payment or any of the other "cute" options that might present themselves. If you're willing to pay, the court should be reasonabl;e even if your creditors aren't. Lastly, don't give up hope! Check in here often. There are people who are willing to help even if it is only to let you bend a cyber-ear as it were. best of luck and kindest reguards. Neil PS, we do hope to hear from you with better news and on musical topics., Irish Sergeant

Subject: RE: Help: When they threaten you with a baliff
From: Bernard
Date: 22 Nov 00 - 02:18 PM

The CAB is your best bet. A friend of mine works there as an advisor (specialising in debt management) and assures me that bailiffs are used as a last resort if they can't get any other sense out of you. It is NOT in their best interest to ignore the CAB's budgeting plans, as they are more likely to recoup their debt in full that way.

If you decide to move your valuables to friends'/relatives' houses, do it sensibly - you could be prosecuted for doing so! I don't know the full details, but I can check with my friend. Something like being 'deliberately insolvent'...

Good luck! It's only money, and it's never as bad as it seems. Life carries on!

Subject: RE: Help: When they threaten you with a baliff
From: Roger in Sheffield
Date: 22 Nov 00 - 02:48 PM

Don't waste time worrying get some advice! (CAB)
And tell them eveything they need to know, no point being embarrassed and hiding a few lesser debts
If you get called to court - GO - judges are very sympathetic to people in debt
CAB if possible first as they may go with you to plead your case

Remember Baliffs are employed by the courts so you would have to have been summoned to court before there could be any mention of baliffs. So if you get called to court, go, be early, try not to worry and just put your case
as Morticia said why not join Mudcat, its free, and that way you can send personal messages (PM) to the people here instead of putting sensative information on public view
Go and see a CAB adviser now

Roger

Subject: RE: Help: When they threaten you with a baliff
From: GUEST,Kernow Jon
Date: 22 Nov 00 - 04:02 PM

CAB first port of call, they really are a helpful bunch.
Good luck whatever happens.
KJ

Subject: RE: Help: When they threaten you with a baliff
From: mousethief
Date: 22 Nov 00 - 05:39 PM

Just out of curiosity, what is this CAB you all mention? Is this a British thing?

Alex

Subject: RE: Help: When they threaten you with a baliff
From: okthen
Date: 22 Nov 00 - 05:52 PM

CAB= Citizens Advice Bureaux, terribly British, useful bunch of folks.

cheers

bill

Subject: RE: Help: When they threaten you with a baliff
From: Bernard
Date: 22 Nov 00 - 05:56 PM

What's more, many of the staff are volunteers - they don't get paid!

Sounds duff, but the reality is that they do it because they want to, so the commitment is greater.

They aren't let loose on Joe Public until they've had adequate training - and now they have computers... aaaaargh!!

Subject: RE: Help: When they threaten you with a baliff
From: Long Firm Freddie
Date: 22 Nov 00 - 05:57 PM

Yes, the Citizen's Advice Bureau is a British thing, depending heavily on expert volunteers to give free advice on all sorts of things. They are extremely good people!

Citizen's Advice Bureau

LFF

Subject: RE: Help: When they threaten you with a baliff
From: katlaughing
Date: 22 Nov 00 - 11:51 PM

Sounds just like the Consumer Credit Counseling Services we have over here. Mostly volunteers with many years experience and very helpful.

Good luck and I hope the advice here helps you. These things do get sorted out.

kat

Subject: RE: Help: When they threaten you with a baliff
From: Gervase
Date: 23 Nov 00 - 07:13 AM

There's also a very useful paperback called "How to cope when the money runs out", by David Benedictus (ISBN: 0862417333) which you should be able to get from the business section of any goog bookshop or from Amazon.
It takes things one stage further than the advice you'll need from the CAB and will help you get your credit rating rebuilt, debts consolidated etc.
It's written by a bloke who's been at rock bottom, with input from banks, lawyers, the CAB and various other bodies - well worth a look.

Subject: RE: Help: When they threaten you with a baliff
From: Catrin
Date: 23 Nov 00 - 01:41 PM

I've been there too guest - a result of living in cloud cuckoo land and just borrowing more and more on credit cards until it all became completely unmanageable.

Still pulling myself out of the mess. But I do think that once you admit it to yourself, you're half way to solving it, if that makes sense.

Good luck with it all. Check out CAB and do let us know how you get on.

Cheers,

Catrin

Subject: RE: Help: When they threaten you with a baliff
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 23 Nov 00 - 06:02 PM

One good thing to do - if you have them and can manage without them - is to physically cut up your cards.... preferably in front of a witness! It acts as a sort of psychological cutting off from the past, and a catalyst for a future of more sensible spending.

Be careful where you consolidate your loans though - tying them into a mortgage might sound good, but if it is interest linked, you could end up in deep doodoos.

Good luck and persevere - if our church can recoup nearly £60k in one year, anyone can do it!!

LTS