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BAILIFFS IN THREATS TO TAKE PETS
Shock report reveals threats over failure to pay parking fines
BULLYING by heavy-handed bailiffs collecting unpaid council tax and parking fines has been revealed in a damning report.
Westminster Citizen’s Advice Bureau slammed the council’s controversial policy for targeting Westminster’s most vulnerable and elderly.
The explosive document revealed 150 complaints including:
• Threats to seize family pets.
• The hounding of a disabled single mother for £33 she was not liable for.
• Intimidating messages wrongly left on pensioners’ answer machines.
In one complaint it is claimed a bailiff threatened to “come round in a van” whether the man was in or not.
At present a bailiff enforcing debt collection on behalf of the council can only enter if a householder lets them in – or they find an open window or door unlocked.
But a new Bill going through Parliament will give powers to bailiffs to enforce debt collection by forcing entry into people’s homes.
Westminster CAB wants a full inquiry into the council’s use of bailiffs before the legislation comes into effect.
But chairman Councillor Mark Page said most of the claims were “unsubstantiated” and that the use of bailiffs was a “necessary tool used to maximise the collection of Council Tax”.
Cllr Page said: “Council officers have set-up new liaison and monitoring arrangements with Westminster’s CAB’s to ensure accurate data can be obtained and analysed in the future in relation to the Bailiff service.
“The Committee will continue to maintain a watching eye on this issue. The use of bailiffs in general is an area that interests the committee.”
Opposition leader Paul Dimoldenberg said: “At our regular Tuesday advice sessions we often get first-hand stories from residents who have been at the receiving end of what they believe to be heavy-handed or downright rude behaviour.
“We have had a number of people close to tears because of the way they believe they have been harassed by the Council’s bailiffs.
“When you think the council was quite happy to let Shirley Porter off three quarters of her debt, costing the taxpayers more than £30-million it seems a bit rich to chase the poorest people with bailiffs for £50 or less.
“The Council is trying to wash-over a real problem about the actions of heavy-handed bailiffs. Bailiffs should be used as a last resort, as is the case in other boroughs.” |
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