Bailiffs - Urgent, need help please.

[Mrs Moneypit]

Just had two people been around, I guessed they were Bailiffs, one is an English woman and the other male one seems to me is an Asian looking, they both had dark navy blue uniform on and I believe it is their work ID card hang in front of their chest. At first they were asking for our landlord, I told them that the landlord don't live here, then they were going on about it is to do with the gas/electric bill have not been paid, even though I told them that we have been paying both bills every month, then the woman starting going on about it is very important and something something discount, she said that we should receive a letter about this matter, even though I told her that we have not received any such letter, she trying to lean over and stick her head around and want to have a sneaky look inside of the house, so I block her and told her that my husband deal with all the bills, and he s not back home yet, she starting a little bit aggressive, so I told her that I can't really help her that much.

They will come around again about 6pm to night, which my husband said he should be back by then, but just in case he is not back yet, and they come around, what shall I do if they starting to really aggressive and nasty? Any advice on how to deal with them please?

We have paid all the bills and never had a such letter through like what she said, so I'm worrying that this is a scam.

HELP PLEASE!!!

[Bill]

Just don't answer the door until your husband gets home, they can't batter it down.

[louismchuge]

just lock the door until your fella gets back

if things get uncomfortable call the old bill

sounds fishy

[GBS2K]

Firstly, if you alone, don't open the door.
If they threaten you or the property call the old bill, and record what they're saying if you can.

[vxrandy]

Don't answer the door and phone the police, or tell them to fkoff.

[Greenwich Ross]

Throw a can of Red Bull at them.

But, seriously, i'd give your local cop shop a bell now (on their non-emergency number) and run it past them. If this is a scam then plod may already be aware of them plying their trade elsewhere.

[sidaorb]

Quick question...........

Do you pay for your electricity directly yourself or do you pay your landlord? The reason being is there has been an increase in the number of landlords taking money for the services from their tennants then not paying the supplier.

If you are paying to the landlord, ring him NOW and find out if he has been paying, advising him that you will pass on his address to them iff required.

The flip side is

a) Because they mentioned 'discounts' they could be a sales people from another services provider using very heavy tactics (yes some of them stoop this low)

b) They are checking the place out for a possible distraction burglary, check there I.D.'s and get a landline number to authenticate who they are.

Any doubts call the police, however avoid mentioning bailiffs as you may get fobbed off as it being a civil dispute.

[streaky]

TVR Moneypit said:

I'll report back later on when I have a couple of bailiffs roasting on a spit over the open fire

Remember to insert the spit from the mouth end rather than the other end. This removes the risk of contaminating those nice bits of offal higher up the torso - Streaky

[Wings]

TVR Moneypit said:

Hello chaps, I'm back.

Firstly sorry for the wife putting this in the wrong section of the forum.


We pay our bills ourselves, directly to each utility provider. We use the same provider for both gas and electric, and a quick look through the old bills shows that nothing is outstanding.

Within a week or so of moving in to the new property, we changed energy supplier, giving them an up to date meter reading. A final bill came through a few weeks later, which was paid in full 4-5 days later. Since then we have received a few calls from various collection services enquiring about outstanding gas bills. Each time I have notified them of when we moved in, that we didn't owe anything to that utility supplier, and taken a name and contact to pass onto our landlord. Guess I'll just have to wait for the fun and games in the next ten minutes or so. Pity, as I'd actually had quite a good day at work untill this popped up.

As a landlord it is a common problem dealing with previous tenants outstanding utility bills, no way does any previous debt/account, either incured by the landlord or a tenant involve you, and under the Data Protection Act you are not obliged to furnish a information to assist the utility companies or their debt collection agencies.


Thanks all for your help. I'll report back later on when I have a couple of bailiffs roasting on a spit over the open fire

[CWH]

...he's not back. Anybody know him personally want to go and see if he's ok?!

[streaky]

Wings said:

TVR Moneypit said:

Hello chaps, I'm back.

Firstly sorry for the wife putting this in the wrong section of the forum.


We pay our bills ourselves, directly to each utility provider. We use the same provider for both gas and electric, and a quick look through the old bills shows that nothing is outstanding.

Within a week or so of moving in to the new property, we changed energy supplier, giving them an up to date meter reading. A final bill came through a few weeks later, which was paid in full 4-5 days later. Since then we have received a few calls from various collection services enquiring about outstanding gas bills. Each time I have notified them of when we moved in, that we didn't owe anything to that utility supplier, and taken a name and contact to pass onto our landlord. Guess I'll just have to wait for the fun and games in the next ten minutes or so. Pity, as I'd actually had quite a good day at work untill this popped up.

Thanks all for your help. I'll report back later on when I have a couple of bailiffs roasting on a spit over the open fire

As a landlord it is a common problem dealing with previous tenants outstanding utility bills, no way does any previous debt/account, either incured by the landlord or a tenant involve you, and under the Data Protection Act you are not obliged to furnish a information to assist the utility companies or their debt collection agencies.

I fixed the quote.

The DPA has f**k-all to do with it.

Streaky