El Scorchio 10:43 Thu Dec 12
Legal advice- help please!
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i got home tonight to be told a high court enforcement officer had been waiting for me- presumably to serve me with something. This would be for a debt, right?
I'm assuming they will come back, but I have no idea what it's about and to my knowledge have no (and have never had any) debts whatsoever. I have not been given any letters or warnings that I have a debt, or been contacted by anyone about it. I pay all my bills, credit card, mortgage on time, don't have any old credit or store cards or anything so I'm completely clueless as to what this could be for.
I don't know what to do, or if I should do anything before they come back. Any advice please? Have I got a way of finding out what it supposedly is for, at least?
When they do come, first and foremost should I refuse entry?
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Replies - Newest Posts First ( Show In Chronological Order)
El Scorchio
6:53 Fri Dec 13
Re: Legal advice- help please!
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Thanks irons.
Good advice. No point in trying to duck them. As I genuinely don't know what it's about, I do need to try and find out and the only way is by talking to them. I rang citizens advice this morning and nothing can be done until I know. So just have to wait for a knock, I suppose.
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irons1979
6:09 Fri Dec 13
Re: Legal advice- help please!
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I got sued a few years ago by a vindictive arsehole over a contractual matter. He had legal mates and convinced them it was serious so they went off to the High Court when maybe talking to me would have helped.
Anyway, the first I knew of it was when a guy in a suit knocked on my door and served me papers.
From my experience, you're probably best dealing with them rather than trying to avoid them because those papers are key to finding out what this is all about. If you've had no correspondence previously then they probably aren't going to start taking your stuff like you see on the TV.
I'd deal with them in a civil manner, find out what they are there for and then try to resolve whatever it is.
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El Scorchio
2:40 Fri Dec 13
Re: Legal advice- help please!
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Well I hope for his sake it wasn't a wind up, because I think he'll probably get fired as a result of it.
Definitely possible the info is wrong or whoever the enforcer is has the wrong address or details. Be nice if it's some good news, if they come back. Might make up for the stress.
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greenie1
2:21 Fri Dec 13
Re: Legal advice- help please!
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The person that told you could be winding you up or have got their information wrong.
Also, you would normally get letters through the post prior to any serving of an official document.
You never know, it might be a letter saying a long lost Uncle has you left you his country estate.
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El Scorchio
2:17 Fri Dec 13
Re: Legal advice- help please!
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Westside- to be fair I don;t have a common surname at all, and I don't know of anyone with the same name as me. It's possible they were after another person in the building and had the wrong flat number. (The security couldn't remember if they'd asked for me by name or not) Obviously I'm hoping it's a mistake.
Leaning toward possible identity theft. I have had a few attempts to compromise an email account a couple of other things recently, also some fraudulant activity on my credit card which was investigated by the bank.
Greenie- that's what a few others have said too. So it's interesting they insisted on delivering by hand. I can't think of any reason why it would be anything to do with prison or a law matter as I've not (to my knowledge) committed any crime or had any contact with the police or a court official with regard to any crime. I'd assume first contact with anything like that would come from the police anyway?
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Westside
1:56 Fri Dec 13
Re: Legal advice- help please!
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It could be a cock up by the bailiffs.
Was a case recently , where a "can't pay we'll take it away" bailiff entered the wrong house (peacefully, unlocked door) started shouting the odds. He ended up being convicted of unlawful entry.
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/9370561/cant-pay-well-take-it-away-bailiff-rifles-innocent-couples-wrong-address/
Given that you have no notice of any overdue debts, no CCJ's against you etc, this could be the case. Or identity theft against you.
Do you have a relatively common surname? Perhaps they are after the other Mr Smith in your block?
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greenie1
1:42 Fri Dec 13
Re: Legal advice- help please!
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Papers can be served if placed through your letterbox, or left with someone else.
Any court will accept this, unless it is a committal to prison, for which then have to be served directly.
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bill green
1:22 Fri Dec 13
Re: Legal advice- help please!
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it could be someone of the same name, happened to a friend of mine who had a debt wrongly allocated to him... i checked the details and it was a company director same name but completely wrong address
he paid up then spent months getting it back
i'd suggest calling the police if they turn up on your doorstep if its wrong identity
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diehardhammer
1:20 Fri Dec 13
Re: Legal advice- help please!
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From my experience watching "cant pay we'll take it away"
like Joe said: do not open the door as they can legally enter
if they come back and have a high court writ, try and discuss the matter through a window to prevent access.
if it turns out you have forgotten something and they do seem legitimate, let them in to discuss payment. Only do that if you're 100% sure and done checks first.
Usually if it turns out you have forgotten something and letters have gone to an old address best option is to pay it then appeal it within 14 days which is your legal right.
might help to film or at least voice record the encouter if they come back in case of a clever scam
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Block
1:15 Fri Dec 13
Re: Legal advice- help please!
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Penners is your man
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Buster
1:15 Fri Dec 13
Re: Legal advice- help please!
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Paul BOHILL
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Athletico Easthamico
1:07 Fri Dec 13
Re: Legal advice- help please!
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Very Strange.
Are you sure you don't have an old debt??
Don't get to this stage for nothing.
Basically ring them up for complete information on the matter.
Don't let them in. If they try and force entry call the police.
Keep your car out of the way so they wont clamp it.
You can apply to set aside Court Order at County Court with a District Registry.
Are you sure you don't have any old shit in the past?
Just find out what it's for.
And they could be scammers.
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Eerie Descent
1:00 Fri Dec 13
Re: Legal advice- help please!
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Spandex Sidney 12:51 Fri Dec 13
You're calling bullshit on my clearly made up story to wind this wally up?
NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS
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Mike Oxsaw
12:56 Fri Dec 13
Re: Legal advice- help please!
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"It's not 1750 ".
But it IS, apparently, 1933.
Maybe such laws were still on the statute book...
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Spandex Sidney
12:51 Fri Dec 13
Re: Legal advice- help please!
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Eerie Descent 1:43 Fri Dec 13
Calling bullshit on that! You can't forget half a million quid of debt AND you can't go to prison for not paying debt. You go to prison for breaking the law, not paying your debt, which is a civil rather than a criminal issue.
It's not 1750
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El Scorchio
11:38 Fri Dec 13
Re: Legal advice- help please!
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Thanks Joe.
I've rung citizens advice and they can't tell me much. My credit report is very good and I've no CCJs against my name, so this is very strange.
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joe royal
5:19 Fri Dec 13
Re: Legal advice- help please!
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From watching can’t pay we'll take it away do not even open the door to them. Once they make “peaceful” entry they can come back at any time.
If kept outside and you don’t have a car to clamp it appears there is little they can do.
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El Scorchio
4:56 Fri Dec 13
Re: Legal advice- help please!
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Never. And I’ve never had any correspondence about anything like that either.
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Cheezey Bell-End
4:29 Fri Dec 13
Re: Legal advice- help please!
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Have you ever been a company director and neglected to pay business related tax?
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chim chim cha boo
4:02 Fri Dec 13
Re: Legal advice- help please!
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The most important thing is that they will come over all friendly and ask if they can come in so it's not embarrassing if your neighbour's are watching. This is a ploy as once they've been invited in they can start seizing your stuff.
On no account let them in. They have no rights unless explicitly let into your home.
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andyd12345
3:07 Fri Dec 13
Re: Legal advice- help please!
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Eerie - how can anyone “forget” about half a million quid of debt?!
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