Do I Have To Pay Council Tax To Equita?
By
HuutiMoney
This blog post will answer the question of whether or not you have to pay council tax to Equita bailiffs. While we will mainly discuss the role and responsibility of Equita bailiffs concerning the collection of council tax dues, we will also explore the limitations to their authority as well as the steps that one should take if they are contacted by Equita.
Do I Have To Pay Council Tax To Equita?
Yes, you have to pay council tax to Equita. If you fail to clear your debt, you can be faced with any (or all) of the below-listed consequences:
- Your credit rating will be affected and you will find it extremely difficult to get a loan in the future
- If Equita bailiffs are unable to get you to agree to clear your council tax dues or a basic repayment plan, they can confiscate valuable items from your house
- If there are no valuables that can be recovered from your house and your council tax debt continues, you can be sentenced to a jail term of up to three months
Equita is a debt recovery agency that works closely with local council authorities in England and Wales to help the authorities in recovering council tax dues. If they have contacted you (either with a letter or a phone call), it means that they have been asked by the local council authorities to recover council tax debt from you (as their efforts may have failed in helping you clear your council tax dues).
If you have received a letter from Equita bailiffs, it will mention the details of your council tax debt; as well as a scheduled date and time when they intend to visit you. Since they would have been hired after a series of failed attempts by the local council itself, it means that your council tax debt has been due (or even overdue) for some time. Therefore, it would be ideal to settle your debt at the earliest possible.
If you are not able to clear your council tax debt in one attempt, it is advisable to share this information with Equita when they contact you. It is most likely that they will offer you an instalment-based repayment plan that makes it easier for you to repay your council tax debt over some time.
Should you choose to discuss the details of your council tax payment plan with Equita and agree on a schedule of payments, they will not be required to visit your house until the first visit is due. In the other case, their visitation fee of £235 will be added to your debt.
Equita Enforcement Agents are certified bailiffs and hold a certificate granted by a County Court Judge which gives them the right to carry out enforcement action. This means that if you do not agree to a repayment plan with them, they can visit your house to collect valuables. They also have the authority to sell these valuables to recover your council tax debt.
However, they cannot simply force entry into your house to collect any item deemed valuable and take it into their possession. Despite being appointed by local council authorities to collect council tax debt and take necessary enforcement action for the purpose, there are certain limitations on the actions Equita bailiffs are authorised to conduct.
What Powers Do Equita Bailiffs Have?
Equita bailiffs are authorised to do the following:
- Visit your house for debt collection as per a time and date communicated at least a week in advance
- Use reasonable power such as a locksmith to enter your house to collect the said items (this can only happen if they have visited you at least once before and given you time to pay your dues)
- Collect valuables from your house
- Sell the collected valuables to recover the amount of debt you owe
However, they cannot perform any of the following actions:
- Force entry into your home
- Visit your house from 9 pm to 6 am
- Visit your house if there are vulnerable household members or children under 16 years old alone at home
- Use any other mode of entry than the door (e.g. use the windows to enter your house)
How Can I Contact Equita Bailiffs?
If you received a letter from Equita, you can use the contact details mentioned in it to get in touch with the agency. Otherwise, you can contact Equita bailiffs in any of the following ways:
- Call them at 01604 628 360
- Send an email to them at contact@equita.co.uk
- Write to them at Equita Ltd, 42-44 Henry Street, Northampton, NN1 4BZ
- Visit their website at https://equita.co.uk/
What Should I Do If Equita Bailiffs Visit My House?
If an Equita bailiff visits your home for council tax debt recovery, you should follow the below-listed steps for a smooth and successful interaction:
- Ask the visitor to provide you with proof of their identity. Bailiffs are required by law to carry a badge, ID card or enforcement agent certificate that they show to residents to confirm their identity when they make house visits.
- The next thing you should ask them is the name and contact details of the company that they represent. You don’t have to open your door to check their identification and can ask them to show them through the window or pass them through the letterbox.
- If you are not satisfied with the identification documents they provide or they are unable to provide them, you should immediately call 999.
- On the other hand, if you are satisfied with their identity confirmation, you still don’t have to open the door and can continue talking through the door, a window or step outside of your home to talk to them.
Meanwhile, there is no problem in allowing them to enter your home as well; but it is a personal choice. If you allow them into your home you are expected to either pay back your debt or work out a repayment plan with them which includes clearance of the dues that they are here to collect as well as their fee which is usually £235.
Conclusion:
The above discussion helps to conclude that if you have council tax dues and are being contacted by Equita bailiffs, you are obligated to pay your debt to them as they are certified, debt collectors. If you are unable to pay your dues in full, you should at least agree to a repayment plan with them.