1) Please provide the number of times between 1st April 2018 and 31st March 2019, or the nearest available twelve month period, that private bailiffs/enforcement agents have been instructed to enforce debts to the local authority relating to each of the following:-
a. Council Tax:
Information not held. This is a function provided by District and Unitary councils in Devon. Please contact them directly using the information on the links provided.
b. Parking:
Total number of cases referred to Bailiffs for parking recovery in the specified time period = 7,826
c. Housing Benefit overpayments:
Information not held. This is a function provided by District and Unitary councils in Devon. Please contact them directly using the information on the links provided.
d. Business Rates:
Information not held. This is a function provided by District and Unitary councils in Devon. Please contact them directly using the information on the links provided.
e. Commercial Rents:
Information not held. This is a function provided by District and Unitary councils in Devon. Please contact them directly using the information on the links provided.
f. Any other debt types, including any other overpayments:
112 cases referred for other debt types.
By ‘private bailiffs/enforcement agents’ we mean those who are self-employed or who work for private companies, including as high court enforcement officers. Please include cases where local authority employees have visited a property to enforce a warrant of control.
2) Do you signpost residents to one or more free debt advice agencies as part of your collections process? (Yes/No) If so, which charities?
For parking enforcement, Processing Team officers will advise callers claiming financial difficulty to seek independent financial guidance. We refer people to the Citizen’s Advice Bureau, Step to Change, National Debt helpline free phone number and the Money Advice Service.
3) Have you adopted the Standard Financial Statement (or Common Financial Statement) as a tool for objectively assessing income and expenditure as part of your collections process? (Yes/No)
Parking – No
Other debt – Yes
4) Do you have a formal policy in place for dealing with residents in vulnerable circumstances as part of your collections process? (Yes/No)
Parking – Yes
Other debt – No
5) Do you currently have a policy of exempting recipients of Council Tax Support from the use of bailiff action? (Yes/No)
Information not held. This is a function provided by District and Unitary councils in Devon. Please contact them directly using the information on the links provided.
6) Have you adopted the Citizens Advice/Local Government Association Council Tax Protocol? (Yes/No)
Information not held. This is a function provided by District and Unitary councils in Devon. Please contact them directly using the information on the links provided.