North East Lincolnshire Council

Finance Department Grimsby

Civic Offices Knoll Street North East Lincolnshire
Cleethorpes DN32
North East Lincolnshire
DN35 8LN

17 July 2018

[Misdated 2016 on original]

Dear Sir/Madam

Re: Council tax Ref: 550 – Formal Complaint

I would like the Council to investigate its enforcement contractor Jacobs due to the fact that I found
by chance the enclosed letter which had not been delivered threatening the removal of goods which
should either have been handed to me, or if I was not in, put through the letter box.

The letter was found on a ground level window ledge on the 12 July 2018 in the stairwell of the
building that contains my own and a number of other resident’s flats. The enforcement notice was
hand delivered in a sealed envelope with my name, address, flat number and in red bold capitals the
warning, “URGENT - DO NOT IGNORE” all visible through the envelope window. The letter was
dated 10 July so presumably it had been seen by neighbours and anyone who visited the building
over the two days it took me to come across it. Potentially, however, the letter could have been
taken by any of those people; if for example, they were curious to further understand the matter
which was obvious by the warning visible through the envelope window.

There is a numbered intercom system with buzzer outside the building for each flat and I can say
with all certainty that I would have heard it if it was operated. I was in all day on the day the letter
was left but did not hear the intercom. Though this is academic anyway as whoever left the letter
must have been allowed access by someone. If he/she had got through the security door there was
no reason why they would not have knocked on my door and if there was no answer put the notice
through the letter box. Clearly every effort was made not to make contact but the fee of £235 was
added in respect of approximately and stealthily delivering a letter.
The placing of the letter in a communal place was intentionally done to ensure as far as was
practical the purpose of the visit to neighbours and anyone who visited the building. In that case this
must have at least been a breach of Government published official guidelines which state:

“Enforcement agents should, so far as it is practical, avoid disclosing the purpose of their
visit to anyone other than the debtor or a third party nominated by the debtor, for example an
advice agency representative. Where the debtor is not seen, the relevant documents must be
left at the address in a sealed envelope addressed to the debtor.”

Also, depending on what the purpose of the visit is there is the question to consider as to whether
imposing a £235 fee in the circumstances is fraud. If the £235 charge is merely a penalty then there
would be no requirement to hand deliver the letter, though civil enforcement should not provide for
imposing financial penalties – only covering the cost of carrying out the work involved. My guess is
that the £235 charge is to cover the enforcement agent’s expenses for exploring the possibility of
any actions that are open to them (payment arrangement, taking control of goods, etc.). If so, that
route was deliberately avoided but the fee applied which suggests fraud.

It is quite clear from the enclosed notice that Jacobs are saying that goods have already been taken
control of and a further fee for removing them is being threatened. However, no goods have been
taken control of and whoever left the notice did not even attempt to.

In addition to investigating the above it should also be discovered whether the reason whoever left
the notice avoided contact with me was because that person was not the enforcement agent but
some delivery boy.

Also, I suspect that the Council may have doubts about the suitability of the enforcement agent and
has assigned him to my case knowing that any breach of the standards etc., would likely to be made
known to the Council in a formal complaint such as this. If the Council is using me solely as a
means of catching out a rogue enforcement agent then there is a serious case of misconduct in
public office to be addressed.

Yours sincerely

Enclosure
 6 Europa Boulevard
Birkenhead
Wirral
CH414PE
AutomatedPaymentLine
0330008 0430
Queries
0345601 2692
www.jacobsenforcemenLcom
mail@jacobsenforcement.com
Monday - Friday I Saturday
Barn· Bprn
I
I Barn· 5pm I
Sunday
Barn -1prn
JAC Enforcement Agents
ss
to Charge
-
. ~---
Jacobs Ref No.
----
-
30/10/2015
North
Council
18310631East
550:""--- TaxLincs Council
Gi'imsor;-DN3Z1l
Debt Type -
Due To Ref
Council
Address
Liability No.Date
giving
Order Rise
Name: Mr 1\ __~n

Address:
_~~ ~t, Grimsby, DN32
~'"'"

/"-

I Date 'L-p"') /,/" // "! .~,,~q'"

Further to my previous letter, as your balance remains unpaid, I am making the necessary
arrangements to start removal proceedings.

This process will incur additional fees for the removal, transport and storage of your goods.

If the goods do not clear your debt in full, the Council may choose to take this matter further.

Please note: Once we return the cases, the Local Authority have the power to apply to the
Magistrates Court for a Committal Summons. Unpaid Council Tax can result in a custodial
sentence.

Please contact me MR. F. MENZIES immediately on 07855741394

Name: Mr 1\ ____ ~-.nUl.1.

Address:
_~~o~.-v-resceTIt, Grimsby, DN32