I apparently owe money to my previous employer?Bailiffs dropped off a note..

[Jasikasisback]

So the bailiffs dropped off a note through my letterbox that I owe my previous employer (I worked for them in 2007) money that they overpaid me for my wages. I have never heard anything about this until now. Apparently there is a court ruling (In Wales) but I worked in in Kent at the time. So the letter says I owe way more than what I have been paid by my employer plus the baillif company has added in their percentage??

I always thought you get invited to court to explain yourself if there is a dispute...or can they just send a bailiff over and they will just take your stuff? What happened to democracy?? Plus why would an employer based in Kent go all the way to Wales to go to court to sort a dispute? Doesn't make any sense...

[Waspy]

Something sounds off. Contact your old employer directly to confirm it is legit?

[Bandit127]

Check your credit file to see if this has been registered. And check a website called Trustonline which records all CCJs in the past 6 years. If the bailiffs are demanding payment I am pretty sure your employer (or a DCA) got "judgement by default".

Are you going to pay this?

If not you could possibly get this "set aside" by the court to defend it. But I am not sure where that would sit with the bailiffs knocking at your door.

If you are going to try to defend this (if there is any time left) then Legal Beagles has a dedicated forum for legal advice. And you will need that unless you are fully up to speed with the rules for County Court proceedings ("CPR" rules).

[thai-wronghorse]

Sounds fishy to me.

[Jasikasisback]

So another question..how long does the judgement stay in effect? Is it six years and then it lapses? Or is it longer?

Just wondering as then I sort of don't have to go through all the hassle of sorting this??

[Waspy]

Good point on the six years.

https://www.payplan.com/advice/law/limitation-act-1980/ It's more targeted at traditional debt, but I imagine that act applies in this situation? I'm no lawyer haha

[Jasikasisback]

yeah I read that, but I believe they have gone to court to sort it out without ever getting in touch with me or talking to me etc.

This is the first I have heard of it ever...seeing as the last date of work for this employer was August 5, 2008 I feel that they should have at least gotten in touch with me. Funny thing is that I gave the employer my personal email which I am still using today, but they have never ever bothered to write to me about any debt in all of that time....I don't think I owe them anything really but it would have been curteous of them to try to contact me directly to speak about it?

But I believe that the judgement was made in a high court in Wales (why didn't they go to a court in Kent is beyond me...) many years ago so I guess they are allowed to chase the debt? Why wasn't I given a court summons? I have been summoned to other court hearings in the meantime and have gone...and given statements to the Courts but this was in different matters-not financial related.

The only Marstens I know is a brewery....so no idea who or what these people are.....They seem to be quite persistent but I have never spoken to anyone just gotten one letter and one hand written? letter through my door...

[Waspy]

So actually their contact was within 6 years (just).

If I have learnt anything from watching trash on channel 5, they cant send bailiffes over without prior contact. So if the bailiffes were your first point of contact about the matter, it is dodgy as f**k.

[Jasikasisback]

I believe they sent a letter (unregistered) telling us that we owe them (fees) and my previous employer money....and it gave me less than a few days to pay up or they will come and visit and tell us we owe them more money for the visit....just out of the blue...no warning...didn't even give much information except that they have a high court decision from Wales? Yay.....

[thai-wronghorse]

That's bullsh!t mate, how is that ever legal?