ten0rman wrote:I do watch some of the programmes mentioned, and whilst I have absolutely no sympathy for the crooks amongst them, I do find that there is one aspect of what appears to happen which I find rather worrying. In a recent case, the bailiffs were looking for the son of the house, they got into the house, and when the son said that he had no money and couldn't pay, the bailiffs started listing the parents goods and saying that unless the parents can prove ownership, they would take the goods. I have seen this in, I think, a couple of other episodes as well.
Now, I don't know about other people, but I would be hard pressed to, for example prove that the computer I'm using right now, was bought by me, and certainly my "backup" computer, being s/h, I cannot prove is mine. Which means that if my youngest son, aged 28, and currently living with us short term, was in this sort of trouble, then I could see my goods disappearing into the back of the bailiffs van, and it then being up to me, having nothing to do with the debt other than being the parent, having to spend time and money going to court to reclaim my goods. And that is rather worrying. Does it mean then that we should all keep receipts for all our purchases until said item is finally disposed of? I am aware that people can and will lie, but at the same time, it can easily be proven that, eg in my case, I own this property, have lived here for a long number of years, and I am the parent of the 28 year old, and hence there is a strong likelihood that the vast majority of the items in this house are owned by me. And therefore why should I be made responsible for a 28 year olds debts? Because that is what is being implied in these programmes.
Before people say I'm being silly, or whatever, and it's only a tv show showing the interesting bits, it does seem to me that this sort of action must be legal as otherwise I don't think it could be shown. Which thus turns the idea of being innocent until proven guilty on its head.
Regards,
ten0rman
I have seen similar shows - and no, that doesn't happen. They have to prove they belong to the person they are after, or at least have reasonable belief. I saw one with a car and the guy kept saying it wasn't his, it was his wife's but they rang DVLA and got the info and it was his so they impounded it.
I've seen others where they have said no, it's not his and they've left it alone.
Second hand household goods are really worth very little, I honestly cannot imagine a bailiff going off with a truck for of old dining chairs and stereos. And there is loads they cannot take, such as fridges.
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/debt- ... -can-take/ But it has nothing to do with 'innocent until proved guilty' - the person who owes the money has been shown to be guilty if these are court bailiffs. The taking of other people's goods if it happens can only be in error.
The TV shows sensationalise it.
Mel