Sheriff Debt Enforcement Help please

Ad2016

Guys i posted this on after house but was advised to post here if anyone could help

Hi all
I really need some help here as i messed up big time.
I moved out of my home about 10 years ago and my mam got a letter from a sheriffs office , Fergus Gallagher, saying that they will come and take goods and chattels if i dont pay 18k to them in 7 days.

I had a loan with BOI about 10 years ago, even over ten years ago, i genuinely cannot remember. But i must have messed up. About that time i was made redundant from work, had to move apartments to a cheaper place, feel behind on loans and credit cards etc.

I sorted that but i genuinely let this one slip. I never had a loan for 18k, it was about 10k but i assume charges and interest over the course of a decade has heavily increased the bill. but i genuinely cannot remember how much of that loan i paid back so im just speculating here.

My fear is that i dont have 18k. i have like 650 in the bank right now until payday at the end of the month. I think i have about 2k total in assets in the apartment i rent.

Has anyone had to deal with Sheriffs before. I suffer badly with anxiety and this is killing me. I can afford to offer 500 a month to pay this back and that will leave me really tight each month, just enough for food and bills etc. Do Sheriffs accept payment plans, and if you have experience, would this be enough?

My fear is they turn up to my mams house and start taking stuff, but thats not my stuff, its hers. I am on the mortgage with my mam, so technically the house shell itself is mine, but she owns everything in it.

Do i have options here? i am not looking for legal advice at all. this is my fault, i messed up big time. but i didnt ignore letters, the sheriffs letter was the first letter i got. Im assuming they were sending letters to an older address or something, i cannot figure it out. ALso i would have imagined if i was summoned to court, that would have arrived by registered post which would prove i didnt get them as i never signed for anything. thank god my mam opened the letter ( my name was obscured over the address, i assume this is done on purpose) .

I know i messed up, im an idiot and im willing to pay my dues, but are sheriffs reasonable, 500 will leave me very very tight each month but willing to pay off this but this anxiety is killing me and im terrified they wont accept. i have to wait till monday so i thought i could post here for help.

Pro Hoc Vice

Go to FLAC or a solicitor a bit of time and small money might produce results.

garhjw

OP, as the other poster said, go to FLAC for some advise but I think you are on the right track proposing a payment plan to them. Maybe work out what it would cost to repay over 2-3 years and start with that number to see if it works.

Pro Hoc Vice

garhjw wrote: »

OP, as the other poster said, go to FLAC for some advise but I think you are on the right track proposing a payment plan to them. Maybe work out what it would cost to repay over 2-3 years and start with that number to see if it works.

With out all the information the above may not be best to do with out professional advice.

Ad2016

Pro Hoc Vice wrote: »

With out all the information the above may not be best to do with out professional advice.

unfortunately i have to work and its impossible for me to physically go into an office and seek professional advice right now and i certainly dont want to wait to call the sheriff as it says 7 days to pay. I feel the sooner the better. I just hope he accepts 500 a month but im terrified.

Speedwell

Ad2016 wrote: »

unfortunately i have to work and its impossible for me to physically go into an office and seek professional advice right now and i certainly dont want to wait to call the sheriff as it says 7 days to pay. I feel the sooner the better. I just hope he accepts 500 a month but im terrified.

Will you really lose your job for taking a day to take care of a personal emergency of this magnitude?

Pro Hoc Vice

Ad2016 wrote: »

unfortunately i have to work and its impossible for me to physically go into an office and seek professional advice right now and i certainly dont want to wait to call the sheriff as it says 7 days to pay. I feel the sooner the better. I just hope he accepts 500 a month but im terrified.

OK your choice to decide to pay where there may be no legal obligation to pay. It's simple tell sheriff you have no idea what this is about and you are seeking legal advice your solicitor will be in touch.

Ad2016

Well this personal emergency was my doing, its my fault. plus i work in sales so yeah i could get into a lot of trouble being end of quarter. Im worried why people keep telling be to get professional help BEFORE speaking to the sheriff. That is scaring me, what could the sheriff possibly do on the call that i would require that first?

Honestly i was really hoping someone with experience and sorted their issue could advise me on what they did. ive never been so scared.

Pro Hoc Vice

Ad2016 wrote: »

Well this personal emergency was my doing, its my fault. plus i work in sales so yeah i could get into a lot of trouble being end of quarter. Im worried why people keep telling be to get professional help BEFORE speaking to the sheriff. That is scaring me, what could the sheriff possibly do on the call that i would require that first?

Honestly i was really hoping someone with experience and sorted their issue could advise me on what they did. ive never been so scared.

You have been given good advice follow it or not your choice.

Ad2016

Well this personal emergency was my doing, its my fault. plus i work in sales so yeah i could get into a lot of trouble being end of quarter. Im worried why people keep telling be to get professional help BEFORE speaking to the sheriff. That is scaring me, what could the sheriff possibly do on the call that i would require that first?

Honestly i was really hoping someone with experience and sorted their issue could advise me on what they did. ive never been so scared.

also , please NO LEGAL ADVICE, i really dont want the thread locked. im hoping eventually someone who went through this will see it

athtrasna

Ad2016 wrote: »

Well this personal emergency was my doing, its my fault. plus i work in sales so yeah i could get into a lot of trouble being end of quarter. Im worried why people keep telling be to get professional help BEFORE speaking to the sheriff. That is scaring me, what could the sheriff possibly do on the call that i would require that first?

Honestly i was really hoping someone with experience and sorted their issue could advise me on what they did. ive never been so scared.

You need to know your rights and the powers of the sheriff under your specific circumstances. The Sheriff is NOT going to tell you these, they will tell you what they want to tell you. You absolutely need legal advice. It's not going to take all day, take an hour off and know where you actually stand.

Gael23

You need to urgently speak to a solicitor, through FLAC if thats all you can manage. I cant see them refusing a decent offer of a payment plan though,

mfergus

Ad2016 wrote: »

Im worried why people keep telling be to get professional help BEFORE speaking to the sheriff. That is scaring me, what could the sheriff possibly do on the call that i would require that first?

Take everything you own?

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

Ad2016

This is just it. I havent lived there in 10 years. and my mam assures me no registered letters arrived since i moved out which i assume a summons would arrive that way. look im not trying to get out of this, i will pay it. just afraid they wont accept what im offering.

also to "take everything i own" would probably get them 1.5k most.

nuac

Mod
You need to see a solicitor here. Thread closed