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Chaos at Camden Town Hall as High Court bailiffs seize council computers to repay debt to resident
High Court bailiffs began seizing council-owned TVs, computers and printers at Camden Town Hall
Officers from Camden Council were left red-faced after High Court bailiffs gained entry to the town hall and began seizing thousands of pounds worth of council-owned TVs, computers and printers to repay money owed to a resident.
Owner of the HappyVale Hotel Stephen Gethin was owed money by the council. Picture: Nigel SuttonStaff were left in an extraordinary stand-off with bailiffs last Wednesday when enforcement officers came knocking at the door of council offices in Argyle Street to demand more than £7,700.
The money was owed to Stephen Gethin, the owner of the HappyVale Hotel, Mornington Crescent, after the council repeatedly failed to pay rent owed to him for tenants receiving housing benefit.
Taking his claim to the county court and then High Court – where the council failed to turn up – the judge found the claim in his favour and issued a writ to seize property or goods.
After the High Court instructed bailiffs to be sent into the council town hall, enforcement officers arrived and following “persistent knocking” were met by contractors tasked with moving council equipment to the new Camden Council offices in St Pancras Square.
Informed that the building had been vacated three months prior, the bailiff proceeded to seize property, including several LCD TVs, multiple computers, monitors and printers.
It led to a security guard quickly arriving on scene who informed the council’s head lawyer.
The bailiff said it was “after some discussion” with the legal chief that the council’s assistant director of finance eventually emerged, arriving with over £7,671 in cash to hand to the enforcement officer.
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