Get Out of Debt – Signs That You Need Help With Your Debt

Bailiffs can be intimidating and even infuriating at times.

A bailiff is someone who usually works on the behalf of the person you owe money to or the court, they use bailiffs to collect a debt from people who have been delaying to pay them. These bailiffs have the legal authority to reach your doorstep and they are legally instructed to undertake a number of tasks in order to collect the debt.

It can get confusing for you to understand what to do when bailiffs turn up, here’s what you must know about the rights of bailiffs and what to do about them.

What bailiffs can and can not do?

While knowing that bailiffs invading your space and entering your personal property can be daunting, it is helpful to stay informed with the right information about their rights. Understanding what the bailiffs can and cannot do to your property is an essential part of the debt advice in the UK. Either call the experts for advice to understand it better or go through this informative guide if you are expecting a visit from a bailiff.

• What bailiffs can do?

Bailiffs visit a property intending to get the money one owes to the person they are hired by. They are allowed to enter your home only if you let them. If there is no one at home they will usually leave a card saying they have visited, leaving a phone number on it to discuss the matter further with them.

If they are visiting your house again, they can enter through an unlocked door if you had previously allowed them in, they have the right to collect goods to be sold to repay the debt.

A bailiff will typically visit your home to let you know about payment options available to you for repaying the debt. If it is hard for you to pay it fully, they may suggest you to let them take an inventory of saleable goods in the property and will ask you to sign a Controlled Goods Agreement (CGA). These are the goods that remain in the property whilst you clear their payments and will only be seized and sold if you break the agreement.

If you feel stuck and do not know what should you do, there are many organisations you can speak to that provide you with efficient bailiff help services for further ado.

• Can bailiffs force entry?

No, bailiffs can not intrude unless you let them in your property. However, if there is nobody at home, they may attempt to enter when there are any doors left unlocked but this is not a very common practice. They can only force the entry when the terms of a Controlled Goods Agreement (CGA) have been breached, for non-payment of agreed instalments.

• What can bailiffs take from the property?

Bailiffs’ first goal is to speak to you and arrange payment of the debt whether it be in full or in agreed instalments. If you fail to do so, they are most likely to take goods that belong to you or the goods that are jointly owned. Bailiffs are not allowed to take anything that is proven to belong solely to your partner or any other person living at the property nor they can remove protected goods or tools of the trade.

Bailiffs take the goods that have a saleable quality and value so they can ensure to raise sufficient funds to pay the outstanding debt.

• What bailiffs cannot take?

As a final course of action, a bailiff could use some possessions of yours in order to help clear your debt, however, there are still some things they cannot take which include the following:

• Possessions that belong to other people
• Things belonging to your children
• Your pets
• The vehicles with a valid blue badge
• They cannot take things that your livelihood or studies is dependent on such as, vehicles, tools, books, or computers until it makes the total value of £1,350.
• Things that keep your house secure and functioning
• Tools of your trade
• Things that you need to care for your children or elderly person such as medical equipment

Bailiffs also cannot take goods serving your necessities which include domestic chores and care, this includes a required number of beds, enough table and chairs, washing machine, microwave, cooker, fridge and landline or a mobile phone.

How to stop bailiffs from coming to your property?

Bailiffs have the right to visit your property an unlimited number of times. They are allowed to work with you to establish a payment plan and let you know about the available options. This suggests that they are there to help you start getting your debt settled. However, if you do not want them to keep visiting you while you try to figure your way out, the best possible way is to call for professional bailiff help services for advice on further ado. Reach out to Bailiff Help Now in case of an emergency, the experts here are trained to listen and support you no matter the circumstances.