Ways To Deal With Bailiffs Instead Of Stalling Them

When you somehow fail to make payments towards your debts, and you haven’t reached an agreement with your lender either, they could employ a bailiff or a debt collector to collect the debt from you.

Bailiffs are also called enforcement agents; finding them at your doorstep can be stressful, however, do not forget that you have rights and you should not be bullied. Although bailiffs are sent for the job of debt collecting, some things are forbidden for them to do. With the bailiff help, you can learn about your rights and bailiffs limitations for actions against you.

You must remember it is okay if you do not let bailiffs enter your house; it is always best to sort out your debt while they are outside and speaking through the door or over a phone. Always double check your doors and windows, keep them locked – bailiffs are allowed to get inside your house through unlocked doors or windows. If you have a porch in your home, lock its door too.

Bailiffs do own the right to invade your house forcefully, depending on the type of debt you owe. It could mean asking a locksmith to open the doors for them if you refuse to let them in. Be wary of all the rights that bailiffs have. Although it is very unlikely that they do this, you should still have a chance to make the payment without allowing them to come in. You can call the police if a bailiff physically threatens you.

Now let’s have a look at the measures you can take while you have a bailiff banging at your doorstep.

Get proof of who they are

When a bailiff arrives at your doorstep, the first thing to do is to ask for proof of their identity and the reason for their visit. If they say that they are debt collectors, you can ask them to leave. Debt collectors do not hold the same powers as bailiffs, and they have to go when you ask them to. And if they refuse to do so, call for debt advice in the UK for guidance to deal with a debt collector.

If they are a bailiff or an enforcement agent, they have to show you a badge, an ID card or an enforcement agent certificate. The registered bailiffs have to carry around the proof of their identity. They must also tell you about the company they are from and willingly give you the company’s contact number. Ask them to show you their documents through your letterbox or from a window. You want to verify them through their names and what kind of bailiff they are.

Check if they are certified enforcement agent at certified bailiffs register, check the directory when they say they are a high court enforcement officer. If they are a county court bailiff, family court bailiff or a civilian enforcement officer, contact the court that sent them.

At last, if they fail to prove who they are, you can, without any hesitation, ask them to leave. If they refuse, you can even warn them by telling them you will call the police.

Check if bailiffs are permitted the forced entry

Not all kind of debts permits the bailiffs to enter forcefully in your houses. Bailiffs have the right of forced entry to your home or business only when they are collecting:

●Tax debts for HM Revenue and customs, which includes owing income tax.
●Unpaid magistrates court fines, such as an overdue fine for not paying your TV license.

For the above-mentioned cases, you want to ask what you owe, and a warrant called a writ from a court to prove their identity to you. Verify the details in the document, from dates to the names and your address.

When it comes to smashing the doors, it is quite unlikely to do so as they will require enough man force to do so. And they would not be showing up at your doorstep with a locksmith himself. Therefore, you will usually have the time to make an offer of sorting out the debt. However, it is always best to contact your local bailiff help if the bailiffs force entry into your home.

If you let bailiffs into your home

If you decide to allow them in, but you cannot afford to pay what you owe right there, you would have to make a ‘controlled goods agreement’. It means that you are agreeing with them for a repayment plan and pay some bailiff fees. And if you do not make this agreement, the bailiffs have the right to remove your stuff to sell and pay off your debt.

Bailiffs can be intimidating and hard to deal with, and that is why Baillif Help Now is here to help. We help you understand your rights, advise you on dealing with the bailiffs and even talk to a bailiff on your behalf. Contact us today to discuss what options are available for you to get through everything.