Don’t hide from Debt
If you don’t pay up you may have to deal with a visit from the bailiffs
there’s a knock on your front door probably before seven in the morning. You get up bleary-eyed. It’s a couple of big looking men – bailiffs. They demand money for an unpaid debt – often alleged council tax arrears, other household bills or maybe a parking fine.
And by now, the original sum will have ballooned.
You may even be the wrong person. In one case, bailiffs visited a home based on “research” with voting lists and telephone directories and discovered someone with a name “close” to the alleged debtor.
As he wasn’t there, the bailiffs demanded £350 from his student daughter. When she recovered herself, she asked questions. When it was obvious, even to the bailiffs, they were wrong, they quickly left.
It could easily have been worse. Citizens Advice (CA), campaigning for proper regulation of bailiffs as part of the Taking Control coalition, says “Aggressive enforcement practices can cause greater financial distress for those already in trouble and can lead to serious mental health problems such as depression, anxiety and suicide.”
CA frequently sees blatant violations of the rules, such as bailiffs refusing offers of payment and even entering people’s homes unlawfully. It says: “The Ministry of Justice must use their promised call for evidence to take strong action and look specifically at how this could work. Without it, far too many people will continue to live in fear of the bang on the door.”
In England and Wales, a bailiff may visit your home, especially if you ignore letters saying bailiffs will be used. Bailiffs must usually give at least seven days’ notice of their first visit. If you can, pay at this stage, as costs mount. If bailiffs do arrive, you usually do not have to open your door or let them in. They generally can’t enter through a window or use force, appear before 6am or after 9pm or come in when there are vulnerable people including children around.
The exception is when collecting unpaid criminal fines, and HMRC taxes. Failure to pay criminal debts, such as fines or penalty notices can lead to imprisonment.
If you let bailiffs in and do not pay, they can take your belongings – only yours – to sell. They must leave things such as clothes, cooker or fridge, basic furniture, and work tools together worth less than £1,350.
If they can’t get in, they could seize property outside the home such as a car.