Can a county court bailiff turn up with locksmith for unpaid ccj. He’s not been in my house before

Bailiffs enforcing payment of a county court judgment do not have authority to break entry to private homes, or interfere with the operation of locks to the property.^[1][2][3]

Bailiffs may use reasonable force, but bailiffs may interpret this to mean a right to commit breaking and entering, or to interfere with the locks to the property as a threat to the debtor.

Reasonable force, means entering a property, specified on the warrant of control, liability order, high court writ, or other enforcement power, without the occupants permission, for example by opening an unlocked door.

Bailiffs cannot use force against people, ^[4] for example, by pushing past them or putting a foot into the door. Bailiffs are still liable for personal injury claims when force, reasonable or not, is used against them.

The expression reasonable force does not have a legal definition, so the court will interpret it on a case by case basis as to whether the reason for using force was necessary in the circumstances.

^{[1] Paragraph 17 of Schedule 12 of the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007

[2] Paragraph 18a(1)(c) of Schedule 12 of the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007

[3] Paragraph 19(2)(a) of Schedule 12 of the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007

[4] Paragraph 24(2) of Schedule 12 of the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007}