Can bailiff gain access with a locksmith?

The law prohibits anyone to make threats of coming with a locksmith intending to break the locks.^[1][2]

Bailiffs may use reasonable force to enter commercial premises,^[3] any domestic premises to collect unpaid tax owed to HMRC,^[4] install a pre-pay gas or electric meter,^[5] or collect unpaid court fines.^[6]

The law does not define "reasonable force", it is often interpreted by government-supported debt charities to mean breaking and entering.

There are no enforcement regulations enabling bailiffs to break entry, or "get a locksmith" to enter domestic premises, other than executing a warrant of possession (an eviction).

Bailiffs cannot threaten anyone with a locksmith or breaking and entering after the enforcement power has ended^[7] to recover fees.^[8][9]

Enforcement regulations prohibit bailiffs using force against people.^[10]

Anyone commits an offence if they threaten violence to secure entry,^[11] damages or destroys property belonging to another without lawful authority,^[12] or makes a threat to damage or destroy property.^[13]

If your home is broken into, do not touch anything, take photographs, preserve the crime scene and report a burglary.

If you capture a bailiff on video making a threat to come back with a locksmith, or leaving a document containing a threat^[14][15][16], or was wearing a body-worn camera, it should be reported to the police.

^{[1] Section 25(1) of the Theft Act 1968

[2] Section 3 of the Criminal Damage Act 1971

[3] Paragraph 19(1)(b) of the Tribunals Courts and Enforcement Act 2007

[4] Section 127 of the Finance Act 2008

[5] Section 2 of the Rights of Entry (Gas and Electricity Boards) Act 1954

[6] Paragraph 18(b) of Schedule 12 of the Tribunals Courts and Enforcement Act 2007

[7] Paragraph 6(3) of Schedule 12 of the Tribunals Courts and Enforcement Act 2007

[8] Regulation 3 of the Taking Control of Goods (Fees) Regulations 2014

[9] Regulation 17 of the Taking Control of Goods (Fees) Regulations 2014

[10] Paragraph 24(2)(a) of Schedule 12 of the Tribunals Courts and Enforcement Act 2007

[11] Section 6(5) of the Criminal Law Act 1977

[12] Section 1 of the Criminal Damage Act 1971

[13] Section 2 of the Criminal Damage Act 1971

[14] Section 127(1)(a) of the Communications Act 2003

[15] Section 1(1)(a)(ii) of the Malicious Communications Act 1988

[16] Section 2 of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997}