The Council Tax bailiff gave less than 14 clear days Notice of Enforcement

An enforcement agent must give the debtor notice before taking control of goods.^[1] From 1 May 2026 the ordinary minimum period is 14 clear days before the enforcement agent takes control of goods.^[2]

The rules use clear days, and Sundays, bank holidays, Good Friday and Christmas Day do not count when they fall within the statutory notice period.^[3] The date of the notice and the proposed first enforcement date therefore matter.

A court may order a shorter period, but the application is an exception. The applicant must satisfy the court that without a shorter period it is likely that the debtor's goods will be moved or otherwise disposed of to avoid enforcement.^[4]

If a bailiff attended too early, ask for a copy of the Notice of Enforcement, evidence of when and how it was given, the date the enforcement agent first took control of goods, and any court order authorising a shorter notice period.

Do not confuse a text message announcing a visit with the prescribed Notice of Enforcement. The notice must contain the statutory information and be given by one of the permitted methods.^[5][6]

If the statutory minimum period was not given and there is no valid court order shortening it, put the breach in writing to the enforcement company and the council and require enforcement to be stopped while the defect is investigated. Keep the envelope, email headers, screenshots and the actual notice.

^{[1] Paragraph 7 of Schedule 12 of the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007
[2] Regulation 6(1) of the Taking Control of Goods Regulations 2013, as amended by regulation 2 of the Taking Control of Goods (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2026
[3] Regulation 6(2) of the Taking Control of Goods Regulations 2013
[4] Regulation 6(3)-(4) of the Taking Control of Goods Regulations 2013 and Civil Procedure Rule 84.4
[5] Regulation 7 of the Taking Control of Goods Regulations 2013
[6] Regulation 8 of the Taking Control of Goods Regulations 2013}