High Court Enforcement Bailiff Enforcement Compliance Checklist


You were ambushed by bailiffs enforcing a high court writ.[1]

You dispute the debt being enforced.[2]

You want more time to pay the debt.[3]

The bailiff did not give a Notice of Enforcement before attending.[4]

The bailiff attended less than seven days after the Notice of Enforcement.[5]

The creditor has told you the matter is now in the hands of bailiffs.

You are vulnerable.[6]

You recently moved.[7]

Bailiffs took money from you, or your company, for someone else's debt.

Bailiffs are sending threatening letters about a debt owed by someone else?.

The bailiff jammed his foot into the door to enter.[8]

The bailiff applied force to the door after you opened it.[9]

Bailiff threatened you with a locksmith.[10]

The bailiff was wearing a body-worn camera.[11]

The bailiff attended with a TV crew.

The bailiff refused to show his ID or the writ of control on request.[12][13]

The bailiff does not have an enforcement certificate.[14]

Your name or company name is spelt wrong on the writ of control.[15]

The bailiff snatched keys or knocked a phone out of your hand.[16]

The bailiff forced you to pay someone else's debt.[17]

The bailiff took your goods or vehicle for someone else's debt.[18]

You are going bankrupt.[19]

The bailiff attended your home address about a company debt.[20]

The bailiff attended before 6am or after 9pm.[21]

The bailiff was dressed in police-like attire.[52]

The bailiff flashed a police-like warrant card and badge.[53]

The bailiff called the police, or pretended to call the police.[11]

The bailiff committed an offence in front of the police.[22]

The police threatened to arrest you, put you in cuffs or detain you.[70][71]

The bailiff said he can arrest you.[80]

The police arrested you for obstructing a bailiff.[23]

The police arrested you for interfering with controlled goods.[24]

The police arrested you without charging you with an offence.[72]

You or someone was injured or assaulted by a bailiff.[25]

The bailiff trashed your premises or ransacked your home.[26]

The bailiff damaged your goods or vehicle.[27]

Your address on the writ or other bailiff document is wrong.[7]

The debt is more than six years old.[28]

The debt is more than twelve months old.[29]

The bailiff's fees are too high.[30]

You were charged the First and Second Enforcement Stage fees together.[31]

You were charged a Sale Stage fee.[32]

The bailiff charged VAT on his fees.[33][34]

The bailiff multiplied the enforcement stage fees by the number of writs.[35]

You were charged a card fee.[36]

The bailiff refused to explain his fees.[37]

You telephoned a bailiff company, get a copy of the call recordings.[11]

The bailiff has you over a barrel, deploy a Pay and Reclaim.[38]

You are living or working abroad when bailiffs turned up.[39]

The amount outstanding is paid to the creditor, bailiff is pestering for fees.[40]

The bailiff wrote on a document that you paid voluntarily.[41]

The judgment on the writ arises from a consumer credit agreement.[42]

A bailiff is pestering you about a debt owed by a housemate.

A bailiff is pestering you about a debt owed by a wound-up company.[43]

The bailiff pocketed jewellery or keys from your home.[44]

The bailiff took photographs of your documents, jewellery or your vehicle.[45]

The bailiff made a Controlled Goods Agreement.[46]

The bailiff charged you interest on the debt.[48]

The bailiff clamped a vehicle on hire-purchase or leased.[47]

The bailiff clamped a vehicle on someone else's parking bay or driveway.[49]

Someone left a document hanging out of your letterbox or entrance.[50][51]

The bailiff said he is a High Court Enforcement Officer.[41]

Your business reputation is damaged by bailiffs.[54]

The bailiff made an excessive levy.[55][56]

You got nuisance SMS text messages from bailiffs.[57]

The original judgment debt is under £600.[58]

The bailiff took control of exempt goods, or vehicle.[61]

The bailiff removed your vehicle without giving a statutory notice.[76][77]

The bailiffs clamped your vehicle while it was being used by someone.[79]

The bailiff sold your car less than 7 days after taking it.[73]

The bailiff sold your car without giving a Notice of Sale

The bailiff sold your goods less than 7 days after giving a Notice of Sale.[74][75]

The bailiff sold your car without giving a valuation.[65]

The bailiff took your car to a pound a long way away.[78]

You were charged storage fees after towing your vehicle.[66]

The bailiff sold your van, work vehicle or tools for less than £1,350.[61]

Making a formal complaint about a bailiff.[67]

Prosecuting a bailiff.[68][69]

Approaching the media about your bailiff case.



[1] Civil Procedure Rule 23.10
[2] Civil Procedure Rule 83.7(4)
[3] Civil Procedure Rule 23.10(1)
[4] Contrary to Paragraph 7(1) of Schedule 12 of the Tribunals Courts and Enforcement Act 2007
[5] Contrary to Regulation 6(1) of the Taking Control of Goods Regulations 2013
[6] Regulation 10(1) of the Taking Control of Goods Regulations 2013
[7] Section 7 of the Interpretation Act 1978
[8] Paragraph 18A(1)(c) of Schedule 12 of the Tribunals Courts and Enforcement Act 2007
[9] Paragraph 19(1)(b) of Schedule 12 of the Tribunals Courts and Enforcement Act 2007
[10] Paragraph 18A(1)(b) of Schedule 12 of the Tribunals Courts and Enforcement Act 2007
[11] Section 45 of the Data Protection Act 2018
[12] Paragraph 26(1)(a) of Schedule 12 of the Tribunals Courts and Enforcement Act 2007
[13] Paragraph 26(1)(b) of Schedule 12 of the Tribunals Courts and Enforcement Act 2007
[14] Section 63(6) of the Tribunals Courts and Enforcement Act 2007
[15] Civil Procedure Rule 40.11(1)
[16] Regulation 10(2) of the Taking Control of Goods Regulations 2013
[17] Section 2 of the Fraud Act 2006
[18] Paragraph 10 of Schedule 12 of the Tribunals Courts and Enforcement Act 2007
[19] Section 346 of the Insolvency Act 1986
[20] Paragraph 15 of Schedule 12 of the Tribunals Courts and Enforcement Act 2007
[21] Regulation 13 of the Taking Control of Goods Regulations 2013
[22] Section 26(6) of the Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015
[23] Paragraph 68(1) of Schedule 12 of the Tribunals Courts and Enforcement Act 2007
[24] Paragraph 68(2) of Schedule 12 of the Tribunals Courts and Enforcement Act 2007
[25] Section 20 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861
[26] Section 1 of the Criminal Damage Act 1971
[27] Section 5 of the Criminal Damage Act 1971
[28] Section 24 of the Limitation Act 1980
[29] Civil Procedure Rule 83.3
[30] Table 2 of the Schedule of the Taking Control of Goods (Fees) Regulations 2014
[31] Regulation 6(1)(c) of the Taking Control of Goods (Fees) Regulations 2014
[32] Regulation 6(1)(d) of the Taking Control of Goods (Fees) Regulations 2014
[33] Regulation 3 of the Taking Control of Goods (Fees) (Amendment) Regulations 2021
[34] Opinion: John Kruse, Bailiff Scholar: VAT on High Court Fees, 5 Nov 2019
[35] Regulation 11 of the Taking Control of Goods (Fees) Regulations 2014
[36] Regulation 4 of the Consumer Rights (Payment Surcharges) Regulations 2012
[37] Civil Procedure Rule 84.16
[38] Paragraph 6(3)(a) of Schedule 12 of the Tribunals Courts and Enforcement Act 2007
[39] Section 147 of the Tribunals Courts and Enforcement Act 2007
[40] Paragraph 31 of the Taking Control of Goods National Standards, 6 April 2014
[41] Section 2 of the Fraud Act 2006
[42] Section 141 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974
[43] Section 184 of the Insolvency Act 1986
[44] Section 7 of the Theft Act 1968
[45] Possible intention to burgle: Section 9 of the Theft Act 1968
[46] Regulation 15 of the Taking Control of Goods Regulations 2013
[47] Paragraph 10 of Schedule 12 of the Tribunals Courts and Enforcement Act 2007
[48] Section 69 of the County Courts Act 1984
[49] Paragraph 14(6) of Schedule 12 of the Tribunals Courts and Enforcement Act 2007
[50] Paragraph 28(6) of Schedule 12 of the Tribunals Courts and Enforcement Act 2007
[51] Paragraph 33(4) of Schedule 12 of the Tribunals Courts and Enforcement Act 2007
[52] Section 90(2) of the Police Act 1996
[53] Section 90(3) of the Police Act 1996
[54] Section 1(2) of the Defamation Act 2013
[55] Paragraph 12 of Schedule 12 of the Tribunals Courts and Enforcement Act 2007
[56] Paragraph 66 of the Taking Control of Goods: National Standards 2014, 6 April 2014
[57] Section 1 of the Malicious Communications Act 1988
[58] Paragraph 8 of the High Court and County Courts Jurisdiction (Amendment) Order 1999
[59] Paragraph 13(1)(b) of Schedule 12 of the Tribunals Courts and Enforcement Act 2007
[60] Paragraph 13(1)(c) of Schedule 12 of the Tribunals Courts and Enforcement Act 2007
[61] Regulation 4 of the Taking Control of Goods Regulations 2013
[62] Regulation 30 of the Taking Control of Goods Regulations 2013
[63] Clamping a vehicle: Regulation 31 of the Taking Control of Goods Regulations 2013
[64] Towing a vehicle: Regulation 32 of the Taking Control of Goods Regulations 2013
[65] Regulation 35 of the Taking Control of Goods Regulations 2013
[66] Regulation 8 of the Taking Control of Goods (Fees) Regulations 2014
[67] Regulation 9 of the Certification of Enforcement Agents Regulations 2014
[68] Section 1 of the Magistrates Courts Act 1980
[69] Part 7 Criminal Procedure Rules
[70] Section 26(1) of the Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015
[71] Paragraph 68(1) of Schedule 12 of the Tribunals Courts and Enforcement Act 2007
[72] Section 26(1) of the Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015
[73] Regulation 37(1) of the Taking Control of Goods Regulations 2013
[74] Paragraph 40 of Schedule 12 of the Tribunals Courts and Enforcement Act 2007
[75] Regulation 38 of the Taking Control of Goods Regulations 2013
[76] Regulation 30 of the Taking Control of Goods Regulations 2013
[77] Regulation 31 of the Taking Control of Goods Regulations 2013
[78] Regulation 19 of the Taking Control of Goods Regulations 2013
[79] Regulations 10(2) of the Taking Control of Goods Regulations 2013
[80] Section 2 of the Fraud Act 2006