How can I stop bailiffs from coming to my residence over a disputed child maintenance arrears?


You can't

Bailiffs have a right to take control of goods on any highway in England and Wales.[1]

They can also take control of goods at the address where the debtor lives or carries on a trade or business.[2]

If a bailiff wants to take control of goods at any other address not specified on the warrant, liability order or writ of control, then he must apply for that authority separately.[3]

It is not possible to stop bailiffs turning up about child maintenance, but the motive is confrontation, or the threat of a confrontation, rather than the practicality of asking for payment of £20,000 on the doorstep.

Bailiffs collecting child support do not have authority to commit breaking and entering.[3]

Bailiffs may not use force against people.[4][5]

Debtors may be able to revoke the liability.[6]



If the Resident Parents circumstances as a single parent are self inflicted to achieve a gain through Child maintenance from you, then approach your MP to file a motion to amend section 1 of the Child Support Act 1991 as follows:

After paragraph (3) of section 1 of the Child Support Act 1991

add:

(4) Paragraphs (1)-(3) do not apply when the absent parent has been excluded from any qualifying child of his unless the absent parent is convicted of the grounds giving rise to his exclusion.



Reasons, (you can use this form of words based on the following).

The Child Support Act 1991 and its regulations were legislated intending to have both parents contribute toward the costs of the qualifying child and provide relief on public resources.

Child support liabilities in their current form incentivises family separation and exclusion of a parent from a qualifying child in order to achieve a benefit for themself to the detriment of the other.

This amendment continues to protect single parents and children from domestic violence from the other, while disincentivising a parent from excluding the other from a qualifying child.



[1] Section 147(2) of the Tribunals Courts and Enforcement Act 2007
[2] Paragraph 14(6) of Schedule 12 of the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007
[3] Paragraph 17 of Schedule 12 of the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007
[4] Paragraph 15 of Schedule 12 of the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007
[5] Paragraph 24(2) of Schedule 12 of the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007
[6] Section 20 of the Offences against the Person Act 1861
[7] See Dealing with Bailiffs and Child Maintenance Service debts