Surviving January – a debtors guide to surviving Bailiffs and Debt Collectors

Surviving January – a debtors guide to surviving Bailiffs and Debt Collectors

Image the scenario - You’ve spent December’s wages and you have had a great Christmas and new year – now you are back to reality and face the threat of looming bills…. Problem is they are final demands and you have the threat of Debt Collectors and Bailiffs knocking at your door.

So what do you do? Here a few tips.

• Don’t spend all your money- leave an emergency reserve. Collectors will be knocking on your door and will want payment.

• Don’t think that just because the Bailiff and Debt Collectors have not been knocking over Christmas that the debt has gone away. Even Debt Collectors take Christmas off, but whilst Debt Collectors do, Bailiffs don’t, so you could see all those nice new gifts taken by them, to go towards the payment of your debts.

• Not answering the door will not make the problem go away – Certificated Bailiffs and court Bailiffs have the powers to peaceful entry to a property (via an open door or window) although if the Bailiff is dealing with a Distress Warrant (normally as a result of non payment of council tax, VAT or the Inland revenue) they can force entry into your property if given permission by the court.

• Don’t leave anything outside. It’s the Bailiffs right to take them away to either part satisfy or satisfy a warrant in full.

• If you have a car or a motorbike, make sure you keep them on private property and not on a public road. Bailiffs have the power to remove vehicles if kept on the roadside. If the vehicle is kept on private property a Bailiff can only clamp it.

• Be warned though – removing the clamp may result in a charge of criminal damage under the Criminal Damages Act 1971