First of all, please DO NOT ignore the letter…
Does the letter state ‘notice of enforcement‘? If it does, and you ignore it, a bailiff will visit your home after 7 days and as well as collecting the debt you will also have the bailiff fees to pay.
Check to make sure that the notice of enforcement is valid. In order to be valid the notice must contain the following information:
- show your correct name and address;
- state what debt you owe and show the right amount;
- explain that you are being given 7 days notice before a bailiff visits your home;
- come from a registered bailiff and NOT a debt collector;
- be sent to you by letter, via post, fax, email, fixed to your front door if you do not have a letterbox or given to you by hand;
- must be written in a certain legal style – see an example enforcement notice here.
If you are not sure whether or not the notice is valid, call Stopbailiff straight away on 0161 527 7531 for assistance.
When will the bailiff visit and what to do beforehand.
Once you receive the letter the bailiff must wait 7 days before visiting your home – this doesn’t include bank holidays, Sundays’, the day the letter was received by you or the day of the bailiff visit.
Remember, if the notice of enforcement letter is from a ‘debt collector’ then it will not be valid. A debt collector does not have the same power as a bailiff and you can ask them to go away although if you do have a debt that they are chasing, you will need to make arrangements to repay the debt. Call us on 0161 527 7531 for advice.
To stop the bailiff from attending your home or place of work you MUST contact the bailiff office (the details will be on the notice of enforcement letter) and advise them that you are prepared to repay the debt in full or if you cannot afford to do this, that you have contacted a company such as Stopbailiff who are helping you to arrange a payment plan.
To prevent bailiffs from visiting your property it’s important that you get the right debt advice. Please call us on 0161 527 7531 or complete the form below and one of our debt advisors will call you to help.
Remember, if the bailiff does attend your property, DO NOT LET THEM IN and make sure that all doors are locked and that your car is locked in the garage or away from your home. Please read here to learn what to do when the bailiff is at your door.
