For most debts, bailiffs can’t force their way in. Here’s what they can and can’t do, and what to do next.
General information for England and Wales; Scotland and Northern Ireland have different rules. For advice on your own situation, talk to us or MoneyHelper, free.
England and Wales only. From GOV.UK and the Taking Control of Goods rules, as updated on 1 May 2026.
Bailiffs, also called enforcement agents, must follow strict rules. If they break them, you can complain.
A notice of enforcement usually gives you at least 14 days. Use them: contact the bailiff firm or whoever you owe, and get free advice.
Bailiffs can walk in through an unlocked door. Talk to them through the door, a window or on the phone instead.
Ask for their name, their ID and the paperwork, passed through the letterbox. Check the debt is yours and the amount is right.
Don’t sign anything you don’t understand, or agree to payments you can’t keep up. Tell them if you’re vulnerable.
You don’t have to deal with this on your own, and most of the help is free.
Call 0161 854 0850 or answer a few questions online. Our advice is free, and we’ll look at the debt behind the letters.
Call the number on your letter. Explain what you can realistically afford, and ask for any agreement in writing.
You can ask the council or creditor to take the debt back from the bailiffs and agree a payment you can afford.
MoneyHelper, National Debtline and Citizens Advice all give free advice, including on dealing with bailiffs.
60 days of legal protection, including from bailiffs, for the debts it covers. A debt adviser applies for you.
If a bailiff breaks the rules, complain to their firm and whoever you owe first. If that doesn’t sort it, the Board can look into it.
Yes. In England and Wales, bailiffs are officially called enforcement agents, and High Court enforcement officers collect some larger debts. Scotland uses sheriff officers, and Northern Ireland has its own system, each with different rules.
Usually at least 14 days’ written notice, in a letter called a notice of enforcement, before a first visit. It went up from 7 days on 1 May 2026. For personal debts, a debt adviser may be able to ask for it to be extended to 28 days.
Not for most debts, including council tax, credit cards, loans and parking fines. They can use a locksmith in a few cases, such as unpaid magistrates’ court fines or some HMRC tax debts, and only as a last resort. They may also do so if you break a payment plan you agreed with them, but they must warn you first.
They can take a car you own, including one parked outside your home. They can’t take a Motability vehicle, one showing a valid Blue Badge, or one you need for work or study worth less than £1,350. If it’s on hire purchase, it usually belongs to the finance company rather than you, so they generally can’t take it.
For most debts, like council tax and parking fines, the fees are fixed by law: £79 when your debt is passed to them, £247 if they visit, and £116 if they arrange to sell your things. At the last two stages they can also add 7.5% of any debt over £1,900. These amounts apply from 1 May 2026, and High Court enforcement officers charge different fees.
Tell the bailiff firm and whoever you owe as soon as you can, for example if you’re seriously ill, disabled or have mental health problems. You may get extra time to pay, or the creditor may take the debt back. Bailiffs can’t come in if only vulnerable people or children under 16 are home.
Keep the door locked: for most debts, you don’t have to let them in. Ask for their ID and the paperwork through the letterbox, and don’t sign anything you don’t understand. Then call whoever you owe, or call us or another free adviser for help.
Complain to the bailiff firm and to whoever you owe. If you’re not happy with the answer, you can go to the Enforcement Conduct Board, which looks at complaints about most bailiff firms. For council debts, you can also go to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman once you’ve complained to the council.
Yes. For the debts it covers, bailiff action must stop for 60 days while you get advice. It’s free, a debt adviser applies for you, and it’s available in England and Wales.
We can’t stop a bailiff on the doorstep, but a debt solution can stop bailiff action over the debts it covers. Once an IVA is approved, the creditors in it can’t enforce those debts, and Breathing Space pauses action for 60 days. Our advice is free, so talk to us about what could work.
Tell us roughly what you owe and we’ll show you what could help. It takes two minutes, won’t affect your credit score, and there’s no obligation.
Roughly how much do you owe?
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