Bailiff Rights UK: What They Can and Cannot Do

Data last checked on 7 October 2026.

Checked against GOV.UK, legislation.gov.uk, the FCA Handbook and other official sources. Edited by Steven Butler.

All the pages checked

Bailiffs, also called enforcement agents, may visit your home if you do not pay debts such as Council Tax bills, parking fines, court fines and county court, high court or family court judgments. You usually do not have to open your door to a bailiff or let them in. Bailiffs must usually give you at least 14 days' notice of their first visit.

Key points

✓A bailiff must give you a notice of enforcement at least 14 clear days before taking control of your goods, and a debt adviser can ask for at least 28 clear days, but not for a non-eligible business debt.
✓They cannot take what your household reasonably needs for basic domestic needs, work or study equipment worth up to £1,350 in total, assistance dogs and pets, or a vehicle displaying a valid disabled person's badge that is used to carry a disabled person.
✓Bailiffs can take non-essential items, for example a TV or games console, if the goods are yours and not exempt.
✓Bailiffs cannot enter your home by force, for example by pushing past you, but GOV.UK says they may force their way in to collect unpaid criminal fines, Income Tax or Stamp Duty, but only as a last resort.
✓On the standard scale the fees are £79 for the compliance stage, £247 for the enforcement stage and £116 for the sale or disposal stage, plus 7.5% of the sum to be recovered above £1,900 at the enforcement and sale stages.

Types of bailiff, the powers differ

GOV.UK lists these kinds of bailiff: certificated enforcement agents (also known as civil enforcement agents), high court enforcement officers, county court and family court bailiffs, and bailiffs who enforce magistrates' court fines and warrants for arrest (civilian enforcement officers or Approved Enforcement Agents). All bailiffs must have a certificate unless they are exempt or they are with someone who does have a certificate.

Certificated enforcement agents

Most bailiffs work for private companies, even if they are collecting money for the council or the government.

High court enforcement officers

Enforcement under a High Court writ has its own, higher scale of fees.

County court and family court bailiffs

To complain, make the complaint to the court the bailiff has come from.

Magistrates' court fine enforcers

An Approved Enforcement Agent can arrest you if there is a warrant for your arrest for breaking a community penalty order.

Check who is at your door. Ask to see proof of identity, such as a badge, ID card or enforcement agent certificate. Anyone who claims to be a bailiff when they are not is committing fraud. FCA rules say a firm contacting customers about a debt must not misrepresent its authority or its legal position, for example by claiming to work on instructions from the courts as a bailiff when that is untrue. See our debt collectors guide for what debt collectors can and cannot do.

What can bailiffs take?

Bailiffs can only take control of goods that are goods of the debtor, and may take control of any goods that are not exempt. If you let a bailiff into your home, they may take some of your belongings to sell, and they could sell the items to pay debts and cover their fees.

They CAN take:

Yes: Non-essential items, for example a TV or games console
Yes: A vehicle that belongs to you and is not exempt, which can be immobilised on a highway
Yes: Things from outside your home, for example your car, if you do not let a bailiff in or agree to pay them

They CANNOT take:

No: Clothing, bedding, furniture, household equipment, items and provisions reasonably required for the basic domestic needs of you and your household, including a cooker or microwave, a refrigerator, a washing machine, a dining table and chairs, and beds and bedding
No: Tools, books, telephones, computer equipment, vehicles and other items you need personally for work, business, trade, profession, study or education, up to £1,350 in total
No: Items reasonably required for medical care, for safety or security in your home, or for the care of a person under 18, a disabled person or an older person
No: Assistance dogs, sheep dogs, guard dogs or domestic pets
No: A vehicle displaying a valid disabled person's badge because it is used to carry a disabled person
No: Someone else's belongings, such as your partner's computer
No: Goods worth more than the amount outstanding plus an allowance for future costs, unless there are not enough goods of lower value within a reasonable distance
No: A vehicle on a hire-purchase agreement, because the property in it passes to you only if the terms of the agreement are complied with

You will have to prove that someone else's goods do not belong to you.

Controlled goods agreement. A controlled goods agreement is an agreement under which you keep custody of the goods, acknowledge that the enforcement agent is taking control of them and agree not to remove or dispose of them, or let anyone else do so, before the debt is paid. It must be in writing and signed, list the goods and set out the terms of the repayment arrangement, and you must be given a copy. An enforcement agent may not enter into a controlled goods agreement with someone who does not appear to understand its effect.

What happens if I have nothing for bailiffs to take?

Do not move your goods to avoid a bailiff. The court may order a shorter notice period where it is satisfied that your goods are likely to be moved or disposed of to avoid being taken control of.

GOV.UK lists Citizens Advice, MoneyHelper, National Debtline and StepChange Debt Charity as places to get free help or advice on dealing with bailiffs. You need a debt adviser to apply for Breathing Space or a Debt Relief Order. StepChange's free helpline is 0800 138 1111. National Debtline's free helpline is 0808 808 4000.

Can bailiffs take my car?

Whether bailiffs can take your car depends on who owns it and whether it is exempt.

A bailiff can take:

Yes: A car that belongs to you and is not exempt, which the bailiff can immobilise on a highway

A bailiff cannot take:

No: A car on a hire-purchase agreement, because the property in it passes to you only if the terms of the agreement are complied with
No: A car on which a valid disabled person's badge is displayed because it is used to carry a disabled person
No: A car that belongs to someone else, such as a partner or family member, even if it is parked at your address
No: A car you need personally for work or study, but only up to £1,350 in total with your other work or study items

A vehicle must be immobilised by a device unless you voluntarily surrender the keys, and it must stay immobilised where it is for at least 2 hours before the bailiff may remove it to storage, unless the sum outstanding is paid or an agreement to release it is made. You will have to prove that someone else's goods do not belong to you.

Can debt collectors or bailiffs take my home?

An enforcement agent may take control of goods only if they are on premises the agent has power to enter, or on a highway. If you have a court judgment against you, the creditor can ask the court for a charging order, which charges your land or property, and if the property is sold you must pay the charge before the creditor gets its money.

A debt collector is not one of the kinds of bailiff that GOV.UK lists. Anyone who claims to be a bailiff when they are not is committing fraud. See our county court judgments guide for what happens after a judgment.

Can bailiffs refuse to accept a payment plan?

Yes: You can pay the bailiff on the doorstep, and you do not have to let them into your home
Yes: Make sure you get a receipt to prove you have paid
Yes: Where a creditor has indicated it will accept a reasonable repayment offer, enforcement agents must refer such offers on to the creditor
Yes: Debtors must not be pressed to make unrealistic offers and should be asked to consider carefully any offer they voluntarily make and, where possible, be referred to free debt advice

The National Standards say enforcement agents must carry out their duties in a professional, calm and dignified manner, but the document says it is not legally binding.

Can bailiffs force entry to your home?

Schedule 12 lets an enforcement agent use reasonable force if necessary to enter premises where:

Yes: they are enforcing a magistrates' court warrant of control for a sum adjudged on conviction, as a civilian enforcement officer or Approved Enforcement Agent
Yes: they reasonably believe you carry on a trade or business at the premises and they are enforcing a High Court or county court judgment, other than a traffic contravention debt
Yes: they are re-entering business premises under a High Court or county court judgment, or under section 127 of the Finance Act 2008
Yes: they are re-entering after you broke the payment terms of a controlled goods agreement and were given notice of their intention to re-enter
Yes: the court has issued a warrant authorising reasonable force on the agent's application

Even then, an enforcement agent may enter only by a door or another usual means of entry, only after 6am and before 9pm (with exceptions for trade or business premises), and not if the debtor is a child or a child or vulnerable person is the only person present.

Once you have signed a controlled goods agreement and fallen behind with it, the agent must give you at least 2 clear days' notice of the intention to re-enter.

What bailiffs CANNOT do

No: Take control of your goods, or enter your home, before 6am or after 9pm, unless a court orders otherwise
No: Take control of goods where you are a child, or where a child under 16 or a vulnerable person is the only person present
No: Take control of goods before the notice period has passed, unless the court orders a shorter period
No: Take goods belonging to someone else
No: Take exempt goods such as basic domestic essentials, work or study equipment up to £1,350, pets or a vehicle displaying a valid disabled person's badge
No: Enter your home by force, except in the cases listed in the section above
No: Enter your home through anything except a door or another usual means of entry
No: Enter again after finding no or too few goods, unless they have reason to believe further goods have been brought onto the premises
No: Recover fees and disbursements other than those the Fees Regulations allow
No: Recover the enforcement stage fee from a vulnerable debtor unless they have first had an adequate opportunity to get assistance and advice before goods are removed

How many times can a bailiff visit?

The Fees Regulations set fees by stage of enforcement, not by visit. The enforcement stage covers all activities from the first attendance at the premises until the sale or disposal stage begins, so further visits at that stage do not create a second enforcement fee. These fees rose on 1 May 2026 under the Taking Control of Goods (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2026.

Yes: Compliance stage: £79, for all activities from the agent receiving instructions up to the start of the enforcement stage (it was £75 before 1 May 2026)
Yes: Enforcement stage: £247, from the first attendance at the premises (it was £235)
Yes: Sale or disposal stage: £116, from the first attendance to transport goods for sale or the start of preparing for a sale (it was £110)
Yes: At the enforcement and sale stages only, the agent can also add 7.5% of the part of the sum to be recovered above £1,900 (it was above £1,500 before 1 May 2026)
Yes: So if the sum to be recovered is £1,900 or less, there is no percentage fee, only the fixed fees above
Yes: If you pay the amount outstanding after a stage has started but before it is complete, the whole fee for that stage can still be recovered
Yes: An agent can also recover disbursements that are reasonably and actually incurred, such as storage, a locksmith when reasonable force is used to enter, and court fees for applications that are granted, and a sum equivalent to VAT where the creditor is not VAT-registered.
Yes: Where an agent has instructions to enforce several powers against the same debtor, the compliance fee can be recovered for each, but the fixed fee for the enforcement and sale stages only once

High Court enforcement is a different, higher scale. If your debt is enforced under a High Court writ, a separate, higher scale applies and the stages are different: £79 compliance, a first enforcement stage of £200, a second enforcement stage of £520, and £550 at sale or disposal. The 7.5% applies at the first enforcement and sale stages, and on that scale it applies above £1,200 rather than £1,900. You can ask for a detailed breakdown of the amount owed.

The notice of enforcement, your 14 clear days

Yes: The notice must be in writing and say how much is owed, the date and time by which it must be paid, how payment can be made, and where to get free advice from a debt advice provider
Yes: It must also tell you about the possibility of an extension of the notice period if a debt advice provider asks for one
Yes: 'Clear days' does not count the day the notice is given or the day of the visit, and a Sunday, bank holiday, Good Friday or Christmas Day does not count either, so in practice you have longer than 14 days
Yes: A debt advice provider can ask, before the notice period ends, for it to be extended to at least 28 clear days, but the extension does not apply to a non-eligible business debt
Yes: The £247 enforcement stage fee is not chargeable until the enforcement stage begins at the first attendance at the premises
Yes: The agent must take control of your goods within 12 months of the date of the notice of enforcement, and the court can extend that by 12 months once

Use the notice period. If you think a bailiff might visit you to collect debts, GOV.UK says you can stop this by paying the money you owe, and to get advice about how to pay your debt from whoever you owe money to as soon as possible. Breathing Space is another way to get temporary protection if you apply through a debt adviser. See our Breathing Space guide.

What happens when bailiffs arrive

You do not have to let them in

Ask for ID and paperwork

Before you let a bailiff in to take your things or pay them, ask to see proof of their identity, which company they are from, a telephone contact number and a detailed breakdown of the amount owed. You can ask for proof of a bailiff's identity and authorisation even if they have visited before, for example by asking them to put it through the letterbox or show it at the window. An enforcement agent must on request show you evidence of their identity and their authority to enter the premises.

Tell them if you are vulnerable

You may be able to get extra time to make a payment or get debt advice if you are a vulnerable person, for example if you have mental health problems or are seriously ill.

If bailiffs have entered and taken control of goods

If you sign a controlled goods agreement, you keep the goods while you pay under it. If you fall behind, the agent must give you at least 2 clear days' notice of their intention to re-enter before they re-enter to remove the goods.

Can a Debt Relief Order or Breathing Space stop bailiffs?

Yes: Breathing Space: if you live in England or Wales you can get temporary protection for up to 60 days, you will still need to make your debt repayments, and enforcement action cannot be taken against you
Yes: Breathing Space also stops your creditors contacting you about debts included in it and stops them adding interest or charges
Yes: If you are getting mental health crisis treatment, your protection lasts for the length of your treatment plus another 30 days
Yes: Debt Relief Order: you stop making payments towards your debts (including interest) for 12 months, and you will not need to pay the debts after 12 months
Yes: Individual Voluntary Arrangement: an IVA will stop your creditors taking action against you for your debts

To apply for Breathing Space you need to talk to a debt adviser, and it is free to apply, but some debt advisers may charge you a fee. If you are made bankrupt, the things you own may be sold to pay for your bankruptcy and make payments towards your debts, which can sometimes include selling your home. See our guides to Debt Relief Orders and IVAs.

Scotland, Sheriff Officers and Messengers-at-Arms

In Scotland, sheriff officers carry out orders of the Sheriff Court and the Court of Session (where they are called messengers-at-arms), and they are employed by private companies. A bailiff is different, and bailiffs do not apply in Scotland.

Yes: Sheriff officers can usually only come Monday to Saturday (except on public holidays) between 8am and 8pm, and the court can give them permission to come at another time
Yes: They can enter your home or work only if the court gives them permission and they have a document saying they are allowed to enter, which you have the right to ask for
Yes: If they have permission to enter and you do not let them in, they can use 'necessary reasonable force', which means forcing open a door, breaking a lock or breaking a window
Yes: Every sheriff officer has a red identity book, and a sheriff officer must show it to you if you ask for it
Yes: With exceptional attachment they can take non-essential items such as art, designer clothes, games consoles and some other technology, and vehicles you do not need for work
Yes: They cannot take things essential for everyday life, such as beds, clothes you reasonably need, computers, cookers, food, fridges, heaters and sofas
Yes: They usually must give you 4 calendar days' notice in writing of when they are coming with exceptional attachment
Yes: They cannot enter your home or take anything if the only person in is under 16, cannot speak or understand English, or does not understand the situation because of a physical or mental disability, and they cannot take anything if nobody is in
Yes: You can stop further action by coming to an arrangement with the company or person you owe, or by making a payment directly to the sheriff officer, and you have the right to do this while the sheriff officer is there

The Debt Arrangement Scheme (DAS) is run by Accountant in Bankruptcy, and when you have a debt payment programme your creditors cannot ask you for money, take you to court, apply to make you bankrupt or add more interest, fees or charges. The protection starts when your money adviser or AiB formally asks your creditors to agree to the programme. To complain about a sheriff officer you can complain to the Society of Messengers-at-Arms and Sheriff Officers (SMASO), to the company the sheriff officer works for, or in writing to the Sheriff Principal through your local sheriff court.

Northern Ireland: In Northern Ireland the Enforcement of Judgments Office (EJO) is responsible for the enforcement of court judgments of money, goods and property. Under an order of seizure the EJO can seize property and sell it at auction, and it will never seize essentials such as clothing, bedding, cookers, fridges, most furniture and the tools of your trade.

How to complain about a bailiff

You can complain about a bailiff if you think they have broken the rules, for example if they threaten or harass you, try to break into your home without a warrant, try to charge you incorrect fees, take goods belonging to someone else or take essential items.

Complain to whoever the bailiff works for and to the creditor

GOV.UK says you can complain both to whoever the bailiff is working for and to the people you owe money to.

Escalate a council or TfL complaint to the Ombudsman

If the bailiff is collecting money for a council or Transport for London, first complain to the council or TfL. If you are still not happy, you can complain to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.

Complain to a trade association

You may also be able to complain to the bailiff's trade association if they are a member, such as the Civil Enforcement Association (CIVEA) or the High Court Enforcement Officers Association (HCEOA).

Ask the court to consider the bailiff's certificate

If a bailiff is a certificated enforcement agent, you can ask the court to consider whether they should be allowed to continue operating by filling out and submitting an EAC2 form to the court where the agent is registered. The court can remove the agent's certificate or order them to pay compensation. It is free to make a complaint, but you may have to pay legal costs if the court decides there were no reasonable grounds for it.

Browse all of our debt guides.

Where to go next

Frequently asked questions

When do bailiffs get involved, and how do bailiffs work?

Bailiffs, also called enforcement agents, may visit your home if you do not pay debts such as Council Tax bills, parking fines, court fines and county court, high court or family court judgments. Bailiffs must usually give you at least 14 days' notice of their first visit. A bailiff cannot simply turn up. Before taking control of your goods they must give you a notice of enforcement not less than 14 clear days beforehand, and since 1 May 2026 that has been 14 clear days, doubled from 7.

Do you have to let bailiffs in, and can bailiffs break in?

You usually do not have to open your door to a bailiff or let them in. If you do not let a bailiff in or agree to pay them, they could take things from outside your home, for example your car, and you could end up owing even more money. GOV.UK says bailiffs cannot enter your home by force, for example by pushing past you, if only children under 16 or vulnerable people are present, between 9pm and 6am, or through anything except the door. GOV.UK says bailiffs are allowed to force their way into your home to collect unpaid criminal fines, Income Tax or Stamp Duty, but only as a last resort. Once you have signed a controlled goods agreement and fallen behind with it, the agent must give you at least 2 clear days' notice of the intention to re-enter.

What are bailiffs not allowed to take, and what can bailiffs take?

They cannot take what your household reasonably needs for basic domestic needs, work or study equipment worth up to £1,350 in total, assistance dogs and pets, or a vehicle displaying a valid disabled person's badge that is used to carry a disabled person. Bailiffs can take non-essential items, for example a TV or games console, if the goods are yours and not exempt. If you let a bailiff into your home, they may take some of your belongings to sell, and they could sell the items to pay debts and cover their fees.

Can bailiffs take my TV, or things that don't belong to me?

Bailiffs can take non-essential items, for example a TV or games console, if the goods are yours and not exempt. Bailiffs can only take control of goods that are goods of the debtor, and may take control of any goods that are not exempt. You will have to prove that someone else's goods do not belong to you.

Can bailiffs or debt collectors take my pets?

Regulation 4 of the Taking Control of Goods Regulations 2013 exempts assistance dogs, sheep dogs, guard dogs and domestic pets. A debt collector is not one of the kinds of bailiff that GOV.UK lists. Anyone who claims to be a bailiff when they are not is committing fraud.

What can debt collectors take, and what rights do debt collectors have?

A debt collector is not one of the kinds of bailiff that GOV.UK lists. Anyone who claims to be a bailiff when they are not is committing fraud. FCA rules say a firm must not misrepresent its authority or its legal position when contacting customers about a debt.

What happens if you ignore bailiffs, and can you stop them?

You usually do not have to open your door to a bailiff or let them in. If you do not let a bailiff in or agree to pay them, they could take things from outside your home, for example your car, and you could end up owing even more money. If you think a bailiff might visit you to collect debts, GOV.UK says you can stop this by paying the money you owe, and to get advice about how to pay your debt from whoever you owe money to as soon as possible. Breathing Space is another way to get temporary protection if you apply through a debt adviser.

What is classed as vulnerable when bailiffs visit?

The regulations say bailiffs cannot take control of goods if a child (someone under 16) or a vulnerable person is the only person present. The National Standards say a debtor may be considered vulnerable if, for reasons of age, health or disability, they are unable to safeguard their personal welfare or the personal welfare of other members of the household. They say enforcement agents should be aware that vulnerability may not be immediately obvious, and list groups who might be vulnerable, including the elderly, people with a disability, the seriously ill and the recently bereaved, but the list is not exhaustive. You may be able to get extra time to make a payment or get debt advice if you are a vulnerable person, for example if you have mental health problems or are seriously ill.

How do I avoid or deal with bailiffs?

If you think a bailiff might visit you to collect debts, GOV.UK says you can stop this by paying the money you owe, and to get advice about how to pay your debt from whoever you owe money to as soon as possible. You usually do not have to open your door to a bailiff or let them in. If you do not let a bailiff in or agree to pay them, they could take things from outside your home, for example your car, and you could end up owing even more money. You can ask for proof of a bailiff's identity and authorisation even if they have visited before, for example by asking them to put it through the letterbox or show it at the window.

How much can bailiffs charge in fees?

On the standard scale the fees are £79 for the compliance stage, £247 for the enforcement stage and £116 for the sale or disposal stage, plus 7.5% of the sum to be recovered above £1,900 at the enforcement and sale stages. An agent can also recover disbursements that are reasonably and actually incurred, such as storage, a locksmith when reasonable force is used to enter, and court fees for applications that are granted, and a sum equivalent to VAT where the creditor is not VAT-registered. These fees rose on 1 May 2026 under the Taking Control of Goods (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2026.

How much notice must a bailiff give before visiting?

A bailiff cannot simply turn up. Before taking control of your goods they must give you a notice of enforcement not less than 14 clear days beforehand, and since 1 May 2026 that has been 14 clear days, doubled from 7. A bailiff must give you a notice of enforcement at least 14 clear days before taking control of your goods, and a debt adviser can ask for at least 28 clear days, but not for a non-eligible business debt.

What happens if I have nothing for bailiffs to take?

A bailiff who has entered and found no goods, or too few goods, to pay the sum outstanding may enter again only if they have reason to believe that further goods of yours have been brought onto the premises, or the goods were not taken because they were in use and a breach of the peace was likely. If you have a county court or other court judgment against you, the creditor can ask the court to take money from your wages, to freeze money in your bank, building society or business account, or to charge your land or property. GOV.UK lists Citizens Advice, MoneyHelper, National Debtline and StepChange Debt Charity as places to get free help or advice on dealing with bailiffs. StepChange's free helpline is 0800 138 1111. National Debtline's free helpline is 0808 808 4000.

Can bailiffs force entry into my home?

GOV.UK says bailiffs cannot enter your home by force, for example by pushing past you, if only children under 16 or vulnerable people are present, between 9pm and 6am, or through anything except the door. GOV.UK says bailiffs are allowed to force their way into your home to collect unpaid criminal fines, Income Tax or Stamp Duty, but only as a last resort. Once you have signed a controlled goods agreement and fallen behind with it, the agent must give you at least 2 clear days' notice of the intention to re-enter.

What can bailiffs take from my home?

Bailiffs can only take control of goods that are goods of the debtor, and may take control of any goods that are not exempt. Bailiffs can take non-essential items, for example a TV or games console, if the goods are yours and not exempt. If you let a bailiff into your home, they may take some of your belongings to sell, and they could sell the items to pay debts and cover their fees. They cannot take what your household reasonably needs for basic domestic needs, work or study equipment worth up to £1,350 in total, assistance dogs and pets, or a vehicle displaying a valid disabled person's badge that is used to carry a disabled person.

Can bailiffs take my car if it's on finance?

A car on a hire-purchase agreement is not yet yours, because the property in it passes to you only if the terms of the agreement are complied with, so the bailiff cannot take control of it. A vehicle must be immobilised by a device unless you voluntarily surrender the keys, and it must stay immobilised where it is for at least 2 hours before the bailiff may remove it to storage, unless the sum outstanding is paid or an agreement to release it is made. You will have to prove that someone else's goods do not belong to you.

Can I set up a payment plan with bailiffs?

The bailiff does not have to accept your offer. If you cannot pay all the money right away, speak to the bailiff about how you could pay the money back, and offer to pay what you can afford in weekly or monthly payments. The National Standards say enforcement agents must carry out their duties in a professional, calm and dignified manner, but the document says it is not legally binding.

Related guides

Found this useful? Link to it

If you run a site, write an article, or help others with their rights, please link to this guide, it helps more people find free, reliable guidance.

https://www.knowyourrightsuk.com/debt/bailiffs

Know Your Rights UK. "Bailiff Rights UK: What They Can and Cannot Do." Know Your Rights UK, https://www.knowyourrightsuk.com/debt/bailiffs