Have you experience or a view on what action bailiffs should take?

lucklepper

To be Frank, although i don't approve of people willy nilly avoiding bills lets face up to things people - The goverment takes far to much from us, the banks are far richer than they moan about, in fact some of the poorest people are the honest ones, so why on earth should powers be given to a company like a bank to take things, which i would argue is in effect - stealing, simply because they feel you owe them money!

The point is contradicting! What about the money the goverment wastes on a day to day basis on the NHS or on politicians who are corrupt beyond belief (not all but a lot) - Does that mean then i can break into 10 downing and take all the contents i feel i am entitled to because i'm owed money?!?! (which would be the whole house and street probably) The idea is flawed there is a reason for court procedure and the face they don't have these powers willy nilly - imagine with the amount of identity theif there is today, could it not be possible to for someone to pose as a bailiff and make off with your new TV or DVD player? And ironically, if this is to ease the pressure on the courts and police why not look at why their functioning poorly (again goverment failings surprise surprise) so rather than the goverment fixing the original source, they look for the western quick fix - which in this case is bailiffs with more power.

As you tell i'm fairly Anti-Goverment so i am obviously bias, but people don't put up with any more changes in power from goverment which looks to take your freedoms, yes the method for claiming back is slow but it's there for a reason. Imagine it was a error and you door was broken down only for them to turn around and say sorry, our mistake? Think long and hard - the goverment loves to give away things it doesn't own like your Rights!

Nkosi

Balliffs are the scum of the earth as it is and to give these kind of powers is ludicrous

jetbags

tripled wrote: »

If people keep to the payment schemes agreed then surely it's not a problem. I know someone who regularly goes drinking down the pub, buys DVD's, etc but doesn't pay any bills except his electric which is on a meter, he simply hides whenever the baliffs come around and there is nothing they can do about it. If they could come in and take stuff it might encourage him to start paying what he owes!

:eek: :eek: :eek: What a complete and utter idiot you are. You clearly do not have even the faintest grasp of what life and being in debt is really about.This forum is for people who understand their difficulties and who are striving to conquer them.NOT as you seem, to ridicule and sneer in a most pathetic and child like manner. You poor ill minded idiot.

SomeInfo

MSE_Martin wrote: »

Normally I don't get political, but I believe this is a very dangerous threat. We have a massive debt problem in the UK, and there is a growing use of intimidatory tactics by debt collectors. This bill may legitimise that.

What you can do

Whether you agree with me or not, I would suggest you have your say by feeding into the public discussion on the options for the regulation of bailiffs, to let the Government know what you think.

You can do this by filling in a consultation questionnaire

In case anyone needs inspiration my response to the form is shown below. If it does inspire anyone to respond themselves, then please do not copy the responses verbatim.

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Regulation of Enforcement Agents

List of questions for response

We would welcome responses to the following questions set out in this consultation paper. Please email your completed form to: regenforceria@hmcourts-service.gsi.gov.uk, or fax to: 0870 739 4268. Thank you!


Question 1. Do you think that better regulation of enforcement agents would have a positive impact for different groups of people including minority groups? If so, why?

Comments:
Better regulated certainly; enforcement agents should be officially licensed only after they have satisfactorily completed rigorous training and formal, written examination. Subsequent to which their standard and performance should be regularly monitored, including randomly, with their licence renewable annually and revocable at any time should they fail to meet the required standards or abuse their position.

Enforcement agents should be of demonstrably good character and have nothing in their past, or be known to the Police in any way, which indicates their unsuitability to use their position responsibly or to handle the vulnerable or the unwitting in our society with respect, sympathy and dignity.

Counterbalancing mechanisms against inappropriate and illegal enforcement should also be available to the public in civil and criminal law to ensure that enforcement agents are truly and fully accountable to the society in which they operate.


Question 2. Do you disagree that regulation of enforcement agents would have a positive impact for different groups of people including minority groups? If so, please provide specific details.

Comments:
See response to question 1 above.


Question 3. Which of the options do you prefer? Please provide specific reasons why.

Comments:
Better regulation with no new or greater powers. Better, standardised and examined training.


Question 4. Are there any particular issues that the Government should be aware of?

Comments:
Having been associated with debt collection previously it is clear that enforcement agents should not have any further or greater powers than available to them already. The current powers are more than sufficient for enforcement and yet still provide some degree of protection to the innocent against mistakes, errors or malice.

Experience shows mistakes happen with unfortunate regularity; frequently debtors have moved on from the collection address and the current incumbents are completely unconnected and unaware of the former occupant’s debt(s) - often the wrong address is supplied to the enforcement agents, and thus once again the occupants are unconnected and unaware of any debt(s) – frequently, too, the surname of the debtor is used in an attempt to locate them and an innocent with the same surname is then erroneously pursued, often harassed, for a debt which has nothing to do with them.

Additionally, it is often the case that those in an enforcement situation are the most vulnerable in our society – e.g. the elderly, the infirmed, those with mental and learning difficulties; the current situation is harsh enough on these people who are often unable to think clearly or to resist any pressure when they are presented with heavy handed and threatening tactics from apparent figures of authority. Already it is often the case that these apparent figures of authority are frighteningly aggressive in their language and behaviour.

Giving enforcement agents powers that would allow them to act without restraint irrespective of any mistakes or errors – significantly those of address, identity, or amount – and irrespective of the vulnerability of the actual debtor or, worse, some innocent mistaken for the debtor would be an exceedingly dangerous precedent to set; for the whole of our society!


Question 5. It would be helpful to receive specific information from small businesses as to what you estimate the cost implications of the proposals will be. Please give your views on whether they will have a greater impact on small firms than large ones.

Comments:
The potential cost involved in monitoring the conduct of over-empowered enforcement agents, dealing with complaints, particularly if this involves additional Police time and man-power, regarding inappropriate force, damage, and assault - even where legitimate - could prove infeasible. The potential for uncapped legal and compensation costs being involved where there has been incorrect forced entries and seizures of property could be prohibitive – and the political and societal costs irretrievably damaging.

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Regards SI

DAMNOME

What if you were owed money and you had an order requesting the bailiffs to collect on your debt. Would you be happy if you were told "sorry you cannot have your money because they wouldn't let us in"
The problem is not increased powers for bailiffs - but the cowboy bailiffs already out there.
Stop companies giving their bailiffs commission would be a good start.

System

Is this proposal just for England and Wales, or does it extend to Scotland/ N Ireland too?

It does seem like a scary concept, I've had debt collectors bang on my door looking for previous tennents of other flats. I now have visions of them taking away my computer and asking later! :eek:

aceinvader

this is a good thing, wake up, if ever any of you idiots are owed any money there is now a chance you will get it back. the current system is completely useless. i get shafted from these kind of debt ridden toerags every week, and have given up on the county court as they have failed to recover anything.

LookingAhead

I think we have a new troll everybody.

YAWN.

southernscouser

aceinvader wrote: »

this is a good thing, wake up, if ever any of you idiots are owed any money there is now a chance you will get it back. the current system is completely useless. i get shafted from these kind of debt ridden toerags every week, and have given up on the county court as they have failed to recover anything.

Hello @rseinvader! :hello:

Got your head stuck up your own again have we?

lucy7509

I think this would be very unfair, to people like myself, if baliffs, could just show up to an address and force their way in.

Since taking this let, I have had 3 different baliff companies show up at my door, never mind the numerous letters, which were all addressed to the previous tenant.

When I complained to my letting Agent, they didn't want to know.

Having recently watch the show ' Beat the Baliff' I noticed that if the baliff's had entered the house and took my possessions, I would have to submit reciepts to get them back. Well some of my stuff in years old, not even under warranty, never mind the jewerly, Baliffs, should not be alouded to just enter and take what they want when they want!

Some of the baliffs I dealt with were rude, aggressive, and would not leave until I showed them my passport.

What compensation do you think they would offer (the baliff's) if they got it wrong? Not a thing I bet!