Baliffs

I'm on the radio today talking about baliffs so to summarise;

1. The general rule is before someone you owe money to can send a baliff around to your house to take stuff away he must have a judgement from the court for the debt and a baliff's warrant.

2. The exceptions are councils (for council tax arrears) and the courts themselves - ie where a fine has not been paid.

3. A baliff must be a certified private baliff or an officer of the court (a county court baliff or high court enforcement officer -used to be called sherrif's officers in the high court)

4. A baliff cannot force entry to your home

5. He cannot levy (technical word for taking possession) against goods which are either the tools of your trade or required for your reasonable domestic needs.

6.If you refuse to let the baliff in the debt goes up expodentially - one client was late paying a £50 fine refused to let the baliffs in four times and ended up with an £800 bill!

7. Landlord's of commercial premises can (at the moment - pending the provisions of the new courts and tribunals act - send a certified baliff to premises to levy distraint for arrears of rent.

That's it really!