Consultation on the Reform of the baliff industry

Consultation on the Reform of the baliff industry

The Ministry of Justice have announced the long awaited consultation on bailiff reform entitled:

Transforming Bailiff Action

How we will provide more protection against aggressive bailiffs and encourage more flexibility in bailiff collections.  This is to be a consultation in which the public may respond to and there will be the statutory time frame of 12 weeks for responses.

Source of article here

This consultation sets out proposals which will seek to:

• prohibit the use of force against a person with safeguards to protect children

• remodel and clarify the complaints process available to the debtor

• create minimum entry standards and certification process to ensure bailiffs are fit to operate

• set out when and how a bailiff can enter a property

• set out to whom and under what circumstances reasonable force to enter premises will be available

• make clear which items an enforcement agent may not take from someone’s home; and

• make clear what fees bailiffs can charge for the range of debts that they collect for local government, courts and businesses.

New MOJ Bailiff Reform ForumThere is a new forum to discuss the  implications of the new proposals  and how we should respond to the consultation HERE

There are 6 sub-forums under the following headings:

• Amendments to the National Standards for Enforcement Agents
  

• Discussions regarding the proposed fee scales
  

• Vulnerable groups and defining “vulnerability”

• Discussions regarding “exempt items” and time and dates of visits

• Proposals regarding High Court Enforcement debts

• Discussions regarding a Regulatory Body/Complaints procedure