The government's decision to regulate bailiff firms can't come quickly enough

Have you ever experienced a bailiff at your door? If you have, there’s a good chance that you found it an overwhelming experience, even if the bailiff stuck to all the rules – though our advisors and clients consistently tell us that all too often this doesn’t happen. If you haven’t, just imagining the scenario feels daunting, and the truth is this scenario could happen to anyone.

You may have seen Kate Garraway talking about her experience of bailiffs, at a time in her life when health rather than finances was the main household concern, or Katherine Ryan speaking about how she was hounded by bailiffs for £10,000 worth of council tax debt – which she did not owe.

Read more:

• ‘Broken’ council tax system means millions of Brits face visit from bailiffs – but that’s set to change
• One in 10 Brits have no cash savings to fall back on – government action is vital
• ‘I have nothing they can take’: Council tax debt collection having devastating impact on vulnerable people

Considering this, it’s good to be able to report that after more than a decade of campaigning by StepChange and many others, the government has now decided to regulate bailiff firms. This move will give everyone who interacts with the enforcement process – from creditors to citizens – confidence that it will be done fairly and in line with high standards and oversight that protect vulnerable people, with proper consequences for firms and agents who break the rules.

It’s frankly astonishing that this isn’t already the case, given that bailiffs are often dealing with people who are vulnerable and in need of protection and assurance of good practice and professionalism.

As the government’s consultation itself says, “rights only exist if they can be enforced”, and while this is referring to the rights of those who are owed money, the same is true for the rights of the people who owe it. People are meant to be treated fairly under existing rules – but these are not adequately enforced, which is exactly the problem.

What’s great is that after years of prevarication and delay, there’s now a sense of pace and urgency about this issue. The government consultation period was short and snappy, closing on 21 July. It is expected to lead to a new act of parliament to deliver the new regulatory system – an act we hope to see follow quickly when parliament returns from summer recess.

And although the timing of legislation is hidden behind the official language of “as soon as parliamentary time allows”, the mood music suggests that ministers have now had enough and want to see legislation enacted quickly. The public mood is the same – four out of five people support bailiff regulation. This is a low cost, high impact reform which can and will support the most vulnerable.

For us, the new regulation can’t come soon enough. We hear so many of our clients telling us about the stress and anxiety caused by bailiffs and poor or rule-breaking experiences. A shocking proportion of clients surveyed – more than half – said that bailiffs put pressure on them to make unaffordable repayments during visits to their home, while a third said bailiffs displayed intimidating or aggressive behaviour.

The truth is, only properly enforced regulation – applying to all enforcement firms, agents and High Court enforcement officers without exception – backed up by sanctions where necessary, will fix the injustices our clients face every day.

Vikki Brownridge is CEO of StepChange Debt Charity.

Do you have a story to tell or opinions to share about this? Get in touch and tell us more. 

It’s helping people with disabilities. 

It’s creating safer living conditions for renters.

It’s getting answers for the most vulnerable.

Big Issue brings you trustworthy journalism that drives real change. 

If this article gave you something to think about, help us keep doing this work from £5 a month.