Nothing is more frightening and depressing than being chased for debt, especially if you have a family to protect.
Threatening letters and phone calls cause serious stress, especially if you lie awake worrying about how to get out of the fix you’re in.
Next, the bailiffs threaten to turn up and seize your hard-earned possessions and sell them for a pittance to pay off what you owe.
However, Aunt Meg is here to help with some wise legal advice on how to handle the bailiffs. By knowing your rights, you can put off the dreaded bailiffs.
Better still, Aunt Meg can negotiate with your creditors on your behalf and find an affordable solution. But first things first!
Dos and Don’ts when the Bailiffs Call
Bailiffs have to comply with the law even as they go about their job. This means they must send you (or hand deliver) a Compliance Notice.
This outlines how much you owe and when you have to pay it by. It usually gives you just 7 days to get the problem sorted before the bailiffs can legally enter your home and collect your valuables.
Make sure you keep all doors locked and secure at all times. This includes the garage door, patio doors to the garden – everything. If a bailiff tries the door handle and it opens, they are legally allowed to walk right in.
Secondly, never ever invite the bailiffs or enforcement officers over the doorstep. Once again, this undermines your legal rights.
Thirdly, you can relax after 9pm as bailiffs are only allowed to call between 6am and 9pm. At least you can relax and not jump at every noise between those times.
Tips for beating the Bailiffs
If you have a vehicle, park it away from your home on private property (not the road or supermarket car park). Bailiffs can tow your car if it is on your property or on the street. It makes sense to protect it if you can.
Bailiffs cannot take anything that belongs to someone else, including those on hire purchase. Make sure you have the paperwork showing who owns any vehicle if it belongs to someone else.
Finally, do stay calm if/when the bailiffs return with an Enforcement Order. At this stage they are permitted to use reasonable force to enter the home and confiscate any valuables they find.
However, they are not permitted to seize basic kitchen appliances and furniture. These include the cooker, refrigerator and a chair for every member of the family. They also cannot seize tools, computers and equipment needed for your work or studies.
The smartest way to beat the bailiffs is to get help with your debts before the courts are involved. Give Aunt Meg a call as soon as your debts start to spiral or you are threatened with a court order.
Our specialist advisers offer a sympathetic ear and can work miracles! We can stop threatening letters and negotiate an affordable way out of your financial hole. We can even get a chunk of your debt cancelled, in some cases.
Don’t wait for the bailiffs to call. Get in touch with Aunt Meg right now. Together we can sort it out!
