Act at the first letter: pay or offer a plan, ask the creditor to hold off, and use court applications, Breathing Space or a formal debt solution if needed.
See your optionsThe quickest way to stop bailiffs (enforcement agents) is to act as soon as you get a letter: pay in full if you can, or offer an affordable payment plan and ask the creditor or council to hold enforcement. If that does not work, you may be able to apply to court, get Breathing Space, or use a formal debt solution such as a Debt Relief Order, IVA or bankruptcy, which legally stop the creditors included from using bailiffs.
This guide covers England and Wales. The rules in Scotland and Northern Ireland are different. It reflects the changes to bailiff rules that came into force on 1 May 2026.
Yes, in most cases. Bailiffs work for a creditor, such as a council, a court or a company that holds a court judgment. They follow a fixed legal process under the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 and the Taking Control of Goods Regulations 2013. At every stage of that process there is something you can do. The earlier you act, the more options you have and the lower the fees.
What you cannot usually do is make the debt go away by ignoring it. Bailiff fees are added at each stage, so silence tends to make the debt bigger and your choices smaller.
Key point: the 14-day notice of enforcement is your best chance to stop bailiff action cheaply. Using that window to get debt advice and make an offer usually costs much less than waiting for a visit. For a full breakdown of the charges, see bailiff fees explained.
If you can pay the whole amount, that ends enforcement. If you cannot, offer an instalment plan based on a realistic budget. Include your income, essential bills and other priority debts. A bailiff does not have to accept your offer, but a clear, written budget makes a reasonable offer hard to dismiss. Our guide on whether bailiffs can refuse a payment plan explains what to do if they say no.
The bailiff acts for the creditor, and the creditor can recall the case. Councils in particular can take a debt back and collect it another way, such as deductions from your wages or benefits. Explain why bailiff action is not working, for example because you have a vulnerability, an offer has been refused, or you have nothing of value to take. Put your request in writing.
Check the paperwork. Is it your debt? Is the amount right? Was the correct notice given? Were the fees charged correctly? If something is wrong, tell the bailiff company and the creditor in writing and ask them to pause while it is looked at. You can also complain, first to the bailiff firm and then, if needed, to the creditor or the Enforcement Conduct Board. See your rights when dealing with bailiffs.
If bailiffs are enforcing a county court judgment (CCJ) through a warrant of control, you can apply to the court to suspend the warrant on condition that you pay affordable instalments. You use form N245. A court fee applies, but you may get help with fees if you are on a low income or certain benefits. If the creditor objects, a judge will decide. National Debtline's guide to county court bailiffs explains the process. Our guide on how to stop a warrant of control goes into more detail.
If a judgment has been transferred to High Court enforcement officers, you can apply to the court for a stay of execution using form N244, with details of your income and spending. A fee applies. Debts regulated by the Consumer Credit Act, such as most credit cards and loans, cannot be enforced this way.
If you did not know about the court claim (for example it went to an old address), or you have a genuine defence, you may be able to apply to set the judgment aside using form N244. You need a good reason, and you should apply as soon as you find out. If the judgment is set aside, the warrant falls away with it.
Breathing Space is a government scheme that pauses most enforcement action, interest and charges on qualifying debts for 60 days. Bailiffs must stop enforcing a debt that is in Breathing Space. You can only get it through a debt adviser (or a local authority debt service), and you usually cannot have a standard Breathing Space more than once in 12 months. People receiving mental health crisis treatment can get a longer version. Court fines are not covered. See the GOV.UK Breathing Space guidance.
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If you have several debts you cannot repay, a formal solution may stop bailiff action on the debts it includes:
Magistrates' court fines cannot be included in a DRO, IVA or bankruptcy, and they are not covered by Breathing Space.
| Option | Does it stop bailiffs? | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|
| Pay in full | Yes, enforcement ends | Anyone who can raise the money |
| Payment plan with bailiff or creditor | Yes, while you keep to it (not a legal right) | Most debts, if you have some spare income |
| Creditor or council takes debt back | Yes, for that debt | Council tax, vulnerable people, refused offers |
| Suspend warrant (N245) | Yes, if the court agrees and you keep paying | County court judgments |
| Stay of High Court writ (N244) | Yes, if the court agrees | Judgments transferred to the High Court |
| Set aside CCJ | Yes, if granted | Judgments you did not know about or dispute |
| Breathing Space | Pauses it for 60 days (or longer in a mental health crisis) | Time to get advice and choose a solution |
| DRO | Yes, for included debts | Low income, few assets, debts under £50,000 |
| IVA | Yes, for included debts once approved | Larger debts with regular affordable income |
| Bankruptcy | Yes, for most included debts | Debts you cannot realistically repay |
| DMP | No legal protection | Affordable repayments where creditors cooperate |
Contact the council as well as the bailiff company. Councils can take the debt back and collect it through deductions from wages or benefits. You cannot apply to suspend council tax enforcement using form N245, because it comes from a liability order, not a county court judgment. Council tax arrears can be included in Breathing Space, a DRO, an IVA or bankruptcy. See council tax bailiffs and entry.
Ask the creditor to agree instalments, then apply to suspend the warrant with form N245 if needed. Our guides on Lowell CCJs and Overdales CCJ letters cover two common cases.
If you did not receive earlier letters, you may be able to challenge the order through the Traffic Enforcement Centre, and ask to do so late if you have missed the 21-day limit. If the challenge is accepted, enforcement is put on hold.
Contact the court's fines office to ask for more time or lower instalments. Formal debt solutions and Breathing Space do not cover fines, so dealing with the court directly is key.
Different rules can apply to goods used for a business. See bailiffs and your business.
Every enforcement firm must follow the same rules, but contact details and processes differ. Our bailiff company guides cover the main firms, including Marston Recovery, Bristow & Sutor and Equita.
Bailiff action can be very stressful. If you have a health condition, disability or other difficulty, tell the bailiff company and the creditor. They should take it into account and may pause or return the case. Read bailiffs and mental health for more help.
Act as soon as you receive a notice of enforcement. You have at least 14 clear days before a visit. Contact the bailiff company and the creditor, offer an affordable payment plan based on your budget, and get free debt advice. A debt adviser can ask for the notice period to be extended to 28 days for most personal debts and can check whether Breathing Space or a formal solution would suit you.
Yes, for the debts included in it. Once a Debt Relief Order is made, creditors named in it cannot take enforcement action, including using bailiffs, without the court's permission. DROs are for people with debts under £50,000, less than £75 a month spare income and limited assets. Magistrates' court fines cannot be included, so bailiffs collecting a fine could still act.
Once an Individual Voluntary Arrangement is approved, the creditors included in it are bound by it and cannot take further enforcement action, including bailiffs, for those debts. Council tax arrears, CCJs and most consumer debts can usually be included. Magistrates' court fines, child maintenance and student loans cannot. Before approval, protection is limited, so you may still need to deal with bailiffs in the meantime.
No, not legally. A Debt Management Plan is an informal agreement, so creditors are not bound by it and can still use bailiffs if they choose. In practice many creditors accept DMP payments and hold off, but there is no guarantee. If you need legal protection from enforcement, Breathing Space, a DRO, an IVA or bankruptcy may be more suitable.
Contact both the council and the bailiff company straight away and offer an affordable payment plan. Ask the council to take the debt back if the plan is refused or you are vulnerable. Councils can collect arrears by deductions from wages or benefits instead. Council tax arrears can also be included in Breathing Space, a DRO, an IVA or bankruptcy if these suit your wider situation.
For a county court judgment, you can apply to the court on form N245 to suspend the warrant of control, offering affordable instalments. A court fee applies, though help with fees may be available. If the creditor objects, a judge decides. For council tax, form N245 does not apply, so you need to negotiate with the council and bailiff company instead.
Free, independent debt advice is also available from MoneyHelper, StepChange, National Debtline and Citizens Advice.