The main types are county court bailiffs, private certificated enforcement agents and High Court Enforcement Officers. Debt collectors are not bailiffs.
See your optionsThere are three main types of bailiff in England and Wales: county court bailiffs, who are court staff; certificated enforcement agents, who work for private companies; and High Court Enforcement Officers (HCEOs), who enforce High Court writs. Debt collectors are not bailiffs at all and have no power to take your belongings or enter your home.
Knowing which type you are dealing with tells you what debt they are collecting, what fees they can add, whether they could ever force entry, and which steps are most likely to stop them. This guide covers England and Wales only. The rules in Scotland and Northern Ireland are different. It reflects the changes to bailiff rules that took effect on 1 May 2026.
All bailiffs (the law now calls them “enforcement agents”) follow the same basic rules in Schedule 12 of the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 and the Taking Control of Goods Regulations 2013. They must send a notice of enforcement first, they can only visit between 6am and 9pm, and they cannot take essential household goods.
But the details differ. The type of bailiff affects:
The easiest way to find out is to read the notice of enforcement. It must name the creditor, the debt and the enforcement company.
County court bailiffs are employed by HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS). They are civil servants on a salary, not paid by results. They enforce a warrant of control, which a creditor can ask the county court to issue if you have not paid a CCJ as ordered. The court fee for issuing a warrant of control is currently £96, and this is normally added to what you owe.
A creditor can use the county court for judgments under £5,000. Judgments that come from a credit agreement regulated by the Consumer Credit Act 1974, such as most loans, credit cards and catalogue accounts, can only be enforced in the county court, whatever the amount.
Not into your home on a first visit. They must get in peacefully, for example through an unlocked door you open. They can only use reasonable force to get back in if they have already taken control of goods, you have broken a controlled goods agreement, and they have given you two clear days’ notice. If you run a business as a sole trader from separate trade premises, the rules for those premises are wider. The table below compares entry powers for each type.
The main way to stop a county court bailiff is to apply to suspend the warrant on form N245. Our step-by-step guide explains how to stop a warrant of control.
These are the bailiffs most people meet. They work for private enforcement companies and hold a certificate issued by a county court judge, which can be suspended or cancelled if they break the rules. Well-known firms include Marston, Jacobs, Rossendales, Equita, Newlyn, Dukes, Rundles and Bristow & Sutor. Our guides to each bailiff company explain who they collect for and how to contact them.
Certificated enforcement agents collect:
Fees are fixed by law. For enforcement started under the rules in force from 1 May 2026, they are £79 for the compliance stage, £247 for the enforcement stage (plus 7.5% of any debt over £1,900) and £116 for the sale stage (plus 7.5% of any debt over £1,900). Each fee can only be charged once the matching stage has actually been reached.
For council tax, business rates and parking debts, they cannot force entry to your home. For unpaid magistrates’ court fines, the law does allow force on a first visit, although this is very rarely used in practice. For CRAR, they must enter peacefully through a normal entrance.
HCEOs are authorised by the Lord Chancellor to enforce writs issued by the High Court. The HCEO is usually a senior person in an enforcement company, and the visits are carried out by certificated enforcement agents working under them. Companies such as DCBL, Marston and Wilson & Roe have High Court enforcement teams. If your letter is from one of them, our guide on how to deal with DCBL explains how to check the writ and respond.
Creditors often transfer up because HCEOs are paid through fees and can act quickly. HCEOs also enforce High Court judgments, employment tribunal awards and some possession orders.
High Court fees are higher: £79 compliance, £200 first enforcement stage (plus 7.5% of any debt over £1,200), £520 second enforcement stage and £550 for sale (plus 7.5% of any debt over £1,200), for writs under the May 2026 rules. HCEOs cannot force entry to your home on a first visit. They can, however, use reasonable force to enter business premises where they believe the debtor trades and has goods, even on a first visit. See our guide to bailiffs and your business if this affects you.
To stop a writ, you apply to the High Court for a stay of execution. Contacting the HCEO quickly with an affordable offer is often just as important.
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A debt collector works for a creditor, or buys debts from them, and asks you to pay. Companies such as Lowell, Cabot, Moorcroft and CCS Collect are debt collection agencies. They are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, but they have no enforcement powers. They cannot take your goods, cannot force entry and you do not have to let them in.
A debt collector can only move towards bailiff action by taking you to court, getting a CCJ and then asking the court for a warrant or writ. Letters that say “field agent” or “doorstep visit” do not mean bailiffs. If you are unsure who has written to you, our guides on dealing with Lowell and other debt collectors explain what each firm can and cannot do.
| Type | Who employs them | Debts they collect | Fees | Force into your home? | How to stop them |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| County court bailiff | HMCTS (court staff) | CCJs under £5,000, and regulated consumer credit CCJs of any size | Court warrant fee (£96) usually added to the debt | No on first visit; only after a broken controlled goods agreement, with 2 clear days’ notice | Apply to suspend the warrant on form N245 |
| Certificated enforcement agent | Private enforcement companies | Council tax, business rates, PCNs, magistrates’ fines, CRAR | £79 / £247 / £116 plus 7.5% over £1,900 | No for council tax, rates and PCNs; possible for fines (rare) | Payment plan with the agent or creditor; ask the council to take the debt back; formal debt solution |
| High Court Enforcement Officer | Authorised by the Lord Chancellor; work through private companies | High Court judgments, CCJs of £600+ transferred up (not regulated credit) | £79 / £200 / £520 / £550 plus 7.5% over £1,200 | No on first visit (business premises differ) | Payment plan with the HCEO; apply to the High Court for a stay |
| Debt collector | Debt collection agencies and debt buyers | Any unpaid debt, before court action | No statutory enforcement fees | No powers of entry at all | Reply in writing, offer what you can afford, get advice |
You can ask any enforcement agent to show their identification and, for a certificated agent, check their certificate on the government’s Register of Certificated Enforcement Agents. Ask for the name of the creditor, the reference number and a breakdown of the debt and fees. You can do this through a closed door or window. A genuine agent should not mind.
Enforcement agents must also take extra care if you are vulnerable, for example because of illness, disability, mental health problems, pregnancy or caring for young children. Tell the enforcement company and the creditor as early as possible. They should give you more time and may pass the case back to the creditor.
The first step is usually the same whatever the type: contact the enforcement company and the creditor, and offer an affordable payment based on a realistic budget. A free debt adviser can help you work out the figures and, for most personal debts, can ask for the notice period to be extended from 14 to 28 days so you have time to get help.
If you have several debts, a longer-term solution may help. Breathing Space pauses most enforcement for 60 days. A Debt Relief Order, an Individual Voluntary Arrangement or bankruptcy can stop the creditors included from using bailiffs, subject to the rules of each. Council tax arrears, CCJs and parking debts can usually be included. Magistrates’ court fines generally cannot, so bailiffs collecting a fine may still act. Our page on how an IVA works explains who it may suit and what it cannot cover.
Government guidance on bailiff rights is also available on GOV.UK, and National Debtline has a detailed guide to High Court enforcement.
County court bailiffs are HMCTS staff who enforce warrants of control for county court judgments. High Court Enforcement Officers are authorised by the Lord Chancellor and enforce High Court writs, including county court judgments of £600 or more that creditors transfer up. HCEO fees are higher. Judgments from credit agreements regulated by the Consumer Credit Act cannot be transferred and stay with county court bailiffs.
Not into your home on a first visit. County court bailiffs must enter peacefully. They can only use reasonable force to get back in if they have already taken control of goods, you have broken a controlled goods agreement, and they have given two clear days' notice. Different rules apply to business premises where a sole trader carries on business, which they can enter by force.
High Court Enforcement Officers cannot force entry into your home on a first visit. They must get in peacefully. They can use reasonable force to enter business premises if they reasonably believe you trade there and your goods are inside, even on a first visit. They can also re-enter a home by force after a broken controlled goods agreement, with two clear days' notice.
DCBL carries out both types of work. It has certificated enforcement agents who collect debts such as parking penalties and council debts, and a High Court enforcement team that enforces writs of control, including transferred county court judgments. Check your notice of enforcement: it will say whether it relates to a liability order, a warrant or a High Court writ.
No. Debt collection agencies such as Lowell, Cabot or Moorcroft ask you to pay but have no enforcement powers. They cannot take your belongings, cannot force entry and you do not have to let them in. They can only move towards bailiff action by taking you to court, getting a judgment and then asking the court for a warrant or writ.
Contact the enforcement company and the creditor as soon as you get a notice, and offer an affordable payment based on your budget. For a county court warrant you can apply to suspend it on form N245. For a High Court writ you can apply for a stay. Free debt advice, Breathing Space or a formal debt solution may also help, depending on the debt.
Free, independent debt advice is also available from MoneyHelper, StepChange, National Debtline and Citizens Advice.