Bailiffs and council tax

  • Council Tax and Poll tax is in most cases collected by private firms of bailiffs who work on behalf of the council.
  • The process works of the bailiffs attempting to take your possessions and sell them on at auction.
  • This therefore provides them with funds to pay off any existing debts.
  • Each Bailiff must be certified by the county court.
  • Bailiffs follow a system known as distraining or levying.

Areas Covered

  • Do I get prior warning a Bailiff will be coming?
  • Bailiff's entry rights
  • What rights do the Bailiffs have if they have already entered my property?
  • Are there specific items a Bailiff can take?
  • What are the rules on items that do not belong to me?
  • Can I remove goods to stop the Bailiffs taking them?
  • Are there procedures Bailiffs must follow?
  • Can I stop a Bailiff?
  • Record of Payments
  • If the Bailiffs cannot retrieve the money, what happens next?
  • Is it possible to make a complaint?

Get Bailiffs and council tax guide