The Ministry of Justice has launched a Call for Evidence in its Review of enforcement agent (bailiff) reforms, asking what needs to be done to protect people from bailiffs who adopt aggressive and intimidating tactics. The Government is seeking views on:
- Ensuring compliance with earlier curbs on bailiff powers
- The recognition and treatment of vulnerable people when collecting debt
- The complaints process
- The current fee structure and how this is working to incentivise early payments
- Suitability of current bailiff regulation and the possibility of an independent regulator.
Responding, Gillian Guy, Chief Executive of Citizens Advice, said: “With no system to hold them to account, rule-breaking bailiffs are causing people increased stress, anxiety and financial hardship.
“Almost five years on since they were introduced, it’s high time that the government review its 2014 reforms. While they may have been well-intentioned, they haven’t worked. Since then, Citizens Advice has seen a 24 per cent rise in bailiff problems.
“This is not simply a case of a small number of bailiffs flouting the rules. Our evidence shows one third of the 2.2 million people contacted by a bailiff in the last two years experienced them pushing the limits of the law.
“For the government to show they’re taking this issue seriously, they must use this review to establish an independent bailiff regulator." (http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/27175)
* Review of enforcement agent (bailiff) reforms: call for evidence is here
* Citizens Advice https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/
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