The new Regulations implements recommendations following a Government consultation on bailiffs, conducted in 2012. They are part of a wider package of reforms, contained within the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007, intended to simplify and clarify bailiff enforcement and clamp down on unfair practices by some bailiffs.
The aim of the new Regulations is to bring conformity and clarity to the various forms of enforcement, be it High Court or County Court judgments, council tax, parking fines or commercial rent arrears.
Key changes brought in by the new Regulations include the following:
The new regulations have also changed many of the terms used, in particular:
| Outgoing Term | New Term |
| Writ of fieri facias (fi fa) | Writ of Control |
| Seize | Take control of |
| Seized goods | Controlled goods |
| Walking possession agreement | Controlled goods agreement |
| Abortive fee | Compliance fee |
| Bailiff | Enforcement agent |
Eviction
The most common situation for social landlords to use the services of a bailiff are when a tenant has not vacated a property following a possession order and a warrant of possession is being executed.
These new Regulations do not impact on warrants of possession as Court Bailiffs have separate powers and duties under warrants of possession which are unchanged.
Debts
If a landlord is seeking to enforce a money judgment (either separately to a warrant of possession e.g. to recover former tenancy arrears or at the same time) then the provisions under these Regulations will apply to the element relating to enforcement of the money judgment.
However, in practice it is relatively rare that a social landlord takes action to recover money judgments (i.e for arrears) by way of seizing and subsequently selling goods.
It is worth noting that these Regulations do not impact on a landlord’s obligations under the Torts (Interference with Goods Act) 1977 which remain unchanged.
For more information or advice on bailiff enforcement, contact Cynyr Rhys on 0121 214 3619 or cynyr.rhys@anthonycollins.com or another member of our housing litigation team on 0121 212 7400.
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