Never ignore a situation where you’re dealing with a bailiff! Ignorance isn’t bliss as the situation will only get worse with time if placed on the back burner. Instead of waiting for your problems to snowball, why not work directly with your debt collector? You can establish a payment plan you feel comfortable with financially.
If you’re set to receive a visit from a bailiff, always behave in a professional manner. Getting aggressive or angry will only result in you potentially getting arrested. It’s best to avoid confrontation and keep your doors and windows locked if you’re expecting a visit from a bailiff. Discuss not opening the door to strangers with your family members so you’re all on the same page. A great way to give yourself some additional peace of mind is to fit your door with a chain in case someone accidentally opens the door.
Never open the door to speak directly with a bailiff! Instead, use a letterbox or speak to them through a window. You can also ask them to remain in their car and deal with them that way. If this is something you opt to do, always keep your residential door locked. Of course, there are dire situations where letting the bailiff inside is in your best interests. However, only do this if you’ve had a professional second opinion and it was recommended that you do this.
When dealing with a bailiff, always ask for proof of their identity as well as a warrant or writ. The paperwork is easily shown through a window or your letterbox. Make sure to always keep a copy of paperwork you deal with during your initial visit. This also includes any payments you may make.
If a bailiff asks you to sign a controlled goods agreement, make sure to read the paperwork carefully. Do sign the paperwork, however, as you run the risk of losing your belongings if you don’t! If anything you read on the list isn’t yours, make sure to ask the bailiff to remove the items. You may also make note on the page that the items in question aren’t yours.
You will need to work on a payment plan to ensure that your goods aren’t taken away by the bailiff. Find out here – what can bailiffs take? Make sure that you come up with a reasonable amount you can pay monthly as your items will get hauled away if you don’t. You may also hide or move goods away as long as a bailiff hasn’t listed them on paperwork. However, moving items out of your home into hiding after an itemized list is presented is a criminal offense.
The easiest target for most bailiffs is your car. It’s hard to hide and easy to spot. If you get lucky and your vehicle isn’t listed by the bailiff, you can still hide your asset in a locked parking garage away from your home. On the other hand, if the bailiff understands that you’re hiding a vehicle and knows about its existence, you run the risk of committing a crime.
