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Bailiff Fees for Council Tax Debts

The Regulatory Framework

Bailiffs handling Council Tax arrears are governed by the 2014 Taking Control of Goods (Fees) Regulations Act, which defines three structured phases:

  1. Compliance
  2. Enforcement
  3. Sale

Fee Structure

Compliance Fee: £75
This initial stage begins when a bailiff or enforcement agent receives instructions from the client (typically the Local Authority) to recover the outstanding debt. At this point, the bailiff issues a ‘Notice of Enforcement’ to the debtor, providing a seven-day warning before visiting to seize assets. A Compliance Fee of £75 is levied for each Liability Order or Warrant of Control issued. If the debtor fails to negotiate or adhere to a ‘controlled goods agreement’, which includes settling the £75 Compliance Fee, the process escalates to the Enforcement stage.

Enforcement Fee: £235 (plus 7.5% of the debt value over £1,500)
If the terms of the ‘controlled goods agreement’ established during the Compliance stage are not met, an Enforcement Agent will visit the debtor’s property to seize assets, applying the Enforcement Fee. It’s important to note that multiple Enforcement Fees cannot be charged simultaneously when multiple Liability Orders or Warrants of Control are being enforced at this stage.

Sale Stage Fee: £110 (plus 7.5% of the debt value over £1,500)
This fee applies once the bailiff has executed the removal of goods and manages their sale. At this stage, the debtor might also incur additional costs related to the removal, such as storage fees or locksmith expenses.

Additional Possible Fees
The 2014 Regulations also set clear boundaries on other permissible fees to prevent the imposition of unjust charges, ensuring transparency and fairness. These include:

  • Bounced Cheque Fee
  • VAT
  • Credit Card Chargeback Fee
  • HPI Search Fee
  • Cut Clamp Fee
  • Credit Card Transaction Fee
  • DVLA Search Fee

Moreover, when an enforcement agency is pursuing multiple debts from a single debtor, these should be amalgamated into a single Enforcement Notice. Although each separate liability can accrue a Compliance Fee of £75, only one Enforcement Fee of £235 is chargeable if the case progresses to the enforcement stage.

Position of Vulnerable Debtors
Regulation 12 of the 2014 Taking Control of Goods (Fees) Regulations Act includes provisions to protect vulnerable debtors. Such debtors must be given the chance to seek appropriate advice at the initial stages. If a bailiff neglects to provide an opportunity for vulnerable debtors to obtain advice before proceeding with the removal of goods, the enforcement fee becomes non-recoverable, ensuring protections are in place for those in sensitive situations.