Bailiff enforcement and debtors abroad

Bailiffs are only authorised to take control of a debtor's goods in England and Wales.

Enforcement actions are confined to debtors residing in England and Wales. Even if a debtor possesses assets within England and Wales while living or working abroad, enforcement efforts may fail due to the requirement that the debtor receives a Notice of Enforcement (NOE), along with other statutory notifications depending on the nature of the debt being pursued.

If the debtor provides evidence that they received the Notice of Enforcement after leaving the country, enforcement proceedings are invalidated under the provisions of section 7 of the Interpretation Act 1978.

A debtor can receive a Notice of Enforcement via email or other electronic means, provided it contains the necessary information. The authority for electronic delivery of such notices is specified in regulation 8(1)(b) of the Taking Control of Goods Regulations 2013.

Further provisions vary depending on the nature of the debt being pursued, necessitating additional notices to be issued to the debtor.


By debt type

Council tax: Final Notice or reminder

Court fine: Collection Order

Traffic debt: Notice to Owner

High Court writ: Notice of issue

Section 7 Interpretation Act 1978 states:

References to service by post

Where an Act authorises or requires any document to be served by post (whether the expression “serve” or the expression “give” or “send” or any other expression is used) then, unless the contrary intention appears, the service is deemed to be effected by properly addressing, pre-paying and posting a letter containing the document and, unless the contrary is proved, to have been effected at the time at which the letter would be delivered in the ordinary course of post.


Regulation 8 of the Taking Control of Goods Regulations 2013 states:

Method of giving notice and who must give it

(1) Notice of enforcement must be given—

(a)by post addressed to the debtor at the place, or one of the places, where the debtor usually lives or carries on a trade or business;

(b)by fax or other means of electronic communication;

(c)by delivery by hand through the letter box of the place, or one of the places, where the debtor usually lives or carries on a trade or business;

(d)where there is no letterbox, by affixing the notice at or in a place where it is likely to come to the attention of the debtor;

(e)where the debtor is an individual, to the debtor personally; or

(f)where the debtor is not an individual (but is, for example, a company, corporation or partnership), by delivering the notice to—

(i)the place, or one of the places, where the debtor carries on a trade or business; or

(ii)the registered office of the company or partnership.

(2) Notice must be given by the enforcement agent or the enforcement agent’s office.