Communicating with Bailiff Companies
Avoid contact by telephone. They will mess you about then hang-up on you.
Except when essential information, like a PCN number, is required, in which case, you should use a call recording app (refer below), then proceed to request their copy of the call under the GDPR.
If disparities exist between your recording and theirs, you can sue for breach of the GDPR.
Providing telephone evidence in court is considerably more challenging, as it typically necessitates a transcript and may not be admissible.
Whenever feasible, use email and duplicate it via text message to the bailiff on their mobile device. Capture screenshots of both the email and text message, noting the time they were dispatched.
The message must contain these points:
Examples:
List of bailiff companies with email addresses.
If telephone communication is necessary for your case, consider using a call-recording app to record the conversation.
There's no requirement to inform the other party about the recording as many companies state they record calls for training purposes.
Recording calls can effectively document the bailiff's or call handler's demeanor and potentially highlight non-compliance or illegal actions.
In cases where bailiffs are aware of their wrongdoing, they may abruptly end the call hang up, or respond evasively.
Before engaging with a bailiff or creditor, it's advisable to prepare a list of questions along with anticipated answers for reference.
Verify your mobile device compatibility: Certain devices may not support call-recording functionality.
Test your chosen application to ensure it captures both ends of the call. If only your side is recorded with silence on the other end, attempt recording with the loudspeaker enabled to capture both sides of the conversation.Speaking over the telephone while recording:
When finished, add the bailiffs number to the Google Caller ID. It tells other Android users the caller is a bailiff.
AFollowing a phone call with a bailiff company, obtain a copy of the recording in accordance with the GDPR.
Use the provided template email and text message to request the bailiff company for a copy of the telephone call recordings.Once you've sent the email, capture a screenshot of the sent email to record the timestamp, which can serve as evidence if legal proceedings are required.