Bailiff fees, charges and assessment
This topic hub brings together National Bailiff Advice guidance on bailiff fees, charges and assessment in England and Wales. It is designed to help you reach the most specific legally checked guide for your situation without replacing the detailed guidance on those pages.
Guides in this topic
Bailiffs And Credit Or Debit Card FeesThe Schedule to the Taking Control of Goods (Fees) Regulations 2014 explicitly defines the fees bailiffs are permitted to charge.The Council Charged You More Than £3 For The Liability OrderParagraph 5.1 of Schedule 1 to the Magistrates’ Courts Fees Order 2008 specifies that the application fee for a Liability Order is £3.The £79 Compliance Stage Fee And £247 Enforcement Stage FeeBailiff's fees are regulated by the Taking Control of Goods (Fees) Regulations 2014, which outline the following fee structure:Council tax paid before or during bailiff enforcementPayment of council-tax arrears does not always remove statutory enforcement fees.Challenging High Court enforcement feesRequest the writ, statement, compliance and attendance records, stage, payments, disbursements and sale evidence.Challenging non-High Court enforcement feesStatutory fees can be recovered through an enforcement company where the regulations permit.How to dispute enforcement-agent feesStart with an itemised statement showing the debt, enforcement type, instruction date, stages, payments and disbursements.Bailiffs Charged Both Enforcement Stage Fees TogetherFor High Court enforcement, the second enforcement stage fee is not a fee that can simply be added automatically because there has been a second visit.Bailiffs And Excessive LevyThe modern statutory question is not governed merely by a loose idea of “proportionality”.You Paid The PCN. Bailiff Are Pestering You For Their FeesOnce the Warrant of Control is no longer in force, the bailiff loses the authority to take control of goods to recover their fees and charges.Bailiff Enforcement Breaches: See How Much You Can ClaimIf these conditions apply, the enforcement action, fees, and storage charges may be invalid, allowing you to claim damages.The Bailiff Refused To Explain His Fees And ChargesIf the bailiff did not give you a Notice of Enforcement, you are not obligated to pay these fees, and you may be entitled to reclaim them.Sale Stage Fee Non-High Court EnforcementThe bailiff may recover a Sale Stage fee when he starts the process of removing the debtor's controlled goods.Bailiffs Charged VAT On His FeesA bailiff, an "Enforcement Agent" who is not VAT-registered, cannot reclaim VAT on their fees.You Paid The Debt. The Bailiff Is Pestering You For His FeesConsequently, the bailiff cannot lawfully recover their fees by threatening to take control of your goods.