Bailiffs made to wear body cameras in move to end intimidation

https://www.theguardian.com/law/2019/jul/22/bailiffs-made-to-wear-body-cameras-in-move-to-end-intimidation

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Bailiffs attempting to recover debts from private homes will have to wear body cameras in future to prevent intimidating behaviour, the Ministry of Justice has announced.

The decision to make the equipment compulsory follows complaints about the way in which rogue enforcement agents have entered properties and illegally seized possessions.

In April, the justice select committee published a highly critical report on the industry, recommending the use of body-worn cameras so that a video record was kept of every visit.

Aggressive behaviour, unnecessary home visits to drive up fees and threats to confiscate essential household items exempt from seizure were all recorded as common complaints.

The justice minister Paul Maynard said: “The use of intimidation and aggression by some bailiffs is utterly unacceptable, and it is right we do all we can to tackle such behaviour.

“Whilst most bailiffs act above board, body-worn cameras will provide greater security for all involved – not least consumers who are often vulnerable. We are looking carefully at other measures to improve the system and will not hesitate to take action where necessary.”

Promising to protect vulnerable debtors, the MoJ said it would also introduce a 60-day “breathing space” – during which creditors cannot chase payments – to improve how those who have failed to make payments are treated.

The ministry said it wanted to ensure debt was collected in a fair and safe manner while those who failed to do so would be held to account.

Bailiffs usually operate to enforce court orders for the recovery of debts. They are entitled to seize certain goods so that they can be sold to pay off money that is owed for council tax or other unpaid debts to individuals and businesses.

They are not supposed to be able to enter homes when only children are present. The select committee report found that firms were telling people they could break in when they did not have the right to do so.

Reforms to regulate bailiffs were introduced in 2014 and have resulted in greater awareness of debtors’ rights, according to the department.

The select committee report heard that charities regularly saw regulations being contravened, especially where “bailiffs will not accept affordable repayment offers [and] seize goods inappropriately [or] they fail to take vulnerable circumstances into account”.

The debt charity StepChange has reported that a quarter of people visited by bailiffs had tried to arrange repayment over the phone but found they insisted on visiting their home to obtain the cash – “thus triggering the next stage of payment and increasing the debt by £235”.