Bailiffs get power to use force on debtors

[doodles]

The government has been accused of trampling on individual liberties by proposing wide-ranging new powers for bailiffs to break into homes and to use “reasonable force” against householders who try to protect their valuables.
Bailiffs get power to use force on debtors - Times Online

[Suave]

Hi,

Is this crap legal under EU Law? The sooner this government is booted out of office, the better - we will become a police state next.

Suave!

[Reign-Mack]

makes you wonder since I have also had somebody use my address

[mrapbp]

Does that mean that individuals can use reasonable force to stop them?

Seriously this isn't heading in a good direction, is it really a good idea to allow these people these kinds of powers? Who says their judgement is on the mark, do they undergo months/years of training that allows the police to get that wrong??

[Miyazaki]

We are allowed to use reasonable and proportionate force to protect our homes.

I bet we will see bailiffs killed if they attempt this.

[eric pisch]

my biggest worry is on the whole how shoddy and pig headed bailiffs are, and how little leg work they do.

I have had several cases where they got it wrong and recently they came after me for a huge debt the previous owner of my house had run up, the couldn't even be bothered to check the electoral role and it took me 4 months of receiving legal threats and me threatening to call the police on them before they actually bothered to check that I was who I said I was. t***s

[Ultima]

Originally Posted by eric pisch

my biggest worry is on the whole how shoddy and pig headed bailiffs are, and how little leg work they do.

I have had several cases where they got it wrong and recently they came after me for a huge debt the previous owner of my house had run up, the couldn't even be bothered to check the electoral role and it took me 4 months of receiving legal threats and me threatening to call the police on them before they actually bothered to check that I was who I said I was. t***s

We had a similar situation when we moved into our house. The previous owner was up to his eyes in debt and we had numerous visits from Bailiffs who use threats as easily as every day conversation. Funnily, I actually enjoyed the banter with these muppets who found that they definately weren't stepping one foot into my house and if they tried they new what to expect.

To be honest they are only carrying out their orders but to give these powers to a type of person whose common sense and judgement skills are questionable seems ludicrous.

[Naaktgeboren]

I have to agree with all said. When we first arrived in the UK, 3 days after we moved in there was a knock on the door at 6am by a bailiff for unpaid council tax for the previous owner. I was not very happy as I had my son crying and my wife very scared not knowing what was going on. I opened the door and made it pretty clear to him that if he did not disappear quick or attempted to enter my house, he would be leaving horizontal.

He knew I was not bluffing so went back to his van and phoned the police AND spent the next 20 mins shouting threats from his van at me

Police arrived, checked his paperwork, looked at my passport and told the cretin that OBVIOUSLY we were not the people he was looking for and told him to GTFO.

Stupid **** for brained fool could of done this himself but was relying on the fear factor like I bet he uses on a daily basis against old folk and single mothers.

[mjn]

Some don't even have the balls to knock on the door, (the previous owner of our house ran off to Crypus leaving a pile of debts) they just put little business cards through our letterbox, and expect you to pay up. Losers, the lot of them.

[PoochJD]

Morning,

Yet another crap piece of crap legislation, for people who are - in my opinion only - nothing more than legalised thugs!

I love the following quotes from the article however:

"... new powers for bailiffs to break into homes and to use “reasonable force” against householders who try to protect their valuables..."

And remind me again what constitutes "reasonable force"?!

"Under the regulations, bailiffs for private firms would for the first time be given permission to restrain or pin down householders. They would also be able to force their way into homes to seize property to pay off debts, such as unpaid credit card bills and loans."

I may only be small, and weedy, as far as my size and build go, but if any bailiff tries to "restrain or pin down" me, they are going to be on the receiving end of the nearest sharp, pointy object to their body, face and/or genitals!

"Ministers have now proposed bailiffs be given powers to physically remove debtors who try to defend their property, for example by draping themselves over a car or blocking the door of their home."

How long before we start seeing large numbers of dead or severely injured bailiffs then, who have "draped themselves" over a debtors vehicle?! Not long, I can assure you.

"Lord Bach, a junior justice minister, has assured the House of Lords that any new powers will be implemented only after a consultation..."

And, of course, government "consultations" are always conducted with the public interests, as a priority, aren't they?!

"Reasonable grounds for breaking down the door include the “movement of a curtain”, a radio being heard or a figure being spotted inside which “may be the offender”."

Yes. And, "resonable grounds" for me smacking your bloody face in with a baseball bat, will be the fact that you saw my cat move one of my curtains, broke down my door, because you stupidly assumed that that curtain movement, meant I was actually holed-up inside trying to evade you!

Bailiff: it's just the Latin term meaning "law-enforcement arsehole"!


Pooch

[SimonH]

My experience of bayliffs was that they were absolute proof of evolution.

About half a brain cell away from an aemoba , and their aptitude for reasoning and common sense was about on par with a piece of play-do.

Allowing what amounts to dial-a-thug, failed army types to have free reign to commit violent acts against residents is possibly the stupidest move I've ever heard.

bailiffs for private firms would for the first time be given permission to restrain or pin down householders.

If the above isn't a recipe for absolute abuse of power , I don't know what it is.

God this government is retarded at times.

[stepneg]

Knowing how scum like Rossendales operate this is bad news, they intimidate and threaten people already and soon they will be able to rough people up knowing the law is on their side! They are nothing more than hired thugs who I'm sure earn commission for heaping on extra charges and recovering the debt as quickly as possible. Giving these sort of idiots the power to just kick doors in and restrain people is absurd and it won't take long before someone ends up dead.

[eric pisch]

Originally Posted by Ultima

We had a similar situation when we moved into our house. The previous owner was up to his eyes in debt and we had numerous visits from Bailiffs who use threats as easily as every day conversation. Funnily, I actually enjoyed the banter with these muppets who found that they definately weren't stepping one foot into my house and if they tried they new what to expect.

To be honest they are only carrying out their orders but to give these powers to a type of person whose common sense and judgement skills are questionable seems ludicrous.

but now you will come home from work to find they have kicked your door in, taken all your stuff and auctioned it for 10% of its value.

why even bother making contact

[Ultima]

Originally Posted by eric pisch

but now you will come home from work to find they have kicked your door in, taken all your stuff and auctioned it for 10% of its value.

why even bother making contact

True......good job I work 2 minutes from home and have my alarm ring my mobile phone should it be activated.

[Wild Weasel]

A friend of mine went to view a repossessed house once and found the place was like the Marie Celeste. The baliffs had obviously come at dinner time, because there were plates of partially eaten meals out on the table.