How To Stop Legal Action From DCBL Debt Collectors And Stop Them From Chasing For Payment
You might recognise the name from TV’s ‘Can’t Pay We’ll Take It Away’, but DCBL are not just TV stars. Debt Collection Bailiffs Limited have been trading since 2001. They have 5 offices across the nation and offer debt recovery, high court enforcement and security services. DCBL collect both consumer and commercial debts throughout the UK, as well as internationally.
Accreditation
DCBL are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and have a number of other memberships and accreditations, including:
- Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)
- Credit Services Association (CSA)
- National Landlords Association (NLA)
- British Parking Association (BPA)
- Approved Operator Scheme, within BPA membership (AOS)
- International Parking Community (IPC)
- SIA Approved Contractor Scheme status (ACS)
- BTEC Approved Training Centre
- Edexcel Approved Training Centre
- Highfield HBAC Approved Training Centre
- Safecontractor Approved
- Constructionline
- West Cheshire and North Wales Chamber of Commerce
- BSI ISO 27001 – Information Security standard
- BSI ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System
DCBL was also awarded Legal Services Supplier of the Year 2016/17.
Why Are DCBL Contacting Me?
DCBL deal with debt collection from the earliest stages of sending out letters, to High Court Enforcement. If you’ve been contacted by DCBL, it is likely that you owe money from an account you’ve had with their client – your previous creditor.
DCBL are employed by their clients to recover the debts owed to them. It is important that you establish what the debt is for and how old it is before you proceed.
What Do DCBL Do?
High Court Enforcement Officers are authorised to carry out the execution of County Court Judgements (CCJs) and High Court Writs of Control.
How Can scottishtrustdeed.co.uk Help?
If you’ve been contacted by Debt Collection Bailiffs Limited in relation to money you owe, it is important to act quickly. Failure to act will lead to escalating costs being added to your debt, and you may be unable to prevent bailiff action.
Scottishtrustdeed.co.uk can draw upon their expertise to advise you on steps you can take to manage your debt problem.
We could help you with a:
- Debt Management Plan
- Debt Consolidation Loan
- Minimal Asset Process (MAP)
- Scottish Trust Deed
- Debt Arrangement Scheme
- IVA
- Bankruptcy/ sequestration
What Is A County Court Judgement?
If you have fallen behind with payments and cannot come to an arrangement to repay your debt, a creditor can apply through the county court to get a County Court Judgement (CCJ) against you.
When this happens, you will receive forms from the court which allow you to make an offer of repayment, stating what you can afford. Do not ignore this – coming to an agreement (and keeping up payments) could prevent further action.
What Will Happen If I Don’t Pay My CCJ?
A CCJ allows creditors to take action against you to recover the money you owe. This includes:
- Attachment of earnings order – to make regular deductions direct from your wages
- Third party debt order – freezing money in your bank account
- Taking control of goods – bailiff action to remove and sell your goods to cover the debt
- Charging order – securing the debt against property you own
A County Court Judgement will stay on your credit file for six years, unless you manage to settle the debt in full within one month of the judgement. This will affect your credit rating and may make it difficult to obtain credit in the future.
What Is A High Court Writ of Control?
This will probably be a familiar term if you’ve watched ‘Can’t Pay We’ll Take It Away’ – a High Court Writ of Control authorises High Court Enforcement Offices to visit your property to get payment or take your goods.
What’s The Process?
Stage 1: Notice of enforcement
DCBL have to give you at least seven ‘clear’ days’ notice before their first visit – ‘clear days’ do not include Sundays or bank holidays.
Stage 2: First visit from HCEOs
High Court Enforcement Officers will visit you with a view to getting you to settle your debt or make a payment arrangement. If you are making an arrangement to pay by instalments, don’t be forced into committing to more than you can reasonably afford – this will just cause you further problems in the long-run.
Stage 3: Controlled Goods Agreement
You might be asked to sign a Controlled Goods Agreement which will allows you to keep the goods, on the proviso that you keep to your payment arrangement. It also allows DCBL to return and remove the goods if you don’t.
Stage 4: Removal of goods
If you can’t satisfy the debt repayments, DCBL can take control of your goods and remove them for sale at auction to offset your debt.
How To Stop Bailiff Action With A Stay Of Execution
If you can’t come to an agreement with High Court Enforcement Officers to pay by affordable instalments, you may be able to prevent further action by applying to the court for a ‘stay of execution’.
You make this application to the court which issued the Writ of Control. You will have to pay a fee to make the application, but it could pause action and buy you time to sort things out. You must also attend the stay of execution hearing at the court.
What Goods Can Be Taken?
DCBL’s High Court Enforcement Officers will look to remove valuable items for resale – electrical goods like televisions, games consoles, and sound systems, as well as cash, jewellery, antiques and motor vehicles.
What Goods Can’t Be Taken?
Obviously, you can’t be left with nothing, so there are rules to protect certain types of item from bailiffs.
You must be left with enough beds and bedding for everyone living at the address, clothing, dining table and seats, essential lighting and heating equipment, cooking equipment and one phone.
HCEOs must also leave tools and equipment you require for work (including your vehicle if it is necessary) up to a value of £1,350. Other items such as medical equipment, pets and vehicles with a disabled badge are also exempt.
Complaints
If you have a complaint about DCBL, you should attempt to resolve it with them in the first instance.
You can contact DCBL on 0800 046 4104 or write to them at:
DCBL, Direct House, Greenwood Drive, Manor Park, Runcorn, Cheshire, WA7 1UG.
If you are not happy with the outcome of your complaint, you can escalate it to the Credit Services Association.
Credit Services Association, 2 Esh Plaza, Sir Bobby Robson Way, Great Park, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE13 9BA
FAQs
Without a court order, absolutely not. Neither DCBL or any other debt collection agency nor a debt collector is considered a court-appointed bailiff. DCBL may visit the address of a debtor but cannot enter the dwelling without the consent of the resident.
Write to DCBL to Request them to Stop Contacting You (If That’s What You Want) Under the FCA guidelines, if you request that a debt collector stop contacting you completely, it must do so (with a few exceptions). Your request must be in writing. You can use the ‘prove the debt letter’ to do this.
Unaffordable debt to DCBL can be legally written off by using the Scottish Trust Deed scheme or IVA (If you reside in England). This can also protect your assets, such as your house or car from repossession. See if you qualify by using our free debt calculator here.
If you owe money to DCBL and you don’t pay, you can be sued. If Moorcroft sues you and wins, the court will enter a judgment (also called an order) against you that says you must pay back the debt. But if all your money and property are protected, then creditors cannot take them from you.
Vulnerability comes in all different forms – you make DCBL aware if you are vulnerable so they can ensure you are treated fairly and appropriately.
If you do not own enough goods to cover the amount of your debt, High Court Enforcement Officers may come back at a later date. HCEOs have 12 months from either the date of the enforcement notice or, if you had a payment arrangement, the date you broke the terms of the arrangement, to return to take control of your goods.
No – it is not a criminal offence to have a County Court Judgement against you, and nor will you be sent to prison if you can’t afford to pay it.
