BPA welcomes government consultation on Bailiff regulation

The consultation, launched by government today, sets out how it plans to provide more protection against aggressive bailiffs and encourage more flexibility in bailiff collections. It seeks to set out how ethical activity should be enshrined in law so bailiffs can continue to enforce the payment of debts and fines.

The BPA has long called for legislation which ensures that the bailiff sector is properly regulated with appropriate alternative dispute resolution mechanisms in place for the consumer Patrick Troy, BPA Chief Executive says We want to make certain that parking management is undertaken fairly, reasonably and responsibly and this includes the work of the bailiff when collecting unpaid parking tickets. Bailiffs undertake an important role in ensuring that penalty charges incurred by motorists who fail to comply with traffic and parking rules are properly enforced and collected. In undertaking these roles, bailiffs must act responsibly and motorists must have the right to effective dispute resolution.

The consultation sets out proposals to prohibit the use of force against a person, with safeguards to protect children and the BPA supports any actions which will protect the public from aggressive bailiffs. Whilst the consultations seeks to make clear what fees bailiffs can charge for the range of debts that they collect for local government, courts and businesses, the BPA will study the detail to understand if what is proposed meets the needs of our local authority and bailiff members.