Regulatory Framework For Bailiffs

EDM number 220 in 2006-07, proposed by Edward O'Hara on 21/11/2006.

That this House notes that in 2005-06 the Citizens Advice Bureau Service received over 1.4 million debt-related enquiries, and that for many years Citizens Advice Bureaux have reported a wide range of problems experienced by clients as a result of bailiff action, including bailiffs misrepresenting their powers, making false threats of imprisonment, overcharging fees, removing or threatening to remove protected and third party goods, refusing reasonable offers of repayment, harassing and intimidating clients and failing to exercise discretion in vulnerable situations; welcomes the Government's proposals in the recently published Draft Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Bill to introduce a single procedure for taking control of goods; is concerned, however, about the decision not to include proposals for the regulation of bailiffs in the Bill while increasing bailiffs' powers of entry; and urges the Government to include such a regulatory framework for bailiffs in the Bill.

This motion has been signed by a total of 95 MPs, 4 of these signatures have been withdrawn.