Chandlers Bailiffs and Enforcement Agency
The threat of a visit from a bailiff can cause a great deal of stress and worry. The good news is that you’ll receive a letter warning you that they’re coming. This means you can take steps to be as well-prepared as possible.
The following information details who Chandlers Enforcement Agency are alongside a basic guide of how to handle the situation if you are being contacted by them.
You may be wondering:
- What special powers does a bailiff have?
- Do they always take your belongings?
- Are there alternative ways to sort things out?
- What are my rights?
- Who makes sure their behaviour is fair?
We’re here to provide answers to all of your questions, and where you can’t find them below, our resident debt expert, TAD, is ready and waiting to talk to you.
For personal advice specific to your situation, we’re ready and waiting with a range of suitable solutions, all designed to get you back on track.
The golden rule when dealing with any bailiff
Never give the bailiff access to your home or your belongings.
In simple terms: DON’T LET THEM IN.
A bailiff can’t force entry on their first visit, so if you don’t let them in, they can’t do a thing.
They will use every trick in the book – so don’t even open the door. Keep it shut and locked for as long as they’re there.
If they do get in, however they do it, you’ll find it almost impossible to get them out again until they’ve got what they came for.
Chandlers Enforcement Agents contact details:
Company Name: Chandlers Limited
Other Names: Chandlers Enforcement Agents, Chandlers, Chandlers Bailiffs
Address:
Chandlers House
2 Southlands Road
Bromley Kent
BR2 9QP
Main Contact Number(s): 020 8290 0866
Fax: 020 8290 0868
Website: www.chandlers.ltd.uk
Email: info@chandlers.ltd.uk
Opening hours:
Monday–Friday: 8:00am–8:00pm
Saturday: 8:00am–5:00pm
Sunday: 10:00am–1:00pm
Who is Chandlers Enforcement Agency?
Chandlers provide tailored enforcement services and revenue collection for government authorities and commercial sectors throughout England and Wales.
With their head office based in Bromley, Kent, and regional offices in Plymouth and Leeds, they have over 20 years of experience recovering problem debt and delivering legal services for local and central government.
The Ministry of Justice regulates all bailiffs and enforcement agencies.
Why would Chandlers bailiffs contact you?
Chandlers work on behalf of local councils, magistrates’ courts, solicitors, and businesses across England and Wales. They look to outstanding balances on various types of accounts, such as:
- Council tax
- Non-domestic rates
- Business debt
- Court fines
- Housing benefit overpayment
- Sundry debt
- Former tenant arrears
- Road traffic debts
- Pre-warrant collections
- Commercial rent
- Child support
- Student loans
- DVLA payments
As you can see, they collect for a large variety of debts, meaning they could be contacting you regarding any one of them. As such, it’s important to make sure you know what they are collecting before they visit you – which can also allow you to take action to stop them appearing in the first place.
Bailiffs are trained to recover the money you owe by any of the means they have available. Because they are court-appointed in most cases, they hold powers a traditional debt collector doesn’t.
One of the main areas of contention is where they are permitted to remove your belongings, to sell and pay towards the money you owe.
Items Chandlers Enforcement can take from you:
- Your car
- Money
- Electrical goods
- Joint-owned items
- Jewellery
- Antiques
- Televisions
- Games consoles
- Luxury items
Items Chandlers Enforcement can’t take from you:
- Daily essentials such as clothes and food
- White goods, i.e., cooker, fridge, freezer
- Your landline telephone or mobile phone
- Dining tables and chairs
- Heat and lighting appliances
- Work tools and equipment up to £1,350 in value
- Pets or assistance dogs
- Belongings owned by someone else living in your home, i.e., your partner’s computer, children’s toys, etc.
Proving ownership is complicated, so if there are items in your house that aren’t yours, it’s important to do what you can to avoid them being taken.
Store them away from your home; consider a relative’s or a friend’s house. If the bailiff can’t access them, they can’t take them away from you.
If you need any information concerning what a bailiff can and can’t take, give us a call or drop us a message. We have all the details for every eventuality.
What happens to the goods Chandlers bailiffs take from you?
Anything a bailiff takes will be sold privately or at auction, and the money made from the sale goes towards the debt they’re trying to recover.
Before any items are removed, a bailiff will draw up a Controlled Goods Agreement. This outlines the belongings they will remove to sell if you can’t find another way of paying back what you owe.
Removing your goods is often the last resort. They would prefer you to repay your debt without having to take these measures, to make it easier for all parties.
If you can create a suitable payment planand stick to it, you can keep all the items of your agreement. If goods have been removed, you can have them returned if you’ve entered into an agreement with the lender and are meeting your side of the bargain.
Want to know more? Talk to TAD today to get the answers you need.
What happens when Chandlers Enforcement Agents want to take your car?
A bailiff can take your car, just as they can remove any other one of your belongings.
To prevent them from doing so there are steps you can take.
- Park your car where the bailiff can’t find it
- Park your car on a neighbour’s drive where your bailiff doesn’t have legal access to the property
- Hide your car in a neighbour’s or family member’s garage
- Park your car in a private car park where public access isn’t permitted
However, a bailiff can’t remove a jointly owned car, one that is still under a hire-purchase agreement, or one that displays a Blue Disabled Badge.
You should never tamper with a bailiff’s vehicle clamp. You could be prosecuted and even be sent to prison.
Bailiff’s fees
A bailiff is entitled to charge fees at all stages. These include compliance, enforcement and for the sale of goods.
The charges are excessive and soon add up. They cover all sorts of paperwork, notices, payment requests and expenses in recovering, storing and selling goods, employing additional services and repairing locks or access that becomes damaged during recovery.
If you’ve been contacted by Chandlers and need some help or advice, talk to TAD today. Support from our trusted debt advice partners will help you determine the state of your debt to be certain you do owe the money, or if it has been statute barred.
If they can challenge the debt, they will make sure you don’t have to pay them a penny.
If, however, the debt is live, then they can help you find a debt solution that suits your circumstances to help regain control of your finances.
Your debt solution will allow you to repay what you owe with monthly payments based on what you can realistically afford each month.
For help dealing with your debt, talk to TAD to be connected with one of our trusted debt partners.
