Confero Collections Ltd.
Have you recently received a letter from Confero Collections warning you of a visit to your home? If you have, you’ll likely have a list of questions about what rights you have, what the bailiff is entitled to do and the best way to manage the situation.
Don’t worry; we have all the information you need. The following page will give you a head start in what to expect and the best ways to manage the situation to your advantage.
It’s quite likely that you have questions that aren’t covered on this page. Each case will have unique aspects requiring specific guidance. Our resident debt expert, TAD, is ready and waiting to help – all you need to do is start the conversation.
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.
Despite bailiffs having different powers compared to a traditional collection agency, that doesn’t give them automatic access to your home and belongings.
If you do permit them access, only then can they start the procedure of cataloguing your valuables. They’ll list the ones they intend to sell, to use the money they raise to pay towards your debt.
Most bailiffs are well experienced in the many methods they can use to do their job as efficiently as possible. That means they’re skilled in all the tricks of the trade that can be used to gain access to your home.
Stay alert and stand your ground. Whatever you do, keep the bailiff out.
Confero Collections contact details:
Company Name: Confero Collections Ltd.
Other Names: Confero Collections, Confero Bailiffs, Confero Collections Enforcement
Address:
PO Box 102,
Banstead
Surrey
SM7 9BQ
Main Contact Number(s): 020 8661 4477
Website: www.conferocollectionsltd.co.uk
Email: admin@conferocollectionsltd.co.uk
Opening hours:
Monday–Friday: 8:00am–6:00pm
Saturday: 8:00am–12:00pm
Who is Confero Collections Ltd.?
Confero Collections is an enforcement agency that works for local authorities to recover Council Tax, Business Rates, Commercial Rents and Road Traffic Penalty Charges.
They have been providing revenue collection services since 2009, specialising in public sector debt recovery.
The Ministry of Justice regulates all bailiffs and enforcement agencies.
Why would Confero Collections Ltd. contact you?
If you are struggling with your finances and have failed to repay money you owe through traditional methods, your creditor has an option to recover the funds using Court action.
The Courts can grant your creditor the right to legal assistance, where a bailiff will be employed to utilise more severe methods to recover the money.
Confero is employed to recover:
- Council Tax
- Non-domestic rates
- Overpaid housing benefits
- Sundry debts
- Magistrate Court fines
- Commercial rent arrears
They are also employed to:
- Enforce road traffic debts
- Carry out pre-debt registration collection
- Deliver arrest warrants
- Enforce waste management cases
- Repossess vehicles
One of the most worrying aspects of a bailiff visit is their right to seize your belongings.
Items Confero Collections can take from you:
- Cars
- Cash
- Electrical items
- Joint-owned goods
- Antiques
- Jewellery
- Games consoles
- Televisions
- Luxury items
Items Confer Collections can’t take from you:
- Work tools and equipment up to £1,350 in value
- Your landline telephone or mobile phone
- Daily use items such as clothing and food
- Necessary white goods, i.e., cooker, fridge, freezer
- Dining tables and chairs
- Heat and lighting appliances
- Pets or assistance dogs
- Belongings owned by someone else living in your home, i.e., your partner’s computer, children’s toys, etc.
When it comes to proving who owns the items in your home, you will have difficulty convincing a bailiff without documentation. Most people rarely hold paperwork to determine who owns what in your home, so the best way to protect your belongings is to keep them safely away from the bailiff.
Your letter provides details of their visit and gives you time to organise yourself. A bailiff can only take what they can lay their hands on, so move your valuables out of your house.
You can store them at a friend’s or relative’s home until you have resolved the situation.
The other way to retain your property is to come to a suitable payment plan.
A bailiff will take your belongings only as a final option. You can avoid this by finding a manageable method to repay what you owe.
What happens to the goods Confero Collections take from you?
Your goods will be sold, privately or at auction, and the money they’re sold for will go towards repaying your lenders and the bailiff’s fees.
However, they won’t be removed from your home straight away. Your enforcement agent will draw up a Controlled Goods Agreement outlining all the items they intend to take. The threat of this is often enough to persuade debtors into finding a solution to repay the money they owe.
There are solutions for every situation. TAD can guide you through them and explain which are the most suitable in your situation to help you manage this difficult situation and return you to good financial health.
What happens if Confero Collections want to take your car?
Our cars are often the most valuable assets we own, so they’re high on the list of items a bailiff will want to take. Even if they sell your car for scrap, a bailiff can still recover at least some money towards the debt you owe.
However, there are ways to prevent them from doing so.
You can park your car where the bailiff can’t find it. If you park your car on a neighbour’s drive, your bailiff doesn’t have legal access to their property to remove it
You could also park your car in a neighbour’s or family member’s garage—again, the bailiff isn’t permitted access to another person’s property, so they can’t access them to take your car
Even parking your car in a private car park where public access isn’t permitted will protect it from the bailiff
There are specific cars that bailiffs have no right to remove:
- Joint-owned vehicles
- Vehicles still under a hire-purchase agreement
- Vehicles that display a Blue Disabled Badge.
You must never tamper with a bailiff’s vehicle clamp. In some cases, those who do can incur further fines or even a prison sentence.
Bailiff’s fees
Bailiff’s fees are high for the work they represent. They can also charge you for practically every instance of operation throughout the process.
They add significantly to the amount you already owe, which means even more of your belongings would need to be sold to cover your total debt.
It also means any reasonable payment plan would take much longer to complete or result in higher payment amounts.
Wherever possible, you should try to pay back the money you owe before a bailiff gets involved. You’ll be saving a lot of money, heartache and stress in the long-term.
Talk to TAD about the ways you can resolve the situation within your means, and remove the worry and anxiety that problem debt can create.
