Direct Collection Bailiffs
If you’ve had a letter from DCBL, and you’re looking for help and advice into the best ways to deal with a visit from their team, we’re here to help.
A visit from the bailiffs can cause a considerable amount of stress but being ready in advance and understanding your rights can help the situation.
We’ll advise you of a few ways to help stop you from losing your belongings and how to stop a bailiff from taking your car.
You will still need to deal with repaying the money you owe, but at least you’ll be better equipped to minimise the damage.
We want to help you get out of debt with the minimum of stress and as cost-effectively as possible. Talk to TAD, our resident debt expert, today for all of the solutions that apply to your situation.
The golden rule when dealing with any bailiff
Never give bailiffs access to your home or belongings.
In simple terms: DON’T LET THEM IN.
You don’t have to let the bailiff into your home. If they tell you any different, don’t take their word for it.
Keep your doors and windows closed and locked. If you are going to speak to them, leave the house using a door they don’t have access to. However, if they spot you heading for the back door, don’t be surprised if they try to meet you there to get inside.
Direct Collection Bailiffs Ltd. contact details:
Company Name: Direct Collection Bailiffs Ltd.
Other Names: DCBL, DCBL Bailiffs, DCBL Enforcement Agency, DCBL Enforcement Agents, Direct Collection Agents, Direct Collection Ltd.
Address:
Direct House
Greenwood Drive
Manor Park
Runcorn
Cheshire
WA7 1UG
Main Contact Number(s): 01606 361 542
Website: www.dcbltd.com
Email: mail@dcbltd.com
Opening hours:
Monday–Friday: 8:00am–8:00pm
Saturday–Sunday: 8:00am–1:00pm
Who is DCBL Enforcement?
DCBL is one of the UK’s fastest-growing enforcement agencies. They operate from 5 regional offices, collecting over £35million each year.
They offer traditional debt recovery services for consumer and commercial clients, as well as working as High Court enforcement agents.
Established in 2001, DCBL has grown into an award-winning national operation, recently achieving the title of 2016/17 Legal Services Provider of the Year.
The Ministry of Justice regulates all bailiffs and enforcement agencies.
Why would Direct Collection Bailiffs contact you?
With such a wide range of services, DCBL could be contacting you for many reasons.
In many cases, they will be trying to recover the outstanding debt, before or after court action has begun for its recovery.
They also manage evictions, security details, tracing services and more.
A Court-appointed bailiff has the right to remove your possessions to sell towards repaying any money you owe. If you have been contacted about a visit from DCBL, there are steps you can take to protect your belongings.
Items DCBL can take from you:
- Cash
- Jewellery
- Cars
- Electrical goods
- Joint-owned items
- Televisions
- Games consoles
- Luxury items
- Antiques
Items DCBL can’t take from you:
- Landline telephone or mobile phone
- Work tools and equipment up to £1,350 in value
- Belongings owned by someone else living in your home, i.e., your partner’s computer, children’s toys, etc.
- Heating and lighting appliances
- Everyday use appliances, i.e., white goods such as your cooker, fridge, freezer
- Clothes, food and other daily essential items
- Dining tables and chairs for the occupants of your home
- Pets
- Assistance dogs
Nobody wants to lose the things they’ve worked hard to buy, so here are a few steps you should take to protect them.
You’ll have been warned about your enforcement agency visit, so use your time wisely. Arrange to move your valuables and treasured possessions to another location. Can you store them at a friend or relative’s house until you resolve your situation?
The bailiffs can only remove what they can find in your home. They don’t have the right to follow leads instructing them of your property at other locations.
You should always seek professional advice into repaying the money you owe, especially if you’re having trouble meeting your current repayment schedules.
Talk About Debt can guide you through the best options for your personal situation.
What happens to the goods DCBL take from you?
If DCBL gets as far as removing your possessions, their next step is to sell them to pay towards your outstanding debt.
The simplest way to get them back is to enter into a mutually acceptable repayment schedule.
You could try and buy them back yourself, or you could complain if you think they were taken by breaking the rules that govern enforcement agents. If you win your case, you will have your goods returned, as long as they haven’t been sold in the meantime.
Taking your goods is considered a last resort. Your enforcement agent will first make a Controlled Goods Agreement to alert you to what they intend to take. Only if you don’t make suitable efforts to repay the money you owe will they actually remove your belongings to sell.
What happens when Debt Collection Bailiffs Ltd. try to take your car?
Most of us can’t manage without our car, and it’s possibly the most valuable asset we own.
The bailiff can’t take all vehicles, for example, they can’t remove a car still under a hire purchase agreement or one that carries a Blue Disabled Badge.
To protect yourself from the bailiff taking your car, we suggest using the following techniques.
- Hide your car far from where the bailiffs expect to find it
- Park your car on private land
- Park your car on a neighbour’s driveway or in their garage
Your bailiff can only remove a vehicle from someone else’s private property with a court order, so use this to your advantage wherever you can.
Bailiff’s fees
Your bailiff’s fees start the moment they send you your first letter. They can and will charge you for almost every step of the process, and are entitled to do so.
Their rates are high for the tasks they undertake, and all of those additional costs will make repaying the total amount you owe even harder.
Their fees are governed by the Taking Control of Goods (Fees) Regulations 2014 and can cost as much as £75 to send you a letter or £235 for a visit to your home or business premises.
If you’ve been contacted by DCBL 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.
