Review of enforcement agent (bailiff) reforms: call for evidence published in November 2018.

Responding to the government’s Review of enforcement agent (bailiff) reforms: call for evidence published in November 2018, Russell Hamblin-Boone, chief executive of the Civil Enforcement Association, said:

“We are encouraged that the Ministry of Justice has published a balanced report that recognises a cultural shift in the enforcement industry to ensure that people in debt are treated fairly. Although the evidence is now three years out of date, we are concerned that a small number of enforcement agents were acting in a way not reflective of the level of professionalism held throughout the industry. This is one of the reasons that we have established the Enforcement Conduct Board, as an independent oversight body. CIVEA members have stepped up to voluntarily meet all of the recommendations of the Justice Select Committee and will continue to collectively strive towards improving standards further.”

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS

CIVEA is the principal trade association representing civil enforcement agencies employing around 2000 certificated enforcement agents that operate in England and Wales. CIVEA represents 40 companies that make up over 95% of the entire enforcement industry.

CIVEA’s members work to enforce civil debt on behalf of local authorities and Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) including council tax, business rates, parking fines, magistrates’ court fines, employment tribunal awards, child support payments, B2B and commercial rent arrears. This amounts to over half a billion pounds of unpaid taxes and fines recovered each year at no cost to the public bodies themselves. Each year CIVEA members receive over 3.5 million warrants and court orders.

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