Enforcement agents
As part of a liability order, Enforcement Agents can be sent to your home to seize your personal belongings if you're unable to set up a repayment plan. Once your account is passed to an Enforcement Agent your account balance and all fees must be paid to the Enforcement Agent, not us.
There are 3 stages that Enforcement Agents follow.
Stage 1 - compliance stage
You'll receive a written request asking you to pay your outstanding Council Tax and the compliance fees in full or to arrange a payment plan. This written request is an official notice that an Enforcement Agent will visit your property in 7 days to take control of goods if you don't respond.
A fee of £75 is added to your account balance at the compliance stage. Every time a liability order is passed from us to an Enforcement Agent a fee of £75 is charged to your account balance.
Stage 2 - enforcement stage
An Enforcement Agent will visit your property to take control of your goods - if you don't contact them within 7 days to pay the account in full or to arrange a payment plan. If you're not in when the agent visits, their details will be left and you should contact them to pay or arrange another visit.
If you arrange a payment plan, the Enforcement Agent may let the goods stay in your property and you enter into a Controlled Goods Agreement. This agreement means a list of all items is created. Should you fail to honour the payment plan then items can be taken.
If you do not pay in full or agree to a payment plan for the outstanding balance of your account:
- An Enforcement Agent can seize your goods - up to the value of what is owed. This is known as Taking Control of Goods. The value of the goods may not be as much as you paid.
- An enforcement fee of £235 is added to your account balance as soon as an Enforcement Agent visits your property for the first time. For multiple liability orders, you'll only be charged one enforcement fee.
- If you owe more than £1,500, 7.5% of the total amount above £1,500 along with the enforcement fee will be added to your account balance.
Stage 3 - sale or disposal stage
An Enforcement Agent attends your property to remove goods for auction or prepare goods to be sold – if the sale takes place at your home.
A fee of £110 is added to your account at the sale or disposal stage. For multiple liability orders, you'll only be charged one enforcement fee. If you owe more than £1.500, 7.5% of the total amount above £1,500 along with the enforcement fee will be added to your account balance.
In addition to the fees above, the Enforcement Agents may also recover fees for associated costs that are reasonable for storage following removal of goods, locksmiths and auctioneers.