Rights of entry relates to a bailiff (County Court appointed) or Sheriff's (privately appointed) rights of entry to your property to collect a debt that is owed by you to a creditor.
Only a bailiff collecting taxes under the authority of the Inland Revenue can obtain a warrant to force entry to your property. All other bailiffs and sheriffs must obtain peaceful right of entry at your permission.
If you expect to receive a visit from a bailiff, it's important to know about rights of entry and familiarise yourself with your rights. Contact Legal Advice Helpline today and we can help put you in touch with experts on bailiffs and rights of entry.
How can a bailiff gain rights of entry to my house?
In order to gain peaceful entry to your property, a bailiff may employ a number of tactics, which can vary from stepping forward as you open the door, to requesting to use your telephone to check something with their office, or suggesting that you discuss the matter inside.
What a bailiff cannot do:
- Force entry into a domestic property
- Push past you after you open the door
What a bailiff can do:
- Walk through an open door
- Enter through an unlocked door
- Climb over a fence or garden wall
If you do not wish to grant the bailiff a peaceful entry, their rights of entry remain insubstantial.
How can I find out more about my rights?
Legal Advice Helpline can help you find advice about your rights in relation to rights of entry, and can put you in touch with experts on bailiffs and rights of entry immediately.