Dukes Bailiffs Council Tax Debt – Do I Have to Pay?

Are you worried because Dukes Bailiffs have contacted you about your council tax debt? You’re in the right place to get some help. Each month, over 4,600 people visit us for advice in dealing with debts and courts.

In this guide, we’ll share important details about:

• Who Dukes Bailiffs are and why they might contact you.
• The right steps to take when you receive a Notice of Enforcement.
• How to deal with Dukes Bailiffs if they come to your home.
• Options to reduce or write off your council tax debt.
• What happens if you do not pay your council tax debt.

We understand that this is a hard time for you. You might be worried about paying your debt or scared about bailiffs or further court action. We’ve faced these fears and similar situations as well. We know how you feel and are here to help. This guide will give you the facts you need to deal with your council tax debt and Dukes Bailiffs.

Let’s dive in.

Can Dukes Bailiffs come to my home?

If you are worried about Dukes Bailiffs visiting your home for the collection of council tax debt, you are not alone. 

Dukes Bailiffs may visit your home if you have unpaid debts like parking fines, CCJs, family court judgments, and council tax bills. They are required to give you at least 7 days’ notice of their intended visit. This is known as the compliance stage. 

You do not have to open your door or let them in.

Keep in mind that Dukes Bailiff is an enforcement agency, and like other collection agencies, they might use unethical practices to try and get into your home. However, there are occasions where Dukes Bailiffs may have been instructed by the County Court or High Court to gain access to your home or business property. 

Dukes Bailiffs cannot enter your home: 

• Through windows or any other entry that is not a door
• Between 9 pm and 6 am
• If there are any vulnerable people or children under 16 on the property
• By force (forcing the door open with a foot or shoulder, or barging in)

Dukes Bailiffs may take things from the outside of your homes like bikes, cars, vans or other things of value and they will add an enforcement fee to the total you owe. 

If you let Dukes Bailiffs in, they might take items in the home to cover some of the cost of the council tax debt you have if there is a Liability Order in place. 

Can I pay Dukes Bailiffs on the doorstep?

If you are sure that you do owe the money, and you wish to pay some of the council tax debt on the doorstep, that is possible. When paying Dukes Bailiffs on the doorstep, ensure that you do not let them into the home. Close the door while you go to get your money. When you pay them, ensure that they give you a receipt to prove that you have paid. 

While you can offer to pay an affordable amount each week or month, they do not have to accept that and might push for a Controlled Goods Agreement. 

Keep in mind that you do not have to open the door. But you shouldn’t ignore the letter of the contact.

» TAKE ACTION NOW: Fill out the short debt form

What is a Controlled Goods Agreement?

A Controlled Goods Agreement was called a Walking Possession Agreement but was changed in 2017. When the enforcement agency visits your property, they intend to recover as much of the debt as possible. 

When there is no cash or no ability to pay, they take a detailed inventory of your goods that they will control. What this means is that if you do not begin to make payments, the items on the inventory will be removed and sold to cover the debt. 

Enforcement offers may insist that they remove the goods immediately if they believe that they might be sold after the agreement has been signed. Interfering with the goods after the agreement has been signed is a criminal offense. 

If any payment schedule is broken, the enforcement agency will come back to the property to remove the goods that are outlined in the agreement. 

Can I get Dukes Bailiffs to stop contacting me?

If you want them to stop contacting you, write to Dukes Bailiffs and ask them to do so. According to FCA regulations, a debt collector must abide by your request for them to stop contacting you entirely (with a few exceptions). You must make your request in writing.

You can ask any debt collection agency like Lowell, PRA Group and Cabot Group to stop calling, sending letters or contacting you in other ways. 

Can Dukes Bailiffs add fees to my Council Tax Debt?

If you have an outstanding balance of £900 council tax debt handed to Dukes Bailiffs, there are three types of charges that they will add. Unfortunately, even though most people would deem these fees and charges unfair, the Tribunal Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 has outlined the regulations allowing these fees to be added to the total. 

Each stage of the recovery process will have different fees added. The fees outlined below are only issues for council tax arrears, PCNs, and business arrears. 

In total, the minimum fees and charges that Dukes Bailiffs can attach to your account are £420. 

While those are the costs outlined on their website, depending on the instruction and powers they have been given, they might charge for the following: 

• Court fees
• Out-of-pocket expenses 
• Storage costs for your belongings after they took them
• Locksmiths costs

Can I arrange a payment plan with Dukes Bailiffs for my Council Tax Debt?

Dukes Bailiffs, like all bailiffs, will do anything in their power to ensure that they recoup as much of the debt as fast as possible. Payment plans aren’t usually offered straight away, so if that is something you want to do, you’ll need to take action. 

Before offering anything, make a budget that shows how much you can afford. If you break the terms of the payment plan, they will take further action.

Further action will cease if the payments are kept up. However, some reviews state that Dukes Bailiffs were difficult to create a payment plan with – so be prepared to stand your ground. 

Can an IVA help me with Dukes Bailiffs for Council Tax Debt?

Not everyone is comfortable dealing with debt companies directly. Not to mention that not everyone has the spare cash to make repayments of any size. It can be beneficial to speak to experts and get advice that can help you reduce your overall debt. In some cases opting for an IVA or bankruptcy can be the most beneficial option but it will depend on your circumstances. 

Several companies can help you get control of your finances and reduce your debts or create a plan that works for you. Check out our incredible resource for all of the Free Debt Information UK.

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What happens if you don’t pay Dukes Bailiffs Council Tax Debt?

For cases where there is no payment plan, and your council has already attempted to use bailiffs, they may apply for a warrant from the Magistrate’s Court to commit you to prison. If failure to pay is proved to be the result of culpable neglect or wilful refusal, you will be issued a warrant. 

If you do not have the means to pay, you may be offered a different solution. The court can remit part or all of the debt too.

What is Reasonable Force in debt collection?

The law states that enforcement agencies like Dukes Bailiffs can re-enter a property they have been inside previously. So, if you have let them in once, they are within their rights to use reasonable force to re-enter the property. 

In some cases, they can contact a locksmith to help them gain entry – but this can only be between the hours of 6 am to 9 pm. 

Can Dukes Bailiffs collect old debts?

If you receive a letter outlining the debts that Duke Bailiffs intend to collect, and you aren’t sure when the last time you made a payment – or how old the debt is, it is a good idea to challenge it. For Scotland, that statute-barred for many debts is 5 years, and in England, it is 6. 

Is a Debt Written Off after 6 Years? Covers everything you need to know about old debts and how to handle them. 

Dukes Bailiffs Council Tax Debt – Do I Have to Pay?

Where there are outstanding debts, you do have a duty to pay them, however, you should be allowed to spread your payments to make them more manageable. 

Dukes Bailiffs must comply with the law, and if you find their behaviour intimidating, upsetting or unacceptable, you can report them to the Financial Ombudsman.