A bailiff is at the door. What should I do?

Bailiffs By Council Tax Helpline, 10 September 2026

In short

Keep the door closed and locked. For council tax, a bailiff cannot force their way in on a first visit.
Speak through the door or a window. Ask for their name, firm, certificate number and the debt reference.
Do not sign anything or agree to a payment you cannot keep up.
Call your council, and us, while they are there if you can.
Ignoring them does not make the debt go away, and more fees can be added.

If a bailiff, officially an enforcement agent, is at your door about council tax, this is what to do.

1. Keep the door shut

You do not have to let them in. For council tax, a bailiff can only come in peacefully: if someone lets them in, or through a door that is unlocked. They cannot force their way in on a first visit, climb in through a window, or push past you.

Keep doors locked, including the back door
Do not step outside and let the door close behind you
Tell anyone else at home not to open the door

See can bailiffs force entry for the one exception, which is a broken controlled goods agreement.

2. Check who they are

Speak through the door, a letterbox, or an upstairs window. Ask for:

Their name and the firm they work for
Their enforcement agent certificate number. Every bailiff must hold one, granted by a county court judge
The reference and the council the debt is for

Bailiffs from accredited firms wear body-worn video. You can ask whether they are recording.

3. Do not sign anything

A bailiff may ask you to sign a controlled goods agreement. It lists things they have taken control of, which stay in your home, and a payment plan. If you break it later, they can come back in using reasonable force after giving notice.

Only sign if the payments are ones you can definitely keep up.

4. Deal with the debt, not the doorstep

You can pay or offer a payment plan without letting anyone in:

Call the bailiff firm, or the number on their letter, while they wait
Make an offer you can afford, based on your income and outgoings, and ask for it in writing
Call your council, which can take the account back from the bailiffs and agree an arrangement directly

Never hand over bank cards or PINs. If you pay, get a receipt.

5. Check whether you are vulnerable

If you, or someone you live with, is ill, disabled, pregnant, recently bereaved, or you are caring for young children, tell the bailiff. They must take it into account, and the £247 enforcement fee cannot be charged unless you were given a proper chance to get advice first.

What if only children are at home?

A bailiff must not come in to take control of goods if the only people at home are children under 16. Make sure children know not to open the door.

What if you ignore them?

Ignoring a bailiff does not end the debt. What usually happens is:

The £247 enforcement fee is added once they have visited
They come back, and may look for a car they can clamp. See can bailiffs take my car
If they cannot collect, the case goes back to your council, which can take money from your wages or benefits instead. See what happens if bailiffs have nothing to take

It is almost always better to talk, through the door, than to hide.

If they break the rules

If a bailiff threatens to break in, visits outside 6am to 9pm, or behaves aggressively:

Note the time, their name and certificate number, and what was said
Call the police if you feel unsafe
Complain to the firm and your council, and then to the Enforcement Conduct Board. See how to complain about a bailiff

Keep a record

Afterwards, write down what happened while it is fresh: when they came, who they were, what was said, and anything you agreed. Keep all letters and texts.

Where are you with the bailiffs?

Choose the one that fits best and an adviser will call you back. Free, confidential, and no obligation.

Takes about 3 minutes.