Scott & Co sheriff officers: what to do if they have contacted you
Scott & Co are the largest firm of sheriff officers in Scotland, and part of the Marston group. If they have contacted you about council tax, your council has a summary warrant. Here is what to do.
In short
- Scott & Co are sheriff officers, officers of the court in Scotland, and part of the Marston group since 2015.
- If they are collecting council tax, your council already has a summary warrant, which added 10% to what you owe.
- They can arrest your wages or bank account, and attach goods outside your home, such as a car.
- They cannot enter your home to take goods without a special order from a sheriff, which is rare.
- You can agree a payment arrangement, or use the Debt Arrangement Scheme to stop them.
Who are Scott & Co?
Scott & Co are a firm of sheriff officers and messengers-at-arms, founded in 1992. They have been part of Marston Holdings since 2015, and are the largest employer of sheriff officers in Scotland. Their sister firm in the Marston group is A A Hutton.
In England and Wales, the same group collects council tax through Marston, under different rules.
Sheriff officers are officers of the court, regulated through the courts and the Society of Messengers-at-Arms and Sheriff Officers. They are not bailiffs.
Why have they contacted me?
If Scott & Co are writing to you about council tax, it usually means your council got a summary warrant from the sheriff court, which added 10% to what you owe, and passed the debt to them to collect. See summary warrants.
Their first step is usually a charge for payment, which gives you 14 days to pay.
What can they do?
- Arrest your wages, by telling your employer to take money from your pay. See wage arrestment
- Arrest money in your bank account
- Attach goods outside your home, most commonly a car
- Add fees, which are set by law
What can they not do?
- Enter your home to take goods, without an exceptional attachment order from a sheriff. These are rare
- Have you imprisoned. There is no prison for council tax in Scotland
What to do
- Do not ignore the letter. Check it is genuine by contacting your council.
- Check the council tax is right, including Council Tax Reduction and any discounts.
- Contact your council or Scott & Co to agree an affordable payment arrangement, in writing.
- Consider the Debt Arrangement Scheme if you have several debts. See Debt Arrangement Scheme.
See sheriff officers for more on your rights.
Last reviewed: