The High Court Enforcement Officers Association (HCEOA) has welcomed the Ministry of Justice’s new guidance on carrying out residential evictions in local lockdown and during the winter period.
Andrew Wilson, Chairman of the High Court Enforcement Officers Association, said: “The new guidance around residential evictions is useful as it is clear and simple and we will be sharing it with all our members. Our priority is protecting the public and our members and their representatives safe at all times. Our members are already working to the latest public health advice – whatever that is around the country at different times and we will continue to do so.”
“We have published a post-lockdown plan to ensure a flexible and sympathetic approach to enforcement and will continue to work closely with the Ministry of Justice as the situation changes moving forward.”
Andrew was responding to new details published in a letter from the Rt Hon Robert Buckland MP, who is Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, to the Association.
HCEOA members will follow the updated guidance from Government which states that:
- Enforcement agents will keep up to date with and follow any specific guidance in relation to local lockdowns across England and Wales
- Residential evictions will not be carried out between 11 December 2020 and 11 January 2021 other than in exceptional circumstances
- The stay on residential evictions, which has been in place since March will end on 20 September 2020.
The High Court Enforcement Officers Association represents members across England and Wales, who received over 120,335 Writs in 2019 collecting just under £116m in outstanding judgment debt on behalf of creditors.
The HCEOA’s post-lockdown plan, is called“A Flexible and Sympathetic Approach to Enforcement”. It sets out the principles, working practices and behaviours that all High Court Enforcement Officers (HCEO’s) and their representatives will follow throughout the phased lifting of the lockdown period.
