Latest News and updates from HCEOA

The High Court Enforcement Officers Association (HCEOA) has recommended that its members introduce regular rapid lateral flow testing for their enforcement agents to ensure the health and safety of both enforcement agents and the wider public.

While rapid lateral flow testing is not a legal requirement for enforcement agents, the Association feels that it is the responsible action to take for any agent visiting commercial or, when visits are permitted later in the summer, residential properties.

The High Court Enforcement Officers Association (HCEOA) has confirmed its support of the Housing Secretary’s recent announcement extending the ban on bailiff enforced commercial and residential evictions.

Under the new legislation, Residential tenants have been afforded additional protection with the previous six-month notice period and bailiff enforced eviction ban extended to 31 May.

High Court Enforcement Officers Association Chairman Andrew Wilson looks at how High Court enforcement can help deal with the backlog of outstanding civil enforcement cases caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

This article first appeared in the February edition of Credit Management – the official magazine of the Chartered Institute of Credit Management.

Our members, and the Board of the HCEOA are aware that some individuals and businesses have been called by fraudsters posing as Enforcement Agents (EA’s)..Typically these calls ask for money to be paid over the phone to prevent the bailiffs coming around to the premises within the next hour. The fraudsters are well informed and can be very convincing.

No legitimate EA will undertake enforcement in this manner: if you have any doubts whatsoever, for any reason, do not make any payment, take contact details for the EA, and business they represent and verify those details yourself and call back on a number which you have separately identified. You may find the Members page of use in identifying the business and number to call.

The UK’s two leading enforcement association trade bodies (the Civil Enforcement Association and the High Court Enforcement Officers Association) and Just, have welcomed the High Court judgment on non-entry Controlled Goods Agreements issued on Friday 8 January.

CIVEA, the HCEOA and Just have issued this joint statement which also invites the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) to review the judgment and, if appropriate, provide further guidance and/or amendments to the regulations.

New figures provided by High Court Enforcement Officers (HCEOs) show that the profession’s post-lockdown plan is working well after Government restrictions on enforcement activity were lifted.

Almost 25,500 visits were made to judgment debtors on behalf of HCEOs during September – the first full month of activity after enforcement restrictions were lifted on 24 August.

The High Court Enforcement Officers Association (HCEOA) has welcomed the Lord Chancellor’s latest clarification on entering residential properties in the context of the new Local Covid Alert Level system.

The Lord Chancellor has confirmed that HCEOs should instruct enforcement agents “not to enter residential properties in areas that are classed as Local Alert Level 2 (high) or 3 (very high), for the purposes of enforcement including taking control of goods and carrying out evictions.”

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.”

A Best Practice plan adopted by The High Court Enforcement Officers Association (HCEOA) is to be put in action from Monday 24 August as debt recovery enforcement activity begins again across England and Wales.

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.

The High Court Enforcement Officers Association (HCEOA) has welcomed further clarification issued by the Ministry of Justice regarding the use of technology in enforcement and its place in the fee scale.