A Bailiffs’ job is to collect money that the courts have decided are owed by one entity to another, or in some circumstances owed directly to the courts. The most common type of bailiffs are certified bailiffs who work for private firms, mainly collecting magistrates’ court orders and tax arrears.
Duties that will be undertaken by a certified bailiff may include, making visits to debtors home leaving correspondence if necessary, taking payments and processing warrants and where applicable negotiating payment arrangements, seizing vehicles and personal possessions in accordance with relevant laws, negotiating with clients to obtain the best possible outcome.
Typical hours worked by a bailiff would be approximately 40 hrs per week, however nearly all bailiff jobs are commission based so hours can be flexible depending on how successful you are, or want to be. Early morning starts, evening visits and occasional Saturdays are usually required to stand the best chance of success.
Potential candidates should be confident, assertive, and calm in situations of aggression and intimidation. They should be able to deal with situations that can be distressing and be able to discern whether people are being honest or just wasting time. An ability to learn legislation and standard operating procedures is required, and basic maths is required to be able to work out payment plans and calculate fees.
Most training is done on the job although an element of classroom study is usually incorporated as a certain level of subject knowledge will be required when applying for the General Bailiff Certificate. When applying for the certificate a criminal background check will be undertaken with only minor offences being overlooked. A driving license, preferably clean is almost certainly required as a lot of travelling is needed on a daily basis.
Bailiffs can earn anywhere from between £20k and £50k depending on how good they are and the quality of work they are provided with.
