Fees and complaints · 7 min read
Bailiff fees explained: what enforcement agents can legally charge in 2026
The fixed bailiff fees in England and Wales from 1 May 2026, how the 7.5% charge works, the old fees for earlier cases, High Court fees, when fees can't be charged and how to challenge them.
- Fact-checked
- Against official sources
- Last updated
- Next review due
- April 2027
- Applies to
- England and Wales
- Sources
- 4 listed on this page
Independent guidance, not a government service. This page is general information about the law in England and Wales, not financial or legal advice. Debt solutions have fees, risks and consequences. For free, impartial advice, contact MoneyHelper or a debt charity.
The short answer
Bailiff fees are fixed by law. For most debts passed to bailiffs on or after 1 May 2026, they can charge £79 at the compliance (letter) stage, £247 plus 7.5% of the debt over £1,900 once they visit, and £116 plus 7.5% of the debt over £1,900 if your goods are taken for sale. Paying or agreeing a plan before a visit keeps fees to £79.
Bailiff fees can quickly add hundreds of pounds to a debt. Citizens Advice has previously estimated that bailiffs added around £250 million in fees to people’s debts in just 18 months. Knowing exactly what can be charged is the best way to make sure you don’t pay more than you should.
Where the rules come from
Fees are set by the Taking Control of Goods (Fees) Regulations 2014. They were updated by the Taking Control of Goods (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2026, which came into force on 1 May 2026 – the first increase since 2014. The new fees apply to warrants and writs passed to the enforcement company on or after 1 May 2026. Cases passed to bailiffs before then stay on the old scale until enforcement ends.
The fees for most debts
This scale covers council tax, parking penalties, magistrates’ court fines, county court judgments enforced in the county court, and most other non-High Court debts.
| Stage | When it applies | From 1 May 2026 | Before 1 May 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compliance | When the case is passed to the bailiffs and they send the Notice of Enforcement | £79 | £75 |
| Enforcement | When a bailiff first visits your home to take control of goods | £247 + 7.5% of the debt over £1,900 | £235 + 7.5% of the debt over £1,500 |
| Sale or disposal | When a bailiff attends to remove goods for sale, or sells them | £116 + 7.5% of the debt over £1,900 | £110 + 7.5% of the debt over £1,500 |
The 7.5% only applies to the part of the debt above the threshold. If you owe £1,200 on a warrant from June 2026, there’s no percentage fee – just the fixed fees. If you owe £3,000, the percentage is 7.5% of £1,100 (£3,000 minus £1,900), which is £82.50.
Worked example
A council passes a £2,500 council tax debt to bailiffs in July 2026.
| Amount | |
|---|---|
| Debt | £2,500.00 |
| Compliance fee | £79.00 |
| Enforcement fee: £247 + 7.5% of £600 | £292.00 |
| Total if paid after the first visit | £2,871.00 |
| Total if paid before any visit | £2,579.00 |
Acting before the visit would save £292 in this example. Try your own figures with our bailiff fees calculator.
High Court Enforcement Officer fees
If a county court judgment has been transferred to the High Court, it’s enforced by a High Court Enforcement Officer (HCEO) on a different scale:
| Stage | From 1 May 2026 | Before 1 May 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Compliance | £79 | £75 |
| First enforcement | £200 + 7.5% of the debt over £1,200 | £190 + 7.5% of the debt over £1,000 |
| Second enforcement | £520 | £495 |
| Sale or disposal | £550 + 7.5% of the debt over £1,200 | £525 + 7.5% of the debt over £1,000 |
Under the 2026 changes, the second enforcement stage fee can’t be recovered if you pay in full or agree a payment arrangement during or after the first contact at your address. And if nobody was home at the first visit, the HCEO must give you another chance to pay or agree terms before moving to the second stage. Read debt collectors vs bailiffs vs High Court Enforcement Officers.
Extra costs on top of fees
At the sale stage, bailiffs can also recover certain reasonable disbursements (actual costs), such as:
- storage costs
- locksmith costs (where entry or re-entry was lawful)
- auctioneer’s fees
- court fees for certain applications
VAT can be added to fees in some circumstances, mainly in High Court enforcement. Ask for receipts for any extra costs.
When bailiffs can’t charge a fee
- No enforcement fee without a visit. The enforcement fee only applies once a bailiff actually attends your home to take control of goods. A letter or a phone call isn’t a visit.
- No fee for early payment beyond the compliance stage. If you pay or agree a plan before the visit, only the £79 compliance fee can be added.
- No sale fee without real steps towards sale. The sale fee only applies when the bailiff attends to remove goods or the goods are actually sold.
- Breathing Space, DROs and IVAs. Once these are in place, bailiffs can’t continue enforcement or add further fees for the debts included. Read about Breathing Space, DROs and IVAs.
- Several debts at once. Where the same bailiff is enforcing several debts against you at the same time, there are rules limiting duplicate fees. Ask for a breakdown if you’ve been charged the same fee more than once.
How your payments are split
If you pay a bailiff in part, the money is first used to pay the compliance fee. After that, payments are shared proportionately between the debt and the remaining fees. So you can’t usually choose to pay off the original debt first and leave the fees.
How to challenge bailiff fees
- Ask for a full, itemised breakdown of the debt, each fee and any disbursements, in writing.
- Check the dates. When was the warrant passed to the bailiffs (before or after 1 May 2026)? When did you get the Notice of Enforcement? Was the visit at least 14 clear days later?
- Check the visit really happened, and at your address. Ask for body-worn camera footage if the firm is accredited by the Enforcement Conduct Board.
- Complain to the enforcement company, then the creditor. If you’re still unhappy, escalate. Read how to complain about a bailiff.
- Ask the court to assess the fees if there’s a dispute about the amount – get advice first.
Related reading
- Rossendales bailiffs: checking fees and complaining
- High Court Enforcement Officer letters and fees
- Marston bailiffs: what to do
Frequently asked questions
What is the bailiff compliance fee in 2026?
£79 for cases passed to bailiffs on or after 1 May 2026 (previously £75). It’s added when the case is passed to the enforcement company.
Can bailiffs charge £247 without visiting?
No. The enforcement stage fee only becomes payable when a bailiff attends your home to take control of goods.
Is the 7.5% charged on the whole debt?
No. It’s only charged on the part of the debt above £1,900 (or £1,500 for cases passed to bailiffs before 1 May 2026).
Can I refuse to pay bailiff fees?
If the fees have been lawfully added, they form part of what you owe. But if they’ve been charged wrongly, you can challenge them, and they should be removed or refunded.
Can bailiffs charge for a phone call or letter?
No. Apart from the compliance fee, there’s no fee for letters, texts or calls.
Sources
How we wrote this article
- Research: written from primary sources such as legislation.gov.uk, GOV.UK and the Insolvency Service, then fact-checked by a second member of our team. The sources are listed above.
- Checked: last checked on . Next review due April 2027, or sooner if the rules change.
- Scope: applies to England and Wales. If you live in Scotland or Northern Ireland, read our Scotland and Northern Ireland guide. It is general information, not personal advice.
- Independence: we are not a government website or service, and we are not connected to any council, court or enforcement company.
- Money: we may receive a fee if we introduce you to a debt advice firm. This doesn't change what we write. How we're paid.
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