Andy Burnham unveils safeguards against rogue bailiffs and builders

Developed over time first seen 2 months ago

The Guardian · 2 months ago

Andy Burnham has announced tighter safeguards against rogue bailiffs and dishonest building traders in England and Wales, as part of the government’s cost-of-living agenda. The measures aim to protect people in debt from aggressive enforcement and excessive charges, while helping homeowners avoid being exploited by poor-quality or fraudulent builders.

Private bailiffs will need accreditation from the Enforcement Conduct Board, either directly or through their employer, to gain or renew certification, with the full regime expected next year. More than 7 million cases are referred to bailiffs annually and the sector collects over £1bn, mainly for unpaid council tax and traffic-related debts; meanwhile, an Approved Code for home-improvement firms will be fully introduced by December, and Trusted Payments will release building funds in stages linked to project milestones.

Bailiffs will face mandatory independent accreditation.
New schemes aim to protect homeowners from rogue builders.
Full bailiff safeguards are expected next year.

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Bailiffs are private enforcement agents who collect unpaid debts, such as council tax, parking fines or court-ordered payments. They can visit people’s homes and take certain belongings, but they must follow rules about how they act and what fees they charge.

Concerns have been raised about some bailiffs using intimidating behaviour or adding charges that people find hard to understand. The Enforcement Conduct Board is an independent body set up to improve standards in the industry, including through accreditation and complaints procedures.

Home-improvement scams can involve traders taking money for poor-quality work, failing to finish a job or carrying out unnecessary repairs. Trusted-trader schemes and staged payments are intended to give homeowners clearer information before hiring someone and reduce the risk of paying large sums before work is completed.

Both sides, in good faith

The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.

The case for

Supporters argue that mandatory accreditation and stronger consumer safeguards are a proportionate response to sectors where people may be vulnerable to intimidation, opaque charges or fraud. They say clear standards, trusted-trader checks and protected staged payments can deter bad actors while giving households and debtors practical routes to fair treatment, confidence and redress.

The case against

Critics may argue that additional accreditation, codes and payment processes could raise costs and administrative burdens for legitimate enforcement agents and small building firms, which may then be passed on to customers. They may also question whether new schemes will be effectively enforced, warning that poorly designed rules could restrict lawful debt collection or create a false sense of security without tackling the most determined rogue operators.

Full account

Andy Burnham has announced measures aimed at curbing dishonest home-improvement traders and tightening oversight of private bailiffs in England and Wales. The proposals are presented as consumer-protection reforms within a wider government campaign against practices said to worsen financial pressure on households.

For homeowners, the plans include an Approved Codes scheme through which firms can demonstrate standards on service, clear information and handling disputes. A separate payment arrangement is intended to keep customers’ money protected and release it to traders in stages as agreed work is completed, rather than requiring large sums in advance. The reports cite widespread complaints about poor workmanship, unfinished jobs and traders disappearing after being paid.

The government also says private bailiffs will have to be accredited by the Enforcement Conduct Board, or employed by an accredited company, when applying for or renewing the certificates needed to operate. Ministers say this should create consistent professional expectations and an independent route for complaints, following concerns about confrontational conduct, excessive charges and debt repayment demands that people cannot sustain.

The intervention follows calls for mandatory independent regulation of enforcement agents. It is expected that the bailiff regime will not be fully in place until next year, while the home-improvement initiatives are due to begin in the coming months. Ministers argue the changes will protect consumers while helping reputable traders distinguish themselves from unscrupulous competitors.

Where outlets differ

Source 1 concentrates on the delayed move towards compulsory bailiff oversight, citing the scale of the enforcement industry and criticism from consumer campaigners; Sources 2 and 3 give greater prominence to protection from rogue builders.

Source 2 reports that the approved-code scheme starts in September and describes the staged-payment system as launching the following week. Source 3 gives more specific timings, saying the code scheme will launch at the end of September and be fully operational by December.

Source 3 identifies the payment product as the Trusted Partners smartphone app, says it was developed with TrustMark, and states that government endorsement does not amount to funding. The other reports describe the scheme more generally.

Source 3 uses a much more emotive account, including a claimed £14.3bn five-year loss figure and an individual case, whereas the other sources frame the announcement principally through policy and consumer complaints.

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Originally published by The Guardian as “Burnham announces crackdown on rogue bailiffs and ‘cowboy builders’”.