As the concept of personal freedom, privacy and the rule of law is worn away by the Nanny state, so we see unscrupulous people take advantage of this erosion.It seems that bailiffs could soon be breaking into homes, to seize goods for credit card debts, without a court order.
Citizens Advice have stated that around 60% of bailiffs are guilty of harassment or intimidation, while 40% misrepresent their powers of entry.
Under the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Bill, which is being debated in the House of Commons, all bailiffs will be given the power to enter domestic premises and enforce consumer credit debts, including credit card bills.
At present, only certain enforcement officers have these powers.
David Harker, chief executive of Citizens Advice, said:
"Our evidence over many years shows that bailiffs
have an appalling track record of abusing
their existing powers against vulnerable people.
They are often abusive and aggressive
and use threats of violence and prison to
pressurise people into paying lump sums they cannot afford."
Citizens Advice said that many private debt enforcers act almost as a law unto themselves. Checks on 500 bailiff cases revealed intimidation, harassment and excessive fee-charging were commonplace.
The erosion of the rule of law by Nanny will have serious consequences for us all.
Incredible isn't it?
ReplyDeleteOn a similar theme ... we have a very local weekly paper - part of a larger media group - that services news about our handful of local villages. The two main articles on the front page this week?
THE main article is a local "Bobby" apparently threatening some of the local taxpaying population about their 'racist' comments concerning a small encampment of travellers recently arrived at the roadside of the main road into one of the villages (again). Apparently negative attitudes towards travellers and their littering are not '21st century' and the travellers who, seemingly, 'have done nothing wrong' and 'have rights' are presented as the heores in the quotes provided.
If the report can be taken at face value it strongly suggests that the police around here are becoming so politically correct there is little point in funding them at all.
The second article is about our local airport which proudly announces that it has banned all smoking in its premises 4 months ahead of the government's laws coming into effect.
I'm not a smoker - gave up years ago when I worked out how much I was giving the Exchequer in taxes. But considering the way air travellers are treated by the 'security' measures at UK airports and the amount of time spent in queues or, perhaps worse, airside but delayed and trapped, I am amazed that an additional withdrawl of a personal freedom should be trumpeted as good news.
But then I guess both the police and the Airport Security authorities only have a purpose if they restrict freedoms.
Of course some freedoms are problematic to deal with so with luck they move to someone elses patch after a short time. Which is sort of true in both of the examples above.
Ken
ReplyDeleteClearly there is much confusion out there. First, private bailiffs, which the Bill sets out to deal with, do not act for consumer debt (e.g. credit card debt). That debt is dealt with through the county court by county court bailiffs employed directly by the State or High Court Enforcement Officers.
Second, Citizens Advice did NOT state that 60% of bailiffs are guilty of harassment or intimidation etc, but claimed that in 60% of 500 cases (i.e. 300 cases) this was claimed to be the case. Claimed but not proven. As private bailiffs deal with some 4,000,000 cases every year, this would seem to represent less than half a percent of cases!
Next, bailiffs have always had the power to enter premises (and use force under certain circumstances) for the past 1,314 years. As already noted, the bailiffs dealing with consumer debt will either be county court bailiffs or, when the matter issues from the High Court, by appointed High Court Enforcement Officers - not private bailiffs.
By and large, private bailiffs deal with unpaid fines, council tax, business rates, central taxes, VAT and parking penalties (state debt).
Finally, Citizens Advice claims its 'evidence' shows an appalling record of abuse. The evidence is actually mainly anecdotal and not proven in any court of law.
Let's get some perspective here!
The issue is not with bailiffs, but with Nanny's change of the law.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.libdems.org.uk/news/bailiffs-using-force-will-not-solve-debt-crisis-cable.12119.html
Wow Ken, you a lib dem. I always had you down as an angry tory.
ReplyDeleteWash your mouth out Flip:)
ReplyDeleteI am most certainly not LibDem, nor Tory, nor Labour etc...only vague political connection being CRACC (see www.croydoniscrap.com)