Everything you need to know about Jacobs Enforcement

If you've been contacted by a Jacobs Enforcement agent, we’re here to help.

Being faced with bailiff action can be a scary prospect, especially if you're unsure if you can fully pay off your debts. Having a team of qualified debt consultants by your side can help to relieve the burden of feeling alone during this time, offering effective solutions to get your accounts back into the clear.

We’re NDH Financial, a personal insolvency specialist that specialises in IVA debt relief schemes. Our Insolvency Practitioner has extensive experience and has worked within the financial sector for years, helping people to write off their debt in an efficient and timely manner.

To find out more about the IVA debt solution, head to our dedicated IVA Learning Hub. Or, if you'd like a little more advice about paying off your debt, fill in our contact form today!

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Who Are Jacobs Enforcement?

The Jacobs Enforcement Group is an enforcement and debt collection agency, working on behalf of HM Courts and Tribunals Service. They also collect debts for other companies, such as the local authority and commercial clients.

Jacobs was established in 1959 and is the largest independent enforcement agency in the UK, working primarily in England and Wales. They're also the primary contractor for HM Courts and Tribunals Service in Wales so, if you have a court-related debt and reside in Wales, you might be contacted by one of their agents.

Who Regulates Jacobs Enforcement?

The civil enforcement industry (including Jacobs Enforcement) is not regulated by the FCA (Financial Conduct Authority) at the time of writing - however, Jacobs are members of CIVEA (the Civil Enforcement Agency).

If you have any complaints about a Jacobs Enforcement agent, you can contact CIVEA, as well as the financial ombudsman.

You can also complain to the court under exceptional circumstances - for example, if you feel the bailiff has acted unprofessionally.

Bailiff Fees

As enforcement agents, Jacobs Enforcement agents charge bailiff fees when they receive your debt. These bailiff fees are regulated - the Taking Control of Goods (Fees) Regulations 2014 - and set by Parliament.

There are three fees that the agents will take:

  • Compliance fee: £75 - Set once the debt has been passed from the court to the Jacobs Enforcement Group.
  • Enforcement fee: £235 - Charged upon the first home visit from an enforcement agent (this usually occurs if you do not respond to initial communication from the organisation).
  • Sales fee: £110 - Raised when goods have been seized and will cover the cost of their sale.

Further fees may be charged if you have to deal with bailiffs on more than one occasion or if they have to attend your property multiple times.

For larger balances, Jacobs bailiffs may charge an additional 7.5% fee on top of the £110 sale fee.

Get in touch with NDH Financial

If you receive a letter from Jacobs Enforcement or are worried about your outstanding debt, contact us for a free consultation today.

What Types of Debt Do Jacobs Enforcement Agents Collect?

If you have an outstanding debt, there is a chance you might encounter a Jacobs Enforcement agent at some point. However, the agent can only collect for the following:

  • Corporate debt recovery
  • Council tax and non-domestic rates/business rates
  • High court enforcement
  • Parking fines and road traffic PCN enforcement
  • Bankruptcy and insolvency
  • Commercial rent arrears recovery (CRAR)
  • Community penalty breach warrants, arrest warrants and control warrants
  • Confiscation orders

Get in touch today

NDH Financial can help free you from the shackles of your debt.

Call us on 0800 002 9051 or apply below.

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Can Jacobs Bailiffs Enter Your Home?

As a rule, bailiffs can enter your home, but they can only do so with your permission. There's a myth that they're allowed to force their way in - however, this is illegal. If they do try and use force, you should report them.

Before attending your property, Jacobs bailiffs have to give an initial enforcement notice, and they cannot come to your workplace. They're also not allowed to try and chase anyone else during the debt collection process, so if your friends and family are contacted, you should report them.

You should always ask for identification when an enforcement agent arrives at your property - they should show you an enforcement notice at the start of the conversation.

What Goods Can a Jacobs Enforcement Agent Collect?

As enforcement agents, Jacobs bailiffs are allowed to take goods from you, providing you allow them access to your property and the goods are within reach. People often get bailiffs and debt collectors mixed up - debt collectors are not allowed to take goods, whereas bailiffs can.

You can pay enforcement agents with cash at your door if you don't want to let them inside, but they'll usually want to take goods instead. If you do decide to pay them, make sure you get a receipt - you should also get an inventory of any goods taken if you do let them inside your property.

The goods taken will depend on the enforcement agent at the time, but they'll usually go for luxury items, such as electrical goods. They can also take your car, even if denied access, as payment towards your debt (providing it’s within reach and not out of sight in a garage or storage unit).

There are, however, some restrictions on the goods that Jacobs can take. These restrictions include:

  • Essential domestic items (fridges, ovens, etc)
  • Pets and other animals
  • Items needed for work/study
  • Mobility vehicles/vehicles displaying a blue badge

Jacobs agents are also not allowed to take joint-owned items or goods belonging to somebody else, such as a partner or spouse.

An enforcement agent isn't allowed to enter your property during unsociable hours (between 9pm and 6am). They also can’t attempt entry if there are vulnerable people within the property at the time, such as children, the elderly or those with mental health issues.

Pay Off Your Debt with NDH Financial

If you've received an enforcement notice from an organisation like Jacobs, there's no need to worry, as NDH Financial is here to help! We're leaders in the personal insolvency industry, with our excellent Trustpilot ratings, having helped thousands of people to pay off their debts in the time that we've been around.

Our main debt relief solution is known as an IVA, which can be particularly useful if you have several debts to multiple creditors. By taking out an IVA, you can stop the bailiffs in their tracks, allowing you to take back control of your finances, and repay your debts at a rate you can afford.

If you'd like to find out more about how NDH Financial can help you, fill in our contact form and we'll get in touch!

Apply Today

Get in touch with NDH Financial today for a free consultation about your debts.

Call us on 0800 002 9051 or apply below.

Apply Now

Get help with your debts with NDH Financial

At NDH Financial, we assist our clients by helping them tackle a range of debts, such as:

As a leading licenced insolvency practitioner, we provide Individual Voluntary Arrangements to help our clients become debt-free*. In doing this, we are able to break down their individual financial situations and consolidate all their debts into one monthly affordable payment.

Interested in learning how an IVA can help you with your unmanageable debt? Contact one of our debt consultants today.

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*Once the IVA is completed, all included debts are written off. There are some unsecured debts that will be excluded, such as court fines, child maintenance arrears and Student Loans, and you will need to make separate payments to these. As the IVA will only cover unsecured debts, you will need to continue making payments to secured creditors both during and after the IVA.

Do You Have More Questions?

Our IVA Learning Hub Can Help

We know you might have questions and that’s fine.

We can answer most of those on our call.

But we’ve also built our learning hub so that you can learn more about an IVA and see if one is right for you.

Click below to check it out.

IVA Learning Centre