B&S Bailiff Services: what a letter means and what to do

A notice of enforcement from B&S Bailiff Services gives you a short window before an agent can visit. The firm publishes little about itself, so this page sets out what the public records show and what the law allows. It covers England and Wales.

Who are B&S Bailiff Services?

The company is B & S BAILIFF SERVICES LIMITED, company number 04495084. It is an active private limited company, incorporated on 25 July 2002, with its registered office in Blackwood, Gwent. Since 6 April 2016 it has been owned (75% or more) by Mathern Ltd, company number 09091748, which is also registered in Blackwood.

The firm is listed on the Enforcement Conduct Board (ECB) register as “B&S Bailiff Services”, accredited since October 2023. It is on the CIVEA members list as B and S Bailiff Services Limited. The ECB is independent but voluntary, CIVEA is a trade association, and there is no statutory regulator for bailiffs yet.

Neither register gives a website for the firm, and we could not find one. So we cannot say which councils, courts or other creditors it works for. Your letter should name the creditor.

Why are B&S Bailiff Services contacting you?

A bailiff firm can only take control of your goods once the creditor has legal authority. The most common kinds are:

• a council tax or business rates liability order from the magistrates’ court (see council tax bailiffs)
• a warrant of control for an unpaid parking or traffic penalty, a court fine or a County Court Judgment (see warrant of control)
• commercial rent arrears recovery (CRAR), which lets a landlord of commercial premises use enforcement agents without a court order

Your notice of enforcement should say which applies. If it does not, ask the firm and the creditor in writing. If the notice names someone who does not live with you, tell the firm in writing, because bailiffs cannot take goods that belong to someone else.

What can B&S do, and what can they not do?

Its agents follow the same law as every bailiff in England and Wales:

• Notice. At least 14 clear days before an agent can take control of goods, or 28 if a debt adviser asks for more time. Cases started before 1 May 2026 keep the old 7-day period.
• Fees. Fixed by law at £79 for compliance, £247 plus 7.5% of the debt above £1,900 from the first visit and £116 plus the same percentage for sale, with a separate High Court scale in our guide to what bailiffs can and cannot do.
• Entry and goods. You usually do not have to let an agent in. They cannot take essentials, work tools worth less than £1,350 in total or other people’s belongings.

What should you do now?

1. Check the creditor, the debt and the amount on the notice.
2. Count the days until the notice period ends, leaving out Sundays and bank holidays.
3. Contact the creditor directly using details you trust. Only the creditor can withdraw the case.
4. Offer an amount you can keep up, and get a receipt for any payment.
5. Get free debt advice. An adviser can ask for the 28-day notice period; see where to get free debt advice and the debt solutions comparison.

How do you complain about B&S Bailiff Services?

1. Complain to the firm in writing and keep a copy.
2. Complain to the creditor. For a council, you can then go to the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales, or in England the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.
3. The ECB investigates complaints about accredited firms. Complain within 3 months of becoming aware of the problem, or within 1 month of the firm’s final response.
4. For serious misconduct by a certificated agent, you can complain to the court on form EAC2.

See also dealing with debt collectors.

Is the letter really from B&S Bailiff Services?

Confirm with the creditor, using contact details from its own website or your bill, that it has passed your case to B&S. This page does not list the firm’s phone numbers or payment details. Ask any agent for identification and check the certificated enforcement agent register.