Howes Bailiffs: what a letter means and what to do
Howes Bailiffs Limited is an enforcement firm registered in West Wickham, Kent, that says it works for councils and private clients across the South and South East of England. A notice from Howes usually means a council already has a liability order, or a business landlord is recovering rent.
A notice of enforcement from Howes Bailiffs gives you a short window before an agent can visit, and a visit adds at least £247 to what you owe. Use that time to check the debt, contact the council or landlord and get free advice. This page covers England and Wales.
Who are Howes Bailiffs?
The company is HOWES BAILIFFS LIMITED, company number 05145945. It is an active private limited company, incorporated on 4 June 2004, with its registered office in West Wickham, Kent. Companies House lists two individuals as its persons with significant control, each holding more than 25% but not more than 50%, rather than a parent group. The firm’s website says the business began in February 2003, before the company was formed.
Howes Bailiffs has been accredited by the Enforcement Conduct Board (ECB) since October 2023. It is not on the CIVEA members list.
When we checked, the firm’s website showed a maintenance notice and had little information beyond its “About Us” page.
Why are Howes Bailiffs contacting you?
Howes says it holds contracts with clients ranging from local authorities to the private sector across the South and South East of England, including:
- Council tax and business rates. The council must get a liability order from the magistrates’ court before it can instruct enforcement agents. Our guide to council tax bailiffs explains what happens next.
- Commercial rent arrears recovery (CRAR) and forfeiture of business leases. CRAR does not need a court order, but it only applies to commercial premises, not if any part is let or lived in as a home.
- Bail and arrest warrants, process serving and tracing people who have moved.
If your letter is about council tax, the arrears are a priority debt, because the consequences of not paying are serious.
What can Howes Bailiffs do, and what can they not do?
Its agents follow the same rules as every bailiff in England and Wales. Our guide to what bailiffs can and cannot do has the detail.
- Notice. At least 14 clear days before an agent can take control of goods, or 28 if a debt adviser asks. The old 7-day period applies only to cases started before 1 May 2026.
- Fees. Fixed by law for new cases 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.
- Entry. You usually do not have to let an agent in. They cannot force entry to a home for council tax or business rates, cannot enter if only children under 16 or vulnerable people are present, and cannot take essentials or other people’s belongings.
- Controlled goods agreements. If you sign one and then miss payments, an agent can come back and use reasonable force to remove the listed goods, after at least 2 clear days of written notice. Only agree to payments you can keep up.
What should you do now?
- Check the notice. Confirm the council or landlord, the tax years or rent period and the amount.
- Count the days until the notice period ends, leaving out Sundays and bank holidays.
- Contact the council or landlord as well as Howes. Only the creditor can take the case back.
- Offer an amount you can keep up, and get a receipt for every payment.
- 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.
Not sure which option fits? Answer a few questions and we can point you in the right direction. It takes about 3 minutes, and it is free and confidential.
How do you complain about Howes Bailiffs?
- Complain to Howes in writing and keep a copy.
- Complain to the council or landlord. For a council, you can then go to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.
- 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.
- For serious misconduct by a certificated agent, you can complain to the court on form EAC2.
Our guide to dealing with debt collectors covers collection agencies.
Is the letter really from Howes Bailiffs?
Check the details against your council tax bill or lease, and confirm with the council or landlord using contact details you already trust. 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.
Common questions
Is Howes Bailiffs accredited?
Yes. Howes Bailiffs has been accredited by the Enforcement Conduct Board since October 2023. It is not on the CIVEA members list. The ECB is independent oversight rather than a statutory regulator, though the government announced in August 2026 that it will become mandatory for all private bailiffs.
Can Howes Bailiffs force entry for council tax?
No. Bailiffs cannot force their way into a home to collect council tax or business rates. The exception is if you sign a controlled goods agreement and then break it, when an agent can use reasonable force to re-enter after giving you at least 2 clear days of written notice.
The Howes website says I have 7 days. Is that right?
Only for cases started before 1 May 2026. For newer cases, you must get at least 14 clear days of notice, or 28 if a debt adviser asks for more time on your behalf. Some pages on the firm's website predate the change.
Related guides
- What can council tax bailiffs do? Liability orders, notice, fees, entry rules, vulnerability and asking the council to take the debt back.
- Bailiffs: what they can and cannot do Notice periods, fees from 1 May 2026, entry rules, what bailiffs can take and what can stop them.
- Council tax arrears: what happens and what to do How councils recover arrears in each part of the UK, and how council tax fits with your other debts.
- Business and self-employed debt: your options Who is liable for business debts, which to deal with first, free help, and business debt in debt solutions.