Kiernan Oliver: what a letter means and what to do

Kiernan Oliver publishes very little about itself, so this page sets out what the records show and what a sheriff officer letter usually means. The important thing is the document you have and its deadline, especially the 14 days after a charge for payment. This page covers Scotland only.

Who are Kiernan Oliver?

Kiernan Oliver is a member firm of the Society of Messengers-at-Arms and Sheriff Officers (SMASO). SMASO lists one office, in Hamilton, and one officer, Damian Cusick, a sheriff officer. Every sheriff officer in Scotland must be a SMASO member.

The firm’s website gives only its Hamilton base and says it covers three sheriffdoms: Glasgow and Strathkelvin; North Strathclyde; and South Strathclyde, Dumfries and Galloway.

We found no entry for the firm on Companies House. Ordinary partnerships and sole practices do not have to register there, so this is not unusual.

Why are Kiernan Oliver contacting you?

The firm does not publish its clients or services. Sheriff officers are instructed by creditors, councils, landlords and solicitors, so your letter will usually be one of these:

• Court papers, such as a summons or simple procedure claim. This starts a case and is not enforcement. Respond by the date on the form.
• A charge for payment after a decree or a summary warrant. It gives you 14 days to pay if you are in the UK. A summary warrant is most often for council tax, granted without a hearing, with a 10% surcharge added.
• An arrestment of your wages or bank account, once a charge has expired unpaid.

The paperwork should name the creditor. Contact them as well as the firm.

What can Kiernan Oliver do, and what can they not do?

Sheriff officers need a decree, summary warrant or similar warrant before they can enforce anything. Our guide to what sheriff officers can do in Scotland explains each step. The main points:

• Earnings arrestment: deductions follow statutory tables. It works like an attachment of earnings order in England.
• Bank arrestment: the first £1,000 is protected, and arrested money goes to the creditor after 14 weeks unless something stops it.
• Attachment: a vehicle you reasonably need worth up to £1,000 is protected, and goods inside your home need an exceptional attachment order from the sheriff.
• Entry: mygov.scot says officers holding a warrant for all lawful execution can use reasonable force to get in. Do not assume the English rule that bailiffs can only enter peacefully applies here.
• Fees: set by the Court of Session, with a new fee scale for work done from 25 September 2026.

They cannot change the statutory arrestment rates, and they cannot enforce anything without the court document behind the debt.

What should you do now?

1. Identify the document and note its date.
2. Check the debt is yours and the amount is right. Ask the creditor for a breakdown.
3. Contact Kiernan Oliver or the creditor, using the details on your paperwork, with an offer you can afford.
4. If you have been charged, act within 14 days. For most debts under £25,000 you can ask the sheriff court for a time to pay order.
5. Get free money advice from MoneyHelper, StepChange, Citizens Advice Scotland or National Debtline: see where to get free debt advice. An adviser can apply for a 6-month moratorium on diligence.
6. If you have several debts, compare debt solutions in Scotland, such as the Debt Arrangement Scheme.

How do you complain about Kiernan Oliver?

1. Complain to the firm first, in writing.
2. Complain to the creditor that instructed it. For a council, the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman is the final stage.
3. Complain in writing to SMASO, which has no disciplinary powers but can refer a serious complaint to the judge responsible.
4. Complain to the sheriff principal through your local sheriff court.

For your rights with debt collectors more generally, see dealing with debt collectors.

Is the letter really from Kiernan Oliver?

Check the firm and the officer’s name in the SMASO member directory. Use contact details from your paperwork or the creditor’s official website, not a number from a search result or an unexpected message. This page does not list the firm’s contact details.