Sheriff Officers Scotland – Been Contacted By A Sheriff About Your Debts? – What You Need To Know
Sheriff Infomation Scotland
With A Trust Deed You Could Write Off Your Unaffordable Debt
Table of Contents
What Is A Sheriff?
A sheriff is an individual who has been given special powers by the courts to collect unpaid debts. In the rest of the UK, they are known as bailiffs, however a Scottish sheriff has fewer powers.
Sheriffs are employed to carry out the work of both local authorities, government organisations and private firms such as solicitors.
The main function of a sheriff is to enforce a court order. These could include:
- Evicting you
- Collecting a debt
- making a change to property following a dispute
- Issuing legal papers
It is important to realise that sheriffs are not the same as the police and they do not hold the same powers. Sheriffs only have the power to enforce court orders, but this can include detaining individuals or removing them from properties, if the court order requires it.
Will A Sheriff Enter My Home?
Sheriff Officers can potentially enter into yyour home, but they would require a court order that grants them the power to do so.
If you are the subject of a home visit from a sheriff, then it is essential that you ask to see the court order documentation that they are enforcing. Unfortunately these documents are often very complicated and as such, it can be difficult to determine whether or not the sheriff has the authority to enter your home or not.
In these circumstances, you should look for a phrase like grants warrant for all lawful execution.
If there is any doubt, then call the sheriff officer firm that has sent its officers to your home for clarification.
If a sheriff officers has been granted the correct authority to enter your home, and you refuse them entry, then they are able to use reasonable force to gain entry to your home. This can include forcing a door open or breaking a window or lock. You could also be charged with a breach of the peace order for obstructing an officer of the court.
If a lock or window is broken and needs replacing, then the cost of this will be covered by the company who is pursuing the court order e.g. the creditor.
Will Sheriffs Enter My Home If I Am Not There?
If a sheriff officer arrives at your home when you are not there, then they can still enter your home using force. This action would only be appropriate if the sheriffs were:
- Evicting you
- Making sure work has been carried out, like chages to the property
- Recovering property (this is not the same as seizing property in order to cover a debt).
If sheriff are at your property to seize goods in order to sell them to cover a debt, then this cannot be done without someone being present.
The individual present would have to be:
- Over 16 years of age
- Speaks English
- Is mentally capable of understanding what is happening.
How Much Notice Will A Sheriff Give Me Before Coming To My Home?
A Sheriff Officer should normally write to you to inform you that they are coming to your home, however there are some exceptions to this.
- If you are being evicted, then you should be given 14 days from the date of the court decree to leave the property. If you don’t then you should be given a minimum of 48 hours after this to leave before you will be forcibly evicted by a sheriff officer.
- If you are being pursued for debt, then the sheriffs can only visit between 8am and 8pm. They cannot come on a a Sunday or on a public holiday.
- If the sheriffs have been ordered to check if someone is in danger or if a child needs to be removed from a home setting, then no notice needs to be given. The visit could also take place at any time during the night and would normally include the police being present.
What Sort Of Possessions Will Sheriff Take?
Sheriffs can take items that are considered luxury or non-essential for example:
Televisions
Games Consoles/Computer equipment
Jewellery
Vehicles that you own and are on your property
They cannot take items that are considered essential for living such as:
Clothing
Cooking equipment or items
Work tools with a value of under £1350
Items belonging to other people (you may be required to prove this)
During their first visit, they will usually compile a list of items they wish to seize, without actually taking them.
What Can I Expect to Happen If I am Visited by Sheriffs?
When sheriffs arrive at your door, they should identify themselves. If they don’t then you should always demand that they do so. All sheriffs should carry an idenfication booklet, which is often red in colour. This booklet should contain photo ID and a crest of the Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service.
It is worth noting that, if you are being served with legal papers, then there should also be a witness who comes along with the Sheriff. Their ID will be different to that of the Sheriff’s.
If you are concerned about the idenfication of the Sheriffs, then you can ask them for the phone number of the firm they represent, or Google it to acquire it yourself. Contact the office to confirm the Sheriffs are who they say they are.
What Should I Do if I'm Being Chased by Sheriffs?
The most important thing to realise is that you should not simply avoid your debt or use more credit to pay your debts.
There is still time to seek help and begin to deal with your debt properly. A Trust Deed can be a great way of clearing your debts. Read through our Trust Deed page to find out more.
Trust Deed Information and Guides
What Is A Trust Deed?
Only available to residents of Scotland, a Trust Deed is a legally binding, formal debt solution. It is designed for people who are struggling with debts of £5,000 or over.
Is A Trust Deed Right For You?
Whether a Trust Deed is right for you or not will largely depend on your personal situation e.g. debt level, number of creditors, affordability etc.
Does A Trust Deed Have Fees?
Setting up a Trust Deed does incur some costs; however, you will not be expected to pay anything up front at the beginning of the arrangement and there will be no surprise costs at the end of the arrangement.
How Does A Trust Deed Work?
A Trust Deed is a debt solution where you agree with your creditors to pay all or part of your debts. This agreement is set up and managed by a Trustee, who will receive an agreed monthly payment from you and will divide it amongst your creditors.
How Do I Apply For A Trust Deed?
Signing up to a debt solution is a significant event in your life, so it is important to gather as much information as possible, so you can make an informed decision.
Trust Deed Pros and Cons
Like things in life, Trust Deeds carry with with them benefits and things to consider. Take a look at our article to find out whether a Trust Deed is right for you.
Trust Deeds – Which Debts Can Be Included?
Many kinds of debts can be included in a Trust Deed. They are limited to unsecured debts but by solving your unsecured debt problems, you may find paying any secured debt much easier.
