UK government sets tighter rules for bailiffs and home-improvement traders
Private bailiffs in England and Wales will need independent accreditation, while new consumer schemes will seek to reduce losses involving unreliable builders and other traders.
In short
- Private bailiffs in England and Wales will need independent accreditation, while new consumer schemes will seek to reduce losses involving unreliable builders and other traders.
The UK government announced tighter oversight of private bailiffs in England and Wales on Thursday, August 27, 2026, alongside new consumer-protection measures for people hiring builders and other home-improvement traders.
Under the planned enforcement regime, private bailiffs will need accreditation from the Enforcement Conduct Board, or must work for an accredited enforcement company, to obtain or renew the certificates required for their work. The government said the change would establish consistent professional standards and give people facing enforcement action access to an independent complaints process.
The rules respond to reported practices including aggressive conduct, overcharging, clamping vehicles used by disabled people and threats to remove possessions exempt from seizure. More than seven million cases go to bailiff enforcement each year, with the industry collecting more than £1 billion, much of it linked to unpaid traffic penalties and council-tax arrears. The new regime is not expected to take full effect until 2027.
Separate measures will target losses involving unreliable home-improvement businesses. A government-backed Approved Code scheme is due to begin with its first participating businesses by the end of September 2026 and be fully implemented by December. A Trusted Payments service, expected to launch in early September, will hold project funds and let consumers release payments in stages tied to agreed milestones.
