How to Write a Letter to Tell a Bailiff That You Are Vulnerable

When you've got past due bills, there's nothing more stressful than worrying about a bailiff visit. What can you do? and you'll have extra time without worry. When you are classified as 'vulnerable,' a bailiff won't be able to take the next steps when trying to collect a debt. How do you do this? Read on for step-by-step instructions. Or, let DoNotPay handle any debt-related issue for you quickly and easily.

What Is a Bailiff Allowed to Do?

If you have outstanding bills, such as parking tickets, a bailiff might visit you to collect debts, according to Gov.UK. If you let a bailiff inside your home, they may take some of your belongings to sell to pay your debts.

You should know your rights because you don't have to open your door, and you can stop a bailiff from stepping into your home. A bailiff may also take things from outside your home, such as your car. You can stop a bailiff visit and get more time to pay your debts if you are classified as a vulnerable person. You can do this by —or use DoNotPay to do this for you.

What Is a Bailiff Vulnerable Letter?

Sending a letter, which is often called a 'bailiff vulnerable letter,' is the best way to tell a bailiff you are a vulnerable person. The best vulnerable letters contain all the necessary information and are written clearly in a professional tone. When you convey the correct information, you will be classified as vulnerable—and then a bailiff must follow different rules and procedures when collecting a debt from you. You can write a bailiff vulnerable letter on your own—read on. Or, skip ahead to find out how DoNotPay can help you.

3 Benefits of Being Classified as Vulnerable

If it is difficult for you to negotiate with a bailiff for any reason—or deal with requests, demands for payment, or home visits—you can explain this, and they will classify you as 'vulnerable.' You can also ask a relative or friend to speak for you. There are many reasons why you should send a bailiff a vulnerable letter.

Here are a few of the benefits of being classified as a vulnerable person:

You will have more time to figure out a repayment plan or get financial advice to settle your debts.
It will be easier to deal with bailiffs and a lot less stressful.
You won't have to worry about a bailiff visit because they will not be allowed to visit your home if you live alone.

Who Can Qualify as Vulnerable?

Here are some of the circumstances that will qualify you as a vulnerable person, according to Citizens Advice.

If you are—

Under 18 over 65 years old
Disabled
Seriously ill
If English is not your first language and you don't understand everything all the time.
If you suffer from mental health issues or depression.

But—there is another option. You can also qualify as temporarily vulnerable.

Here's Who Can Qualify as Temporarily Vulnerable—

If you've had Covid-19 recently	And are not fully recovered
If you are pregnant	Or have young children.
If you have suffered a recent stressful event	Such as a death in the family, you recently lost your job or were the victim of a crime.

Follow This Sample Template for a Bailiff Vulnerable Letter

If you want to write a letter on your own to say you are a vulnerable person, here is a template you can follow to send a bailiff a letter. You should also send a copy of this letter to your creditor. If you owe a debt to more than one creditor, you should send a separate letter for each.

Here Is a Sample Letter—Include These Details:

Date

Your contact information

Dear Sir/Madam,

State your account number for the debt that the bailiff is trying to collect, if you know it.
State that you believe you are a vulnerable person according to the 'Taking Control of Goods: National Standards,' as stated at Gov.UK.
Explain your situation and details about your circumstances. You may need to show proof of what you are claiming. For example, if you state that you are sick, you may need a doctor's note.
Explain that a bailiff visit would cause you stress and anxiety, making your current situation worse.
Request that the bailiff asks your creditor to take the debt back and accept a lower payment at this time—and state how much you are willing to pay now and the number of future payments you can make. Offer something, even if it is only a small portion of your debt.
Ask the bailiff to confirm in writing if they agree to your request and accept your terms.
State that you are sending a copy of this letter to your creditor and include the company's name.

Thank you,

Sign your full name

Next Steps—Tell Your Creditors

If a bailiff agrees that you are vulnerable, the next step is to make sure your creditor agrees as well—and has received a copy of your bailiff letter. What will happen next? If you are classified as vulnerable, the bailiff will explain to your creditors that they will not be pursuing the debt collection from you any further at this time. If you need more help dealing with creditors to negotiate debt, skip ahead to use DoNotPay to handle this for you, with just a few clicks.

If You Are Not Classified as Vulnerable

If you send the letter above and the bailiff does not agree that you are vulnerable, don't give up. You can send a second letter—a complaint letter. If you are not up to the task of dealing with all this on your own, let DoNotPay negotiate with your creditors on your behalf.

Get Help Dealing With Bailiffs & Debt Collectors With DoNotPay

What if a bailiff or creditor is contacting you—but they are violating your rights? Use DoNotPay—and you will know whether or not they are complying with the laws in the UK. If they are not, DoNotPay will let them know, and you won't be harassed any longer.

Here's how:

Search “debt collection” on DoNotPay.
Answer a series of questions about the debt collectors, including when you were contacted and how you were contacted, so we can determine if they have violated any debt collection laws.
Decide which course of action you want to take based on our guidance, such as filing a debt verification request, demanding for the collectors to stop contacting you, or reporting them to a professional trade association.

DoNotPay Can Help You Deal With These Creditors—and Others

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