Bailiffs

A bailiff, formally known as an enforcement agent, is a court-authorised officer who carries out the physical enforcement of a possession order when a tenant refuses to vacate a rented property after the court has determined they must leave. A bailiff can evict tenants if they do not leave by the date specified in the possession order. In England, a landlord cannot instruct a bailiff directly or remove a tenant themselves, enforcement can only proceed under court authority. Attempting to evict a tenant without a bailiff and a valid court order is unlawful eviction, a criminal offence under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977. 

A bailiff can only be instructed once a landlord has obtained a possession order from the county court, the bailiff has no authority to act without one. That possession order itself follows from a Section 8 notice citing one of the statutory grounds for possession under the Housing Act 1988. Without a valid notice and a court order, no bailiff can be instructed.

County court bailiffs and High Court Enforcement Officers

There are two routes for enforcing a possession order, each using a different type of officer:

County court bailiffs (CCBs) are employed directly by HM Courts and Tribunals Service and work from the court that issued the possession order. They are the standard enforcement route. The fee for applying is currently £148. CCBs are subject to significant waiting times due to workload, in most areas the wait from application to eviction appointment is four to eight weeks, and in London and the south-east it can extend to twelve to sixteen weeks or longer. CCBs work between 9am and 5pm.

High Court Enforcement Officers (HCEOs) are private enforcement agents who operate under a writ of possession issued by the High Court rather than the county court. They can typically carry out an eviction within seven to fourteen days of being instructed, significantly faster than a county court bailiff. HCEOs cannot turn up before 6am or after 9pm. The cost is higher than the county court route, typically around £1,300 to £1,500 inclusive of all fees, but for landlords losing significant rent to unpaid arrears during a lengthy wait, the High Court route is often the more cost-effective option overall.

To use an HCEO, the landlord must apply to the county court for permission to transfer the possession order to the High Court under Section 42 of the County Courts Act 1984. The court will grant permission if there is a good reason, such as significant ongoing arrears, extended delays in the county court queue, or anti-social behaviour. An application to transfer can be made at the same time as applying for the warrant, and many landlord solicitors manage this process as a combined step.

Applying for a bailiff: the N325 form

Once a possession order is granted and a tenant has not left by the date specified, the landlord can apply to the court for a warrant or writ of possession using Form N325. This form is submitted to the court that issued the possession order. The landlord must also complete a bailiff risk assessment form (EX97A), which informs the bailiff of any risks they may encounter, tenants with a history of threats or violence, dangerous dogs, or other safety considerations. Both forms must reach the court at least three working days before the appointment date, or the appointment may be cancelled. 

Notice to the tenant

Once the court issues a warrant, it sends the tenant an eviction notice with the date they must leave by. A bailiff or HCEO must usually provide at least 14 days' notice of the eviction date to both landlord and tenant. 

On receiving the eviction notice, the tenant can apply to the court using Form N244 to suspend the warrant, asking the court to delay or stop the eviction on specified grounds, such as an agreement to pay off arrears or a change in circumstances. If a suspension application is made, there will be a further hearing. The landlord will be served with a copy of the application. If the suspension is refused, the eviction proceeds as scheduled.

What happens on eviction day

Landlords should attend the bailiff appointment and bring a spare set of keys. The bailiff will knock and announce their authority. If the tenant is present they will be required to leave; if the property is empty, the bailiff will hand possession back to the landlord and secure the premises. The landlord or their representative must be there to receive vacant possession, the bailiff cannot hand the property to an absent party. 

From working with self-managing landlords across the UK, we find that the most stressful part of an eviction day is not the bailiff process itself, which is generally orderly and brief, but what comes after. Identifying damage, accounting for belongings left behind, and beginning the re-letting process. Landlords are not entitled to dispose of a tenant's belongings immediately; they must give reasonable notice and opportunity for collection, and keep a written record of what was left and what actions were taken.

If a tenant's belongings remain in the property after the eviction, the Torts (Interference with Goods) Act 1977 governs how a landlord may deal with them. Document everything with photographs before moving or disposing of anything, and allow a reasonable period for collection, typically 14 days, with written notice to any known forwarding address.

For a complete guide to the possession process from 1 May 2026, including the Section 8 notice, court application, and the choice between county court and High Court enforcement, see our guide to evictions in 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Can a landlord use a bailiff without a court order? 

No. Only a court-authorised bailiff acting under a warrant or writ of possession can lawfully remove a tenant. A landlord who attempts to evict a tenant by other means, changing the locks, removing belongings, cutting off utilities, commits unlawful eviction under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977, which carries unlimited fines and up to two years' imprisonment.

What is the difference between a county court bailiff and a High Court Enforcement Officer? 

County court bailiffs are employed by HM Courts and Tribunals Service and are the standard, lower-cost route, currently £148 to apply, but can involve waiting times of four to sixteen weeks. High Court Enforcement Officers are private agents who work faster, typically within seven to fourteen days, but at a higher cost of around £1,300 to £1,500. The High Court route requires the landlord to first obtain court permission to transfer the possession order up from the county court.

Can a tenant stop a bailiff eviction once a warrant has been issued? 

A tenant can apply to the court using Form N244 to suspend the warrant before the eviction date. The court will hold a hearing and may grant a suspension if there are compelling grounds, such as an agreement to clear arrears, a medical emergency, or a significant procedural error in the original proceedings. The landlord receives a copy of the suspension application and can respond. If the suspension is refused, the eviction proceeds on the scheduled date.

What happens to a tenant's belongings after a bailiff eviction? 

The landlord must not immediately dispose of belongings left behind. They should photograph everything, write to the former tenant at any known address giving a reasonable period (typically 14 days) to collect their possessions, and keep a record of the notice given. The Torts (Interference with Goods) Act 1977 sets out the framework for how uncollected goods may eventually be disposed of or sold.