Powers of an Enforvement Officer........

[KelBoo]

...............from the Magistrates. What are their powers? Do they have the right to force entry / arrest people etc or do they have exactly the same powers as your usual baliffs?

 

I'm only asking as I've read different things through going back over the last 20 pages of threads on this forum & I've confused myself now.

 

Thank you

[Guest Happy Contrails]

No, unless a magistrates gives an authority to break and enter. Its very rarely given and bailiffs have never had a licence to burgle.

 

Bailiffs play on this heavily to scare debtors into thinking that have statutory powers to commit breaking and entering to collect court fines.

[Seminole]

Think of them as like Superman but with their underpants around their heads instead of outside their trousers

[KelBoo]

Haha, excellent

[Peroni]

Think of them as like Superman but with their underpants around their heads instead of outside their trousers

 

Lol.

[chris600uk]

That's spot on for Council tax bailiffs collecting as an agent for the council using the authority of a Magistrates Liability Order (Civil Debt),

but not for bailiffs collecting for Magistrates Fines (Criminal).

[Fair-Parking]

I'm amused by the reference to bailiffs not having licence to be able to commit burglary. I recently wrote to 10 London Boroughs and TfL over the Data Protection Statement contained within their PCN's. This is where they all feel that they can pass on a person's private details in direct contravention to the Data Protection Act. In the end not one of these boroughs came up with any good reason as to why they felt that they were exempt from the Data Protection Act.

 

One came up with the priceless answer that they can pass on these details 'where it is necessary and legal to do' as if this sweeping and meaningless tripe had any validity. I felt that maybe they would perhaps better understand the situation if they accepted that although I know burglary to be illegal, I could still commit it 'where it is necassary and legal to do so'.

 

No answer was the stern reply

[%Ostrich%]

They should have replied....

 

 

Dear Mr Fair-Parking,

 

Please refer to the Data Protection Act 1998 Part IV Section 29 Crime & Taxation for the reasons we are exempt.

 

Regards,

[Fair-Parking]

I'm well aware of section 29 and indeed section 28 and section 7 all of which has been used by councils to justify over zealousness on PCNs. Civil parking is not covered by any of the above.

 

As I say not one borough came up with a good explanation as to why they felt that they were exempt.