England & Wales edition
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0808 808 4000
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High Court enforcement
Fact sheet no. 31 EW High Court enforcement
This fact sheet tells you about how the High Court can become
involved when creditors take action to recover money you owe.
High Court procedures can be complicated, but this fact sheet
explains what you can do step by step.
August 2016
Information:
changes to bailiff law
understand your rights if High Court Enforcement Officers try
to take your goods;
On 6 April 2014, the law on bailiffs changed. The
information in this fact sheet is based on our
understanding of the new rules. Some bailiffs
may interpret the new rules differently. It is not
yet clear how the new rules will be applied in
practice. If you are unsure whether a bailiff's
actions are legal, contact us for advice.
apply to court to stop High Court Enforcement Officers
acting; and
Bailiffs are also commonly known as enforcement
agents. In this fact sheet we use the term bailiff.
Use this fact sheet to:
see if the debt you owe (in some cases, county court
judgments (CCJs)) could be enforced in the High Court;
find out other ways a creditor can enforce a High Court
judgment against you.
The sample letter mentioned in this fact sheet can be filled in on our website.
What is the High Court?
In England and Wales, creditors can make a claim for money that you owe through either the County Court or the High
Court. Most creditors will take action against you in the County Court. You may be familiar with procedures in the County
Court, possibly from reading our self­help pack, or because creditors have already taken court action against you.
High Court procedures, from the issue of the claim, up to the court making a judgment, are the same as in the County
Court. However, there are important differences between enforcement procedures in the two courts.
If you have any questions about county court procedures, contact us for advice.
The High Court is part of the Supreme Court, which is based at the Royal Courts of Justice in central London and in
‘District Registries’ of the High Court in larger towns. These are usually in the same building as your local County Court
hearing centre.
Which claims can be dealt with
If you have a credit agreement that is regulated by the Consumer Credit Act 1974, your creditor has to make a claim
against you in the County Court. They cannot apply to enforce the county court judgment in the High Court. My Money Steps is our free, independent and confidential online debt advice service. My Money Steps will help you work
out a budget and give you a personalised action plan setting out practical steps to deal with your debts.
www.mymoneysteps.org
Freephone 0808 808 4000
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Page 1 of 15
High Court enforcement
England & Wales edition
Fact sheet no. 31 EW High Court enforcement
August 2016
The High Court is most likely to be used by creditors for claims over £100,000 for debts not regulated by the Consumer
Credit Act 1974.
The creditor has to show why the case should be heard in the High Court, for example because:
it is for a large amount and there is a significant dispute;
the case is complex; or
the result could be very important to the public.
Enforcing CCJs in the High Court
If a creditor has a CCJ against you, they may be able to enforce
it in the High Court by taking control of goods. Business and
trade creditors are likely to do this. Also, it can sometimes be
done for unpaid nursery fees, funeral charges or even water
charges. This is because these types of debt are not covered
by the Consumer Credit Act 1974.
Information:
consumer-credit
regulated debts
Your creditor cannot enforce your judgment in
‘Taking control of goods’ involves High Court Enforcement
the High Court if the debt is covered by the
Officers (HCEOs) visiting you. HCEOs are High Court bailiffs. If
Consumer Credit Act 1974.
the HCEOs gain entry, they may list your goods and ask you to
sign a ‘controlled goods agreement’. This allows you to keep
using the goods listed. However, if you do not pay, the goods listed on the controlled goods agreement can be removed
and sold. In some situations, your goods may be removed straight away or, as a last resort, locked up in a room on your
premises.
High Court Enforcement Officers
The order which allows HCEOs to act is known as a ‘writ of control’. You will have no notice that your creditor has applied
for a writ.
The HCEO should give you seven clear days' notice that they are due to visit you to take control of goods. This is
sometimes known as the 'enforcement notice'. 'Clear days' do not include Sundays, Christmas Day or bank holidays.
When the writ of control is issued, HCEOs have a right to try to take control of your goods. This applies even if you move
the goods or give them to someone else at any time, even if this is within the seven clear days' notice period.
CCJs
If your judgment was made in the County Court, your creditor may choose to apply for a writ of control if:
the amount owing under the CCJ is £600 or more;
the debt is not regulated by the Consumer Credit Act 1974; and
you have not paid the CCJ as the court ordered.
My Money Steps is our free, independent and confidential online debt advice service. My Money Steps will help you work
out a budget and give you a personalised action plan setting out practical steps to deal with your debts.
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Page 2 of 15
High Court enforcement
England & Wales edition
Fact sheet no. 31 EW High Court enforcement
August 2016
The creditor must apply for a writ of control if:
the creditor wants to use bailiff action against you;
the amount owing under the CCJ is £5,000 or more;
Extra advice:
the debt is not regulated by the Consumer Credit Act 1974;
and
check your agreement
you have not paid the CCJ as the court ordered.
Check your credit agreement to see if it is
regulated by the Consumer Credit Act 1974. If
you are not sure, contact us for advice.
High court judgments
If your judgment was made in the High Court, the creditor can
apply for a writ of control:
as soon as the judgment has been made, unless you have
applied for a stay of execution; or
as soon as a payment becomes overdue under the terms of
a stay of execution.
Information:
stay of execution
A 'stay of execution' is an order made by the High
Court which stops HCEOs acting as long as you
meet certain conditions, such as paying the debt
by set instalments. See Applying for a stay of
execution later in this fact sheet.
If a creditor wants to use a writ of control to enforce a CCJ or
high court judgment, it will automatically be issued by the High
Court unless six years or more have passed since the date of
judgment. If it has been six years or more since the judgment
was made, the permission of the court will be needed before the
writ can be issued.
Information:
writ of control
A writ of control is valid for 12 months and can
be renewed by the creditor.
The creditor will send a stamped copy of the writ to the HCEO of
their choice. The HCEO will generally attempt to take goods
quite quickly after the issue of the writ. See What items can
HCEOs take? later in this fact sheet.
Why use the High Court?
If a creditor obtains a high court judgment on an unregulated
debt, interest can be added on to the debt at a set rate,
which is currently 8% a year. This is known as ‘statutory
interest’.
Extra advice:
advance warning
You will get advance notice from the HCEO that
they intend to take control of your goods. When
you receive the notice, you may be able to pay
the money due to the HCEO, or directly to the
creditor, before the HCEO attempts to take
control of your goods.
Not all county court judgments (CCJs) carry statutory
interest. If statutory interest is not already being added to a CCJ and it is then transferred to the High Court for
enforcement by HCEOs, statutory interest can be added from the date of transfer.
My Money Steps is our free, independent and confidential online debt advice service. My Money Steps will help you work
out a budget and give you a personalised action plan setting out practical steps to deal with your debts.
www.mymoneysteps.org
Freephone 0808 808 4000
www.nationaldebtline.org
Page 3 of 15
High Court enforcement
England & Wales edition
Fact sheet no. 31 EW High Court enforcement
August 2016
HCEOs may be more difficult to negotiate with than county court bailiffs.
The fees that HCEOs can charge are higher than those for county court bailiffs. See the section HCEO fees.
Can HCEOs enter my premises?
You do not have to let HCEOs into your home. HCEOs are not allowed to force their way into your home unless:
you have let them in on a previous visit;
they took control of your goods and you have broken the agreement you made with the HCEOs; and
they have given you two clear days’ notice. If you have not let the HCEOs in before, keep your doors
locked. It is also a good idea to keep windows closed. HCEOs
can take control of goods outside your home, so if you have a
vehicle, keep it in a locked garage. If you park the vehicle on
your drive, the HCEOs could clamp and possibly remove it.
You could park the vehicle away from your property, but if you
park it on a public road and the HCEOs find it, they could force
entry to your car and possibly clamp and remove it. Contact us
for advice.
HCEOs can break into your business premises even if they
have not been in before.
Remember:
changes to bailiff law
This is our understanding of the new rules on
bailiffs from 6 April 2014. HCEOs may argue that
under the new rules, they can go anywhere they
like to take control of your goods. They may say
that this allows them to come into your home
even if they have not been in before and that you
should not refuse them entry. If HCEOs say
things like this to you, contact us for advice.
What items can HCEOs take?
HCEOs should not take:
clothing, bedding, furniture and basic household items that are necessary for the basic domestic needs of you and
your family;
tools, books, telephones, computers, vehicles and other items of equipment that are necessary for use personally in
your job, business or education (up to a total value of £1,350);
items you or someone else is physically using, where taking the goods is likely to lead to a breach of the peace; and
items belonging to someone else who doesn’t owe the debt.
My Money Steps is our free, independent and confidential online debt advice service. My Money Steps will help you work
out a budget and give you a personalised action plan setting out practical steps to deal with your debts.
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Page 4 of 15
High Court enforcement
England & Wales edition
Fact sheet no. 31 EW High Court enforcement
August 2016
Extra advice:
Information:
exempt goods
Complaints
The goods that HCEOs are not allowed to take
include the following.
If you want to complain about an HCEO, contact
us for advice.
A cooker or microwave.
A refrigerator.
A washing machine.
A dining table and chairs for you and your
household.
This is not a complete list. If you are unsure
whether an item is exempt, contact us for
advice.
If an HCEO takes control of goods that are protected, you can make a court claim for the goods to be returned. Contact
us for advice.
If you have already let an HCEO into your home, it is important to bear in mind the following points.
The HCEO will not usually take away goods on their first visit. They may ask you to sign a ‘controlled goods agreement’. This allows you to keep using the items listed on the
agreement. However, if you break the terms of the controlled goods agreement, the HCEO can return and take the
goods by breaking in if necessary. They must give you two clear days' notice before doing this. If you don’t sign the
agreement, the HCEOs may lock the goods up in a room in your property. Alternatively they may remove the goods
straight away. Contact us for advice. An HCEO may not be able to take goods that are worth more
than you actually owe. If they threaten to do this, contact us
for advice.
Remember:
stay of execution
Even if you have signed a controlled goods
agreement, you can still apply to the court for a
'stay of execution'. The court may be less willing
to agree to this if you have done so.
My Money Steps is our free, independent and confidential online debt advice service. My Money Steps will help you work
out a budget and give you a personalised action plan setting out practical steps to deal with your debts.
www.mymoneysteps.org
Freephone 0808 808 4000
www.nationaldebtline.org
Page 5 of 15
High Court enforcement
England & Wales edition
Fact sheet no. 31 EW High Court enforcement
August 2016
Can HCEOs take goods belonging to someone else?
HCEOs should not take goods that belong to other people. If they threaten to do this, explain that the goods do not
belong to you. Show a receipt or credit agreement as proof. If the owner hasn’t got a receipt, they can provide a sworn
statement called a ‘statutory declaration’ instead. Contact us for advice.
If an HCEO takes goods belonging to a third party, the third party should write to the HCEO to show that they own the
goods. The HCEO should pass this information onto the creditor. The creditor should then decide whether to accept or
reject the third party's claim. If the creditor rejects it, the third party can apply to court to get the goods back. However,
they will need to pay the court a deposit. The size of the deposit depends on the value of the goods that have been
taken. Contact us for advice.
HCEOs can take goods that are jointly owned by you and your partner, but they are only entitled to your share of the
goods.
If the money judgment is owed by a limited company or limited
liability partnership (LLP), only assets belonging to the limited
company or LLP may be taken. Contact us for advice.
Extra advice:
self-employment
If you are self­employed, you can also contact
Business Debtline on 0800 197 6026.
Can HCEOs take goods on hire purchase or conditional sale?
There are different legal views about whether HCEOs can take control of goods that are on hire­purchase or conditional­
sale agreements. If they threaten to do this, contact us for advice.
What if there are no goods to take?
If an HCEO comes into your home, they may decide that your goods are not worth enough to cover the cost of them
coming with a van to remove and sell them. If this is the case, the HCEO may return at a later date to try to take control of
your goods. They have 12 months from the date of the enforcement notice to take control of your goods. If you made a
payment arrangement with the HCEO after they sent you the enforcement notice, the 12 month period starts from when
you broke the terms of the repayment arrangement.
HCEO fees
HCEOs can charge you the following fees if they start the type of action described.
£75 for the stage from issuing a writ of control to before the HCEOs initial visits. This stage includes the issue of the
enforcement notice. £190 ­ Where a controlled goods agreement is made, this fee covers the HCEO’s initial visits to when you pay the debt
in full or break the agreement. If your debt is over £1,000, HCEOs can also charge 7.5% of the amount you owe above
£1,000. For example, if you owe £1250, HCEOs can add on 7.5% of £250 at this stage.
£495 can be charged for either of the following situations.
My Money Steps is our free, independent and confidential online debt advice service. My Money Steps will help you work
out a budget and give you a personalised action plan setting out practical steps to deal with your debts.
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Freephone 0808 808 4000
www.nationaldebtline.org
Page 6 of 15
High Court enforcement
England & Wales edition
Fact sheet no. 31 EW High Court enforcement
August 2016
You have not made a controlled goods agreement. Here, the fee covers the stage from the HCEO’s initial visits up
to (but not including) your goods being removed.
You have made a controlled goods agreement but not kept to it. Here, the fee covers the stage from when you
break the agreement up to (but not including) removal of your goods.
Note that where no controlled goods agreement is made, both the first and second enforcement stage fees can be
recovered (that is, the £190 and the £495 fee).
£525 ­ This covers the stage from attending to remove goods for sale to the end of the process. If your debt is over
£1000, HCEOs can also charge 7.5% of the amount you owe above £1,000.
The cost of storing goods which the HCEO has removed.
The cost of hiring a locksmith, if one is needed.
If your goods are sold at auction, further fees can be charged. Contact us for advice.
The HCEOs should give you information about how much you owe before and after they visit you. If you think they have
charged you too much, contact us for advice. You may be able to challenge the fees through the County Court.
What paperwork should HCEOs give me?
Under the law, HCEOs have to leave you paperwork telling what they intend to do or what they have done. For example,
they should give you a written notice when they:
intend to visit you;
have taken control of your goods; and intend to re­enter your premises after entering before.
There are strict rules about the information this paperwork must contain. If the HCEOs do not give you the correct
paperwork, you can complain or consider taking legal action against them. Contact us for advice.
Challenging a debt in the High Court
Even if a county court judgment is enforced in the High Court by
HCEOs, it remains in the County Court for most other purposes.
Therefore, if you want to challenge a judgment, or apply to set it
aside for some reason, this must be done in the County Court
where the judgment was made in the first place. You will need to
pay a fee to apply to set aside the judgment, unless you are
exempt.
See our fact sheet:
Help with court fees.
If the creditor has applied to use HCEOs to enforce the judgment, you may also need to make a separate application for a
‘stay of execution’. See Applying for a stay of execution later in this fact sheet. If you don’t do this, HCEOs may visit
your home. If they do so, show them copies of your application to set aside the judgment and your application for a stay
of execution.
My Money Steps is our free, independent and confidential online debt advice service. My Money Steps will help you work
out a budget and give you a personalised action plan setting out practical steps to deal with your debts.
www.mymoneysteps.org
Freephone 0808 808 4000
www.nationaldebtline.org
Page 7 of 15
High Court enforcement
England & Wales edition
Fact sheet no. 31 EW High Court enforcement
August 2016
Informal agreements
Most people, who cannot pay the HCEO in full straight away, negotiate with them to pay by instalments. This process is
informal but cheaper and quicker than an application to the court. You need the cooperation of the creditor and the
HCEO for this to work. It is important not to offer more than you can afford or to fall behind with the payments you agree. If
you do fall behind with the payments and the HCEO has already taken control of your goods, they may remove them to
the sale room for auction.
Applying for a stay of execution
If the HCEO issues a notice and you cannot afford to pay all the money, try to make an arrangement to pay by
instalments. If you cannot come to an agreement with the HCEO, make an
application for a ‘stay of execution’ on a court form called an
N244. This application should be made to the court that issued
changes in
the writ of control. You will have to pay a fee to make the
circumstances
application. Explain that you are requesting a stay of execution,
with an offer of payment. This could be by instalments or a
If the High Court does make an order for payment
lump­sum payment of the whole amount by a certain date. by instalments, you can apply to reduce or 'vary'
the payments if you have a change of
You need to provide an ‘affidavit of means’ or a ‘witness
circumstances. You can use the court form N244.
statement’ with your application for a stay of execution. Contact us for advice.
An affidavit of means is a financial statement, written in a
specific form. See the example later in this fact sheet.
Extra advice:
The affidavit has to be ‘sworn’, for example, before a court officer, a solicitor unconnected with the case, a
commissioner for oaths or a justice of the peace (JP). You will usually have to pay a small fee for this.
A ‘witness statement’ is very similar to an affidavit, but instead of swearing it, you sign a ‘statement of truth’. There is
no fee for this, so you may prefer to use this method.
In the affidavit or witness statement, describe any special
circumstances which you feel would make it unfair for the
judgment to be enforced by HCEOs. Also, give details of any
property you own and any other debts you owe.
Make three copies of the N244 and send (by first class
recorded delivery), or take them to the court along with your
affidavit of means or witness statement and the fee.
Ask for a hearing date as part of your application. The court
will then set a hearing date and give you notice of this when
they send the application form back to you.
Extra advice:
explain your
circumstances
In the affidavit or witness statement, describe any
special circumstances which you feel would make
it unfair for the judgment to be enforced by
HCEOs. Also, give details of any property you
own and any other debts you owe.
You must then post (again by first­class recorded post), or
take the form N244, notice of hearing and affidavit of means
or witness statement to the creditor or their solicitor. My Money Steps is our free, independent and confidential online debt advice service. My Money Steps will help you work
out a budget and give you a personalised action plan setting out practical steps to deal with your debts.
www.mymoneysteps.org
Freephone 0808 808 4000
www.nationaldebtline.org
Page 8 of 15
High Court enforcement
England & Wales edition
Fact sheet no. 31 EW High Court enforcement
You could also enclose a letter explaining the documents you
have sent. See the sample letter Request for a stay of
execution in the High Court.
August 2016
Information:
sending paperwork to
As well as applying for a stay of execution in the High Court,
the creditor
you should also apply to the County Court to vary the terms
of the original county court judgment. You should ask the
The creditor must receive the paperwork at least
County Court to make an instalment order for the same
four working days before the hearing.
amount and payment dates as you have requested in the
stay of execution application. If the County Court accepts
your application, and you keep to the payments, this will stop the creditor from taking most other types of action to
enforce the judgment.
Information:
See our fact sheet:
guidance given by courts
County Court - suspending a
bailiff's warrant or reducing
instalments on a county court
judgment.
We have heard of cases where courts have given
different advice about how to apply for a stay of
execution. If you apply for a stay of execution and
the court tells you to follow a different procedure
to the one described in this fact sheet, contact
us for advice.
The stay of execution hearing
A hearing date will be set. The hearing will be heard by the ‘master’ (in the High Court in London) or by a District Judge in
chambers (in his or her private room) in the court where the writ of control was issued. You must go to the hearing. It is
up to the master or District Judge to decide if they will grant you a stay of execution. It is more likely if:
there is no advantage for the creditor in enforcing the judgment, for example, you have no assets; or
there is a good reason why you are unable to pay the money at the moment.
The hearing can be some weeks away. HCEOs may try to visit you in the meantime.
If your application is urgent, ask your local District Registry if
they will agree to hold an immediate hearing and issue an
interim order suspending the writ. If the District Registry agrees
to your request, they will then set a date for a final hearing.
However, your local District Registry will usually need the case
to have been transferred to them from the District Registry that
issued the writ before considering this type of request. Not all
District Registries will issue interim orders to suspend writs of
control. Check with your local District Registry and contact us
for advice.
Extra advice:
interim orders
If the District Registry agrees to issue an interim
order suspending the writ of control until the final
hearing, send a copy to the HCEO. Some District
Registries may do this for you.
My Money Steps is our free, independent and confidential online debt advice service. My Money Steps will help you work
out a budget and give you a personalised action plan setting out practical steps to deal with your debts.
www.mymoneysteps.org
Freephone 0808 808 4000
www.nationaldebtline.org
Page 9 of 15
High Court enforcement
England & Wales edition
Fact sheet no. 31 EW High Court enforcement
August 2016
Can I apply to transfer the hearing to my local court?
There is no automatic transfer to your local court when you apply for a stay of execution.
Contact the District Registry of the High Court that issued the writ. Ask them to transfer the case to your local District
Registry. You could include this request when you apply for a stay of execution.
If this does not work, try asking your local District Registry of the High Court to deal with the transfer.
If you request is turned down you must attend the hearing at the District Registry of the High Court that issued the writ.
Transferring the hearing is complicated. Some courts may ask you to pay a fee for this type of application. Contact us
for advice.
What should I do if the stay of execution is granted?
If the court agrees to a stay of execution, you must draw up the
order yourself, send or take it to the court for stamping and then
serve it on the creditor. It is also a good idea to send a copy to
the High Court Enforcement Officer.
You must then start making the agreed payments to the
creditor.
Extra advice:
keep to the agreement
If you do not keep to the agreed instalment plan,
the writ of control will start up again. If it does, the
HCEO can start the process of trying to take
control of your goods again.
Complaints
You can complain about the conduct of the HCEO. You must first complain in writing to the HCEO. They should deal with
your complaint under their own complaints procedure. If you are not happy with their reply, you can complain to the High
Court Enforcement Officers Association, who will look at the complaint if it falls within their rules. They will not deal with
complaints about fees.
The High Court Enforcement Officers Association Ltd
Drake House, Gadbrool Park
Northwich
Cheshire
CW9 7RA
www.hceoa.org.uk Email: [email protected]
My Money Steps is our free, independent and confidential online debt advice service. My Money Steps will help you work
out a budget and give you a personalised action plan setting out practical steps to deal with your debts.
www.mymoneysteps.org
Freephone 0808 808 4000
www.nationaldebtline.org
Page 10 of 15
High Court enforcement
England & Wales edition
Fact sheet no. 31 EW High Court enforcement
August 2016
Your credit rating
If you have a judgment in the County Court or High Court, this
will be recorded in a public register. The information will
normally stay on the register for six years unless you pay the
judgment off within one calendar month. If you pay off the
Credit reference agencies and
judgment after one calendar month, you can ask for your
credit reports.
entry to be marked as ‘satisfied’ if you provide proof of payment,
but this will not remove the entry until the six years are up. See
www.trustonline.org.uk for more information. This is likely to
affect your ability to get credit because details about county
court and high court judgments are passed on to credit reference agencies. This means that your county court or high
court judgment will show up on your credit file.
See our fact sheet:
Other methods of enforcement
Remember ­ a creditor cannot get a money judgment against you in the High Court for a debt that is
regulated by the Consumer Credit Act 1974.
Attachment of earnings order
Where a money judgment has been made in the High Court, the
creditor may want an ‘attachment of earnings order’ to make
your employer take regular deductions from your wages to pay
the debt. In this case, they must ask for the matter to be
transferred to the County Court. However, interest will still be
added at the High Court rate of 8%. If the attachment of
earnings order does not recover all the money you owe, and
another method of enforcement is used, the case may need to
be transferred back to the High Court.
See our fact sheet:
County Court - attachment
of earnings orders.
Extra advice:
fees added to your debt
The creditor will have to pay a fee to the High
Court for applications to enforce a judgment. The
creditor will add the fee to your debt and in some
cases there may be extra court costs which they
can add as well.
My Money Steps is our free, independent and confidential online debt advice service. My Money Steps will help you work
out a budget and give you a personalised action plan setting out practical steps to deal with your debts.
www.mymoneysteps.org
Freephone 0808 808 4000
www.nationaldebtline.org
Page 11 of 15
High Court enforcement
England & Wales edition
Fact sheet no. 31 EW High Court enforcement
August 2016
Orders to obtain information
Before using enforcement action, a creditor may ask you to go
to court for an interview about your income, outgoings and any
assets you have, such as your house. This is called an ‘order to
obtain information’, or information order. This process is the
same as in the County Court. This can happen at any time and
not just when you miss a payment. The interview is made up of
a set of standard questions and you may be asked to bring
things like your pay slips and credit agreements to the interview.
Extra advice:
go to the interview
It is very important that you go to the interview, or
tell the court if you cannot go. The court can
actually send you to prison for not cooperating
with the process, so you must act if you are sent
an interview date. If you want further help on
information orders, contact us for advice.
Charging orders
A creditor can apply to the High Court for a charging order at
any time, not just when you are in arrears with your instalments.
This can happen even if you have been given a stay of
execution on a writ.
Where a money judgment has been made in the High Court, the
creditor can ask the court to put a ‘charge’ on your home. This
‘secures’ the debt like a mortgage so that it will be paid off when
the house is sold.
If a charging order is made in the High Court for a high court
judgment, the court does not have the power to agree to terms
as in the County Court, such as agreeing the creditor cannot
apply for an order for sale as long as your youngest child is
under the age of 18.
Extra advice:
duty of court to consider
circumstances
The High Court still has to look at all the
circumstances of the case when deciding whether
to make a charging order. If you have a stay of
execution and are up to date with your
instalments, use this as an argument against a
charging order being made at the hearing.
However, the court should not give your creditor permission to sell your home if:
you keep up to date with any instalments the court ordered you to make under the high court judgment; and
your creditor applied for the high court judgment on or after 1 October 2012.
The High Court cannot be used to apply for a charging order if your high court judgment is for less than £5,000. The
creditor must apply for the case to be transferred to the County Court nearest to you before they can make the
application.
If your High Court judgment is over £5,000, the application can be made in the High Court or the County Court.
A charging order application is a two­stage process. If you object in time, there must be a hearing in front of a judge
before it is made final. Having a final charging order does not mean you will lose your home. A further application has to
be made asking the court to order a sale of your home.
My Money Steps is our free, independent and confidential online debt advice service. My Money Steps will help you work
out a budget and give you a personalised action plan setting out practical steps to deal with your debts.
www.mymoneysteps.org
Freephone 0808 808 4000
www.nationaldebtline.org
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High Court enforcement
England & Wales edition
Fact sheet no. 31 EW High Court enforcement
August 2016
Most creditors are prepared to wait for you to sell your home until some point in the future, and to be paid out of the
proceeds of the sale. If a creditor does make an order for sale application, a hearing will be arranged and the court has
the final decision about whether the order should be granted.
See our fact sheet:
County Court - charging
orders.
Extra advice:
make an arrangement
If the court did not order you to pay the high
court judgment by instalments, it is still a good
idea to make an arrangement to pay the debt
back. This is because your creditor is less likely
to enforce the charging order if you make regular
payments.
Third party debt order
Your creditor can apply to the court to instruct someone who owes you money to pay the creditor instead. The most likely
way a third party debt order would be used is where your creditor finds out you have savings in the bank and wants your
bank to pay your savings to the creditor. This process is the same as in the County Court.
A third party debt order is an unusual procedure and involves a court order freezing the account and a hearing in front of
the District Judge. If your creditor is threatening to apply for a third party debt order, contact us for advice.
Information:
Information:
court forms
contacting the court by
email
You can get most court forms from the HM
Courts and Tribunal Service form finder at
http://tinyurl.com/hmctsforms You may be able to contact the court by email.
Contact the court for advice.
My Money Steps is our free, independent and confidential online debt advice service. My Money Steps will help you work
out a budget and give you a personalised action plan setting out practical steps to deal with your debts.
www.mymoneysteps.org
Freephone 0808 808 4000
www.nationaldebtline.org
Page 13 of 15
High Court enforcement
England & Wales edition
Fact sheet no. 31 EW High Court enforcement
August 2016
Affidavit of means in support of stay of execution
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE 1998.B.23
QUEEN’S BENCH DIVISION
BETWEEN
Walter Sichort and Sons Limited (Claimant)
And
Alan Hill (Defendant)
_________________________________________________
AFFIDAVIT IN SUPPORT OF STAY OF EXECUTION
_________________________________________________
I, Alan Hill, of 8 Long Road, Anytown, Blankshire, salesman, the above­named Defendant, make oath and say as follows:
1. On the 9th day of June 1998, the Claimant entered judgment in this action against me for £1,500 and £350 costs.
2. I am a salesman employed by Green and Sons. I earn £250 a week net. I am married with one child aged 4. I own the
house where I live with my family. The property has a value of £70,000 and is subject to a mortgage of £40,000 with
HSBC.
3. I have no other income. I have savings of £200 with HSBC. My household contents are worth £2,000. I own a Fiat car
RST 425M worth £250. I have no other capital. My wife works as a cook and earns £40 per week net. She draws £20 per
week child benefit.
My weekly outgoings are as follows:
£90.00 mortgage
£20.00 gas, electricity and water
£70.00 food and household
£9.00 telephone
£10.00 car repairs and petrol
15.00 council tax
£20.00 miscellaneous expenses
4. in all circumstances, the best offer I can make to satisfy the judgment in this action is by payment of instalments of
£50.00 per month, and I ask that the Court will stay execution upon such judgment so long as I pay that amount each
month on the 31st day of each month, commencing on the 1st day of December 2014.
SWORN this…day of .......2014
Reproduced with the kind permission of Citizens Advice​ ​ ​ ​
My Money Steps is our free, independent and confidential online debt advice service. My Money Steps will help you work
out a budget and give you a personalised action plan setting out practical steps to deal with your debts.
www.mymoneysteps.org
Freephone 0808 808 4000
www.nationaldebtline.org
Page 14 of 15
High Court enforcement
England & Wales edition
Fact sheet no. 31 EW High Court enforcement
August 2016
National Debtline endeavour to keep our fact sheets as up-to-date as possible, however, we cannot be held responsible for changes
in legislation or for developments in case law since this edition of the fact sheet was issued.
National Debtline is part of the Money Advice Trust. Monday Advice Trust Registered Charity Number 1099506. A company limited
by guarantee. Registered in England and Wales (Number 4741583). Registered office 21 Garlick Hill, London, WC4V 2AU. ©
Copyright National Debtline 2001.
My Money Steps is our free, independent and confidential online debt advice service. My Money Steps will help you work
out a budget and give you a personalised action plan setting out practical steps to deal with your debts.
www.mymoneysteps.org
Freephone 0808 808 4000
www.nationaldebtline.org
Page 15 of 15