Indebted t bailiffs

o the

Fighting for the reputation of the bailiff industry is no easy challenge, but Jamie Waller,of JBW, is prepared to take up the mantle of ‘bailiffs’ champion’

A

friend alerted me to a News

of the World newspaper

article that referred to ‘the ugly side of the booming bailiff industry’ – an article

that highlighted alleged malpractice by bailiff companies. Much of the story I cannot comment on. I am aware that some of the allegations were admitted to by the company in question but, to be honest, the article in general was the normal News of the World stance: poor, frail, victims being bullied by the evil bailiffs – it was preposterous and exaggerated. Unfortunately for us in

and have listened time and time again to them trying to get one up on their competitors. Te truth is that all this sort of behaviour achieves is lack of respect for the industry as a whole. Bailiff companies and their owners need to take up the challenge and work hard to change the perception that our customers, the local authorities, have of us.

Distorted viewpoint

I was recently at the annual British Parking Awards when a local authority manager said to me: ‘Are you one of those bailiff chaps?’ When I replied ‘yes.’ he followed on with ‘You are all the same. We use two bailiff companies and all they do is talk s**t – and bully people into paying their debt.’

Recovery for free?

Local and central government needs bailiff providers to do an outstanding job and recover as much money as possible – and currently they require us to do this for free. And, as if a free service is not enough,

many of them want to take this one step further and request that the bailiff gives them some of the fees that they collect for doing the job back to the council. A type of ‘payment as a thank you for employing me’ – crazy if you ask me. Over the past five years we have

introduced a number of improvements to raise the standard of services we provide. Te advent of hand held technology – on-line IT access for clients, chip and pin payment solutions, mobile printing, uniformed agents and City and Guilds- accredited training centres – have all helped to raise the performance of our workforce. Tere are only a few competitor bailiff

As if a free service is not enough, many of them want to take this one step further and request that the bailiff gives them some of the fees

Changing perceptions… JBW offers a professional service.

the industry, most of the general public will not know this and will believe what they read.

Te bailiff companies have a very difficult job to do, and we try to do it with very little support from outside the industry – and, unfortunately, a lot of in- fighting from within the industry. I have stood in many rooms with

other bailiff companies and their owners,

24

APRIL 2010

I tried to address his issues by replying:

‘Without bailiffs society would become unsustainable, taxation would rise and law and order would diminish. Bailiffs are required to maintain a sustainable community and you, as an employer of bailiffs, should support them.’ His reply? ‘You’re full of s**t too.’ Well

Mr X, from X borough council, I hope that you are reading this article now and that you are feeling as small as you sounded on that day.

organisations left in the parking sector and if local government want to continue to see these improvements, then we will need their support.

Condoning or accepting the behaviour

of over-zealous bailiff companies within our profession will allow small-minded individuals, like the person who I spoke to at the British Parking awards, to continue to get an audience. As employers of bailiffs, local authorities should support what we have done

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