The UK government has been criticised for slow movement on plans to introduce mandatory regulation of bailiffs. Concerns centre on harmful practices in a sector that collects more than £1bn a year from people in debt. One year after the Ministry of Justice announced it would legislate for independent oversight, the Enforcement Conduct Board said there had been no visible progress. Chief executive Chris Nichols stated the government had rightly pledged action but still lacked a clear plan. He noted hundreds of thousands of people each year face enforcement from unregulated firms, which he described as unfair. The industry handles more than 7m cases annually and collects over £1bn, mainly from unpaid parking fines, traffic penalties and council tax arrears. Firms are not required by law to gain ECB authorisation, and some have declined to follow its standards. Consumer groups have called for tighter rules after reports of aggressive doorstep behaviour, overcharging, clamping of vehicles used by disabled people and threats over protected items. Last summer, Marston Holdings was required to refund overcharged clients. In June 2025 the government set out measures for fairer debt enforcement and opened a consultation on mandatory regulation. Nichols said statutory rules were needed so all those affected receive equal protections. The public, debt charities and most of the industry support this step. Martin Lewis of MoneySavingExpert.com called the absence of a proper independent regulator outrageous and cited repeated cases of distress and poor treatment. A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said the government remained committed to stronger regulation, backed the ECB and was developing proposals after the consultation, with next steps to be announced soon.
