I think it’s important to look at how vulnerable people are treated by these people in their own homes, not just women but elderly people also. This system needs to change. I understand that debts need to be paid, but we can’t all go around forcing ourselves on to people and entering homes, so why can these people? 

More needs to be done to ensure they have the correct details and handled with human decency. 

I am a young woman from Warwickshire hoping to get this ridiculous out dated and bullish process looked at.

To explain further, on 3rd November 2021 at 8.30pm my house was visited by a Bailiff. I currently have a foreign student staying with me and as I was out of the house, she called me in a complete panic and very shaken. The bailiff had tried the door handles and tried to gain entry. They left a letter - they were looking for a man who had lived at the property 9 YEARS AGO. I called the bailiff to explain, and he told me I had to send him proof of residency through text - as soon as I got off the phone it occurred to me that I’m sending personal details to some random guy, so I refused and said id contact the office.Upon further reading I have seen multiple stories of other people being WRONGLY targeted and them having to sort it or face more visits. It took me the whole day to get them to deal with my case so I didn’t get another visit, despite advising them there was 2 vulnerable adults in the house they still  told me to be ready for visits in future with proof as it could take up to 10 DAYS TO DEAL WITH IT. Why should I have all this stress when its nothing to do with me? I provided my council tax proof and yet I was STILL being threatened with more visits. After a lot of phone calls and demanding to speak to a manager he eventually said he would sort this within the hour. The stress this has caused from two days was unreal, I can’t even imagine what other people go through bearing in mind this ISNT EVEN MY DEBT.

A week or so prior to the below event, I received a letter from the CDER group advising of a bailiff visit, as its only me that gets post, I mistakenly opened this. I wrote ‘return to sender’ on the back and sent it back, advising that the guy they were after doesn’t live here. It was sent back to me. For a second time I returned this, with another note saying this guy doesn’t live here. My question is, if they have powers of intrusion at the property, once this is advised why can’t they get these records checked. Or write back to me, and ask me to provide proof that way? Why are these people opting to use scare tactics as a first option? One letter was sent to my address, no further notice.

 In the wake of the Sarah Everard case, why are men on their own allowed to go visiting houses? We are meant to feel safe at home at the very least and these 'officers' have the right to gain 'peaceful entry'. There is nothing peaceful about this intrusion.  How is it that their records are so wrong often, and they can get away with this bullying scare tactics behaviour?

 The text messages I received from the Bailiff himself and I quote said "oh how scary, the door being knocked" I don’t think these bully 'Men' realise that being alone especially when you can’t speak English, and the door keeps being thumped with the handles tried IS scary. I have asthma, what about my right to my own safe space and health in a pandemic??

What if this was your elderly parents this happened to? Someone with severe disabilities? What if there’s children around? This needs to stop now, and they need to look at this process with a more peaceful approach.