Andy Burnham Announces Crackdown on Rogue Bailiffs and Builders

Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced a series of everyday fixes to address the cost of living by targeting rogue bailiffs and unscrupulous tradespeople. To protect debtors in England and Wales, the government now requires private bailiffs to be accredited by the Enforcement Conduct Board or work for an accredited company to obtain or renew their certificates. This mandate establishes consistent professional standards and an independent complaints process.

Minister for Courts and Legal Services Sarah Sackman stated that struggling debtors should not face "intimidating behaviour, unfair treatment or being pushed into excessive repayment arrangements they cannot afford." The move follows previous plans from the Ministry of Justice to legislate for mandatory independent regulation of the bailiff industry.

Burnham also targeted the home improvement sector, stating "we’re coming for the cowboy builders." The government will launch an Approved Code scheme in September, with full implementation by December. To further protect consumers, a Trusted Payments app-based service will launch next week, allowing homeowners to release funds to builders incrementally based on project milestones, mirroring the structure of tenant deposit protection schemes.