• A Warrant of Execution
  The creditor can ask the court to send a notice from the county court bailiffs called a warrant of execution. This could result in bailiffs being sent to your home and the removal of goods up to the value of the debt and costs. You do not legally have to let the bailiffs in and they cannot force their way in to your home unless you have let them in before*. They could take your car if it is parked nearby.
  
  You can ask the court to suspend a warrant by filling in form N245 and making an offer of payment you can afford.
  
  Even if it gets to the stage that the bailiffs are at your door there is still the possibility of negotiating suitable payment terms with them.
  
  * Exceptions to this would be if the bailiffs are recovering debts that are owed to the state such as Income tax or V.A.T or if the debt is secured on the property concerned. In these cases bailiffs are allowed to force entry in to your home.

• An “Attachment of Earnings Order”
  The court can order your employer to make deductions from your wages to clear the debt. The court works out the rate using a set formula.
  
  This order can be suspended if it might affect your employment and you can make the payments yourself. Complete Form N56 as issued by the Court-this is free of charge).

• A “Charging Order”
  If the court orders that the whole sum owed must be paid or if you fall behind on the monthly amount ordered by the court, the creditor can ask for a charging order. If granted, this secures the debt against your property (similar to a secured loan or mortgage). It means you will not be able to sell your home without the debt being repaid.
  
  There must be a hearing in the court before a charging order is made final so you will have the opportunity to state your case at the hearing.

NB Creditors cannot take the above action without firstly obtaining a County Court Judgement (or a decree in Scotland)

You can find further information in Masterclass Three: Negotiating Knowledge Builder