Letter or visit from Equita? Read this before you respond

Equita is not a typical debt collector — they are a certificated enforcement business, operating as bailiffs in England and Wales. That distinction matters enormously. If Equita are involved, the debt has usually already been to court, and the rules governing what they can do are stricter and more specific than the rules for ordinary debt collectors.

This page covers who Equita are, what bailiffs can and cannot legally do under current Taking Control of Goods Regulations, the seven-day Notice of Enforcement period that protects you, and how an IVA interacts with Equita action.

Who Equita are

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Equita is part of Marston Holdings, one of the largest UK enforcement groups. Equita’s enforcement work is dominated by:

• Council tax arrears — instructed by local authorities after a liability order
• Magistrates’ court fines — including unpaid traffic and parking penalties
• Commercial Rent Arrears Recovery (CRAR) — for landlords against business tenants
• High Court Writs of Control — for CCJs that have been transferred to the High Court

Their enforcement agents are certificated bailiffs under the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007. They must hold a current bailiff certificate from a county court and identification documents that they must show on request.

What Equita can and cannot legally do

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Bailiffs operate under the Taking Control of Goods Regulations 2013 and the related fee schedule. They can:

• Charge statutory fees at three stages: Compliance (£75), Enforcement (£235 + 7.5% of any debt above £1,500), and Sale (£110 + 7.5% of debt above £1,500). Those fees are added to your debt.
• Send a Notice of Enforcement giving you at least seven clear days to settle the debt or arrange a Controlled Goods Agreement before bailiff action begins.
• Visit your home during permitted hours (6am–9pm, with restricted hours on Sundays and bank holidays).
• Take goods that are not exempt, but only after entering peacefully or with permission.
• Clamp or remove vehicles parked on the public highway or your driveway — vehicles are a primary target for enforcement.

What bailiffs cannot do for the typical consumer debt:

• Force entry to your home on a first visit — for council tax and most debts they need peaceful entry. They can only force entry on a second visit if they have already entered peacefully or you’ve signed a Controlled Goods Agreement.
• Force entry at all for unpaid magistrates’ court fines without specific authority.
• Take exempt goods: tools of your trade up to £1,350 in value, basic household items (cooker, fridge, washing machine, beds, basic furniture), goods belonging to other people.
• Visit between 9pm and 6am or on a Sunday or bank holiday in most circumstances.
• Misrepresent themselves as police or other authorities.

What the seven-day Notice of Enforcement does for you

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Once Equita is instructed, they must send a Notice of Enforcement giving you at least seven clear days before any bailiff visit. Use those seven days:

1. Pay or arrange to pay the underlying debt directly with the original creditor (often the council, the courts, or the creditor with a CCJ). Once the underlying debt is paid, the enforcement falls away — although the Compliance fee is still due.
2. Apply for a controlled goods agreement if you can afford instalments — you commit to a payment plan and the bailiff cannot remove goods while you keep up payments.
3. Apply to the court for the underlying judgment to be set aside, varied or stayed if you have grounds.
4. Seek free, independent advice — Citizens Advice and StepChange both have specialist bailiff advice.

If a bailiff is at your door before the seven-day period has elapsed, you can refuse entry and the visit is invalid for fee purposes.

How Equita’s three fee stages work

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Each stage adds a fixed sum to your debt — and once you cross into a stage, that fee is locked in:

• Stage 1 — Compliance (£75). Added when the case is allocated to a bailiff and the Notice of Enforcement is sent. Cannot be avoided once Equita is instructed.
• Stage 2 — Enforcement (£235 + 7.5% of any debt over £1,500). Added the moment a bailiff visits your address. On a £2,500 debt, this is £235 + £75 = £310 added.
• Stage 3 — Sale (£110 + 7.5% of any debt over £1,500). Added when goods are removed for sale. On the same £2,500 debt, this is £110 + £75 = £185 more added.

So timing matters. Resolving the debt within the seven-day Compliance window costs £75. Letting it run to a visit costs hundreds more, and letting it run to removal costs hundreds again.

Routes out

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• Pay the underlying creditor directly — for council tax this is usually the most effective route. Once the council confirms payment, the enforcement is withdrawn.
• Negotiate a controlled goods agreement with payment instalments — confirms the goods are notionally taken control of but allows you to keep them as long as you pay.
• IVA — once approved, an IVA legally stops further enforcement on the included debt, although court fines and (in many cases) council tax debts have specific treatment that should be reviewed with the IP. See How do I stop bailiff action? for the longer answer.
• Bankruptcy in severe situations — also stops enforcement on most included debts.
• Application to the issuing court to set aside or vary the underlying order if you were not properly served or the underlying debt is wrong.

What happens if you ignore Equita

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Ignoring a Notice of Enforcement is the most expensive choice available. After the seven days lapse:

1. A bailiff visits — adds the Enforcement fee (£235 + 7.5% over £1,500)
2. They look for vehicles on the public highway or driveway — clamping is fast and visible
3. If they gain peaceful entry, non-exempt goods are listed under a Controlled Goods Agreement
4. If you breach the Controlled Goods Agreement (or they have already entered peacefully and return), they can force entry on a return visit
5. Goods are removed for sale — adds the Sale fee (£110 + 7.5% over £1,500)

By the time goods are removed, the original debt has typically grown by £420+ in fees alone. That is the cost of inaction.

Pitfalls when Equita are at the door

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• Don’t open the door if you are not ready to engage. Once a bailiff has gained peaceful entry to your home, they have additional powers including, on a return visit, the right to force entry to remove already-listed goods.
• Don’t sign anything without reading it. A Controlled Goods Agreement signs over goods; signing without understanding is a real risk.
• Don’t move vehicles into a private garage in panic — driveway vehicles are a target, but garage parking is more protected.
• Don’t pay cash to a bailiff at the door. Pay through the official Equita payment line and keep the receipt — there have been impersonation incidents.

Frequently asked questions

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Are Equita debt collectors or bailiffs? Bailiffs (certificated enforcement agents). They have specific powers under the Taking Control of Goods Regulations that ordinary debt collectors do not have.

Can Equita force entry to my home? Generally no, on a first visit. Force entry is only possible on a second visit after peaceful entry has already been gained or after a Controlled Goods Agreement is signed and breached. There are very limited exceptions for specific debt types.

Will an IVA stop Equita action? An approved IVA stops enforcement on most included debts. Magistrates’ court fines and council-tax liability orders have specific treatment — discuss the position with the Insolvency Practitioner drafting the proposal.

Equita are clamping my car — what now? Pay the debt or call Equita to arrange release. The vehicle can be removed and sold within seven days if the debt is not resolved. Removal triggers further fees.

Related guides

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• How do I stop bailiff action?
• Can bailiffs legally enter your home in the UK?
• Can you stop a bailiff eviction?
• Do police turn up with bailiffs?