Letter or visit from Rossendales? Read this before you respond

Rossendales is not a typical debt collector — they are a certificated enforcement business operating as bailiffs in England and Wales. They sit within Marston Holdings, alongside Equita, and most of their work involves council-tax arrears and traffic-enforcement debts instructed by local authorities and Transport for London.

If Rossendales are involved, the underlying debt has usually already been to the magistrates’ court for a liability order or has progressed through the civil-court system. The rules governing what they can and cannot do are stricter and more specific than those that apply to ordinary debt collectors — and the seven-day window the law gives you matters.

Who Rossendales are

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Rossendales is a long-established UK enforcement business now operating as part of the Marston Holdings group, the largest enforcement group in the country. Their enforcement work is dominated by:

• Council-tax arrears — instructed by local authorities after a liability order is granted in the magistrates’ court
• Traffic enforcement — unpaid penalty charge notices, congestion-charge debts and bus-lane fines
• Magistrates’ court fines — including criminal fines, costs and compensation orders
• Commercial Rent Arrears Recovery (CRAR) for landlords with business tenants in arrears

Their agents are certificated bailiffs under the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007. Each agent must hold a current bailiff certificate from a county court and present identification on request.

What Rossendales can and cannot legally do

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Bailiffs operate under the Taking Control of Goods Regulations 2013 and the related fee schedule. Rossendales 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)
• Send a Notice of Enforcement giving you at least seven clear days to settle or arrange a payment plan before any visit
• Visit your home during permitted hours (6am–9pm)
• 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

What bailiffs cannot do for the typical consumer debt:

• Force entry on a first visit for council tax, traffic and most civil debts
• Take exempt goods: tools of your trade up to £1,350, basic household items (cooker, fridge, washing machine, beds, basic furniture), or anything belonging to other people
• Visit between 9pm and 6am, or on Sundays and bank holidays in most circumstances
• Misrepresent themselves as police or other authorities
• Add fees outside the statutory schedule

What the seven-day Notice of Enforcement does for you

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Once Rossendales 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 creditor — usually the council. Once the council confirms the debt is settled, the enforcement is withdrawn (although the £75 Compliance fee remains 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.
3. Apply to the issuing court to set aside or vary the underlying order if you have grounds (incorrect liability, never received the original demand, change of circumstances).
4. Seek free, independent advice — Citizens Advice and StepChange both have specialist bailiff teams.

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

How Rossendales’ three fee stages work

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

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

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 can add £400 or more on top of the original arrears.

How Rossendales tend to operate

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Rossendales’ workflow is volume-driven. They will:

• Send a templated Notice of Enforcement quickly after instruction by the council
• Phone and text the numbers held on the local authority’s records
• Attempt a doorstep visit at the end of the seven-day window
• Target vehicles first — clamping is fast, visible and effective
• Pass cases that fail at doorstep stage to internal teams for further visits or, in some cases, return them to the local authority for committal proceedings on council-tax debt

Routes out

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• Pay the council directly — for council tax, this is usually the cleanest route. Once the council confirms payment, the enforcement is withdrawn.
• Negotiate a controlled goods agreement with payment instalments — keeps the goods, stops the visits, but commits you to the schedule.
• IVA — once approved, an IVA legally stops further enforcement on the included debt. Council-tax arrears can be included subject to specific rules; see How do I stop bailiff action?.
• Debt Relief Order — for total debt under £50,000 with very low spare income, a DRO can also stop the enforcement.
• Bankruptcy in severe situations — also stops enforcement on most included debts.
• Application to set aside the underlying order if you were not properly served or the liability is wrong.

What happens if you ignore Rossendales

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Ignoring a Notice of Enforcement is the most expensive option:

1. A bailiff visits — adds the £235 + 7.5% Enforcement fee
2. They look for vehicles on the public highway or driveway — clamping is the typical first step
3. If they gain peaceful entry, non-exempt goods are listed under a Controlled Goods Agreement
4. If you breach the agreement or they return after peaceful entry, they can force entry to remove the listed goods
5. Goods are removed for sale — adds the £110 + 7.5% Sale fee

For unpaid council tax, persistent non-payment can ultimately be returned to the magistrates’ court for a committal hearing, where the court considers whether non-payment was wilful. That is rare but not impossible.

Pitfalls when Rossendales are at the door

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• Don’t open the door if you’re not ready to engage — peaceful entry strengthens their hand on a return visit
• Don’t sign a Controlled Goods Agreement without reading it — it lists goods notionally taken into control
• Don’t pay cash at the door — pay through the official Rossendales payment portal and keep the receipt
• Don’t ignore the council’s reminder letters — by the time Rossendales is instructed, the £75 Compliance fee is locked in

Frequently asked questions

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Are Rossendales bailiffs? Yes. Rossendales are certificated enforcement agents within Marston Holdings, with specific powers under the Taking Control of Goods Regulations 2013.

Can Rossendales force entry to my home? Generally no, on a first visit for council tax, traffic and most consumer debts. Force entry on a return visit is only possible after peaceful entry has been gained or a Controlled Goods Agreement has been signed and breached.

Will an IVA stop Rossendales? An approved IVA stops enforcement on most included debts. Council-tax arrears and magistrates’ fines have specific treatment — the IP drafting your proposal will confirm what’s includable.

What fees can Rossendales add? £75 Compliance, £235 + 7.5% Enforcement (above £1,500), and £110 + 7.5% Sale (above £1,500). These are set by the Taking Control of Goods (Fees) Regulations 2014.

Related guides

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• Equita — sister brand within Marston Holdings
• How do I stop bailiff action?
• Can bailiffs legally enter your home in the UK?
• Can debt be written off?
• How do I apply for an IVA?