What is a bailiff and what can they do? | All your questions about bailiffs

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What is a bailiff allowed to do? How do I engage a bailiff? What does engaging a bailiff cost?

Whether you want to engage a bailiff or are dealing with a bailiff, both situations may raise many questions. Breyta explains and gives meaning to all your questions about bailiffs, the costs, the rights and obligations of a bailiff, and how to engage a reliable bailiff. Will you read along?

What is a bailiff?

A court bailiff is a public official. The bailiff is the only person in the Netherlands with the statutory powers to ensure that a court ruling is complied with. On the basis of a court judgment, the court bailiff can enforce payment. This can be done, among other things, by seizing the debtor's assets.

A number of powers (official acts) of a court bailiff are listed below:

• Serving judgments or writs of execution
• Issuing summonses
• Carrying out evictions
• Seizing movable and immovable property
• Starting a court procedure (summoning or serving a summons on someone)

What does a bailiff do?

A bailiff is often involved in collecting money, and has the power to carry out official acts on the basis of a court ruling.

Official acts are the activities of the bailiff, such as serving a judgment or summons, seizing assets and carrying out evictions.

It is important that the rule of law can rely on sensitive matters, such as the seizure of assets, being handled carefully and impartially. A bailiff is specially trained for this.

What else a bailiff can and may carry out is laid down in the Court Bailiffs Act.

• Seizing household contents
• Seizing a home
• Seizing bank accounts
• Seizing wages or benefits
• Seizing a vehicle
• Serving a summons. Serving means delivering a court document.

Serving means delivering a court document.

• Serving a judgment
• Evicting a home or business premises
• Bailiff's auction

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