Money Judgment Enforcement in Kent: £12.7K Recovered in Full on First Attendance

The Situation

A creditor had secured a County Court money judgment against an individual debtor but had been unable to recover the sum owed. With the debt unpaid, the judgment was transferred up to the High Court and a Writ of Control was issued, authorising enforcement agents to take control of the debtor’s goods to satisfy the outstanding amount.

By the point of enforcement, the sum outstanding had grown well beyond the original judgment debt of £8,162.34 once accrued interest, costs of execution, and statutory enforcement fees were added — bringing the total to be recovered to £12,749.66. A Notice of Enforcement had been served, and with its compliance period expired, the matter was ready for the attendance stage.

After searching for a High Court enforcement agent to enforce the money judgment, the creditor’s matter was taken forward by Strikes High Court Enforcement under the authority of our High Court Enforcement Officer.

Our Approach

Our enforcement agent attended the debtor’s residential property in Edenbridge, in the Sevenoaks district of Kent, at approximately 10:35am. After confirming the debtor’s address locally, our agent knocked and, once the debtor answered, identified himself and explained the purpose of the visit. The debtor initially claimed the matter had been set aside and that a solicitor was acting for him. Our agent advised that the High Court writ had been issued, that the Notice of Enforcement period had now expired, and that goods would be removed to cover the outstanding debt unless it was paid in full.

The debtor stated he did not have the full funds available, so our agent entered the property and carried out an inventory of goods. Having assessed the goods and established that they were sufficient to cover the debt, our agent confirmed that full payment was required to resolve the matter. The debtor first offered to pay by credit card, which could not be accepted, and then attempted a payment by phone — but his bank would only authorise a daily limit of £10,000, short of the sum required.

With the debtor unable to complete payment remotely and not in a position to travel to his bank himself, our agent offered to drive him to the nearest branch in Sevenoaks so the payment could be made in person. Once the inventory was complete, our agent took him to the bank, waited while the transfer was arranged, and returned him to his property with proof of payment in hand.

This is the balance a certificated enforcement agent has to strike on the doorstep: firm on the statutory position and the consequences of non-payment, while finding a practical, lawful route to a full recovery that avoids the cost and disruption of removing and selling goods.

Outcome

Payment of £12,749.66 was confirmed as received into our account the same day. With the debt settled in full, our agent handed the debtor a Controlled Goods Agreement and left the property at approximately 1:30pm. No goods were removed — the matter was resolved in a single attendance, from arrival to full payment, in under three hours.

The recovery was carried out by Jason Meaden (Certificated Enforcement Agent), under the authority of Andrew McDermott (Authorised High Court Enforcement Officer), with the matter overseen by Chris Bane (Founder and Managing Director), ensuring the creditor recovered the full amount owed quickly and without the need for a return visit.