Bailiffs are responsible for enforcing court orders and taking money or goods from people who owe debts. In Scotland they are employed by private firms to act on behalf of the courts.

In Scotland, bailiffs are known as sheriff officers in the regional civil courts, and messengers-at-arms in the Court of Session. They serve legal documents and carry out enforcement procedures. They have the authority to force entry to domestic and commercial properties. 

Sheriff officers hold a ‘commission’ to work in a single geographical area. Messengers-at-arms may travel anywhere in Scotland to enforce orders of the court.

Duties might include:

• writing to debtors to ask for payment
• talking to debtors and arranging for them to repay in instalments
• serving court papers 
• offering money management advice
• repossessing goods and property
• where necessary, evicting people and changing locks
• arranging for goods to be sold at auction so that debts can be paid off
• keeping accurate records and being responsible for money recovered.

Hours and Environment

Most bailiffs work around 37 hours a week Monday to Friday, but are often called out at weekends. Evening and early morning work is also common. Part-time work is possible. Many bailiffs combine this work with other jobs.

Bailiffs are office-based but spend most of their time travelling and visiting debtors.

A clean driving licence is necessary.

Skills and Interests

To be a bailiff you should be:

• able to deal with people from all backgrounds
• confident and assertive
• able to learn and understand the relevant laws
• tactful and skilled in negotiating
• able to deal calmly with people who may be angry, distressed or aggressive
• have good judgement
• able to assess the value of goods and calculate repayments with debtors.

Entry

To be commissioned as a sheriff officer you must pass the Society of Messengers-at-Arms and Sheriff Officers examination.

You must have at least five GCSEs (A-C)/S grades (1-3) including English and maths to take the sheriff officer examination. Other qualifications may also be accepted, or you may be able to take the exam without the usual academic qualifications if you have previous relevant work experience. Please check with the Society of Messengers-at-Arms and Sheriff Officers (see contact details in Further Information). 

You must be aged at least 20 to be commissioned, but you can begin training before this. You must be employed by a firm for at least three years to gain a training certificate, which you will need before you can apply for a commission.

You must also take out professional indemnity insurance

Training

You will be trained on the job, working with a qualified officer of court, and by attending short courses. This normally takes three years.

You can continue with training and development throughout your career. The Society of Messengers-at-Arms and Sheriff Officers provides a continuous professional development (CPD) scheme for its members.

After at least two years' experience as a qualified sheriff officer, you can take a further exam and apply to be commissioned as a messenger-at-arms.

Opportunities

There are about 200 sheriff officers in Scotland. Around 130 of these are also messengers-at-arms. All bailiffs are employed within private business partnerships, and are commissioned to practise as officers of court.

Progression is from sheriff officer to messenger-at-arms.

The members list on the Society of Messengers-at-Arms and Sheriff Officers website is a good place to start to find contacts for possible job vacancies.

Annual Income

Figures are intended as a guideline only.

A trainee bailiff's starting salary is around £16,000 a year.
A qualified sheriff officer can earn around £26,000 a year.
An experienced messenger-at-arms can earn up to £28,000 a year.

Many firms pay a basic salary plus some form of commission or incentive payments.

Further information