- Company
- Direct Collection Bailiffs Ltd (DCBL)
- Type
- High Court enforcement and debt recovery
- Accreditation
- Listed as accredited by the Enforcement Conduct Board
- Phone
- 0203 434 6132
On this page
Who are DCBL?
Direct Collection Bailiffs Ltd, usually called DCBL, provides High Court enforcement and debt recovery. Its clients are creditors, including private creditors and businesses, who have obtained a judgment or order. It also offers debtor tracing and commercial debt recovery. The High Court Enforcement Officers Association (HCEOA) lists DCBL as accredited by the Enforcement Conduct Board.
DCBL is not the creditor. It acts for the person or business that holds the judgment.
What do they enforce?
DCBL enforces High Court writs, which are used for judgments transferred from the county court or obtained in the High Court, and for other court orders. A county court judgment of £600 or more that is not covered by the Consumer Credit Act can be transferred to the High Court for enforcement. Check the paperwork for the claimant, the court and the amount.
Are DCBL genuine?
High Court enforcement officers are authorised by the Lord Chancellor, and the HCEOA keeps a list of members. Ask for the officer’s name and authorisation. If you are unsure whether a visit is genuine, call the firm on a number you have checked, not one in a message. Bailiff scams exist, so do not pay anyone who texts a payment link, and use the payment details on your letter or the company’s website.
Worried about what to do?
A free adviser can check the debt, look at your whole budget and deal with DCBL for you. Get free debt advice.
What is a High Court writ?
A writ of control is a High Court order that lets an authorised High Court enforcement officer (HCEO) take control of goods to recover a judgment debt. It is normally used after a county court judgment has been transferred up to the High Court, or after a High Court judgment or order. The officer’s agents carry out the visits, and the work is done under the officer’s authority.
A claimant who asks for a writ has already won a judgment, so ask for a copy of the judgment and the writ, and check the claimant, the court and the amount.
What can they do?
An HCEO or their agent can take control of goods you own, and sell them if the debt stays unpaid. They cannot take essentials such as clothes, bedding or a cooker, tools of your trade up to a set value, or items that belong to someone else. At a home address they generally have to enter peaceably, through an open door or with your permission, so you do not have to let them in, although business premises are treated differently. The protection for tools of your trade is for individuals, not limited companies. They cannot arrest you and may visit between 6am and 9pm.
Our guide to enforcement agents covers entry, vehicles and getting goods back in more detail.
What can they charge?
Fees for enforcement, including High Court enforcement, are set by law, with a compliance stage, an enforcement stage and a sale stage. The cost of issuing the writ and other court expenses can also be added. Ask the officer for an itemised breakdown and receipts, and compare it against the legal fee rules. See our guide to bailiff fees.
What to do now
- Do not ignore it. Fees rise at each stage, and the officer can take control of goods once the notice period has passed.
- Check the claim. Ask for the judgment and writ. If you were never served with the claim, you may be able to apply to the court to set the judgment aside.
- Contact the firm early. Offer a realistic payment plan based on an honest budget, and get any agreement in writing.
- Ask the court. If your circumstances have changed, you can apply to vary the payments, and in some cases to stop enforcement.
- Look at your options. Breathing Space, an IVA, a debt relief order or bankruptcy can stop enforcement on included debts.
- Get free advice quickly, and tell the firm if you are vulnerable.
How to complain about DCBL
Complain to DCBL first by post or at [email protected], and keep copies. DCBL says it cannot decide complaints about whether the underlying debt is valid. If you are not satisfied with its final response, or it has not dealt with your complaint fairly or on time, you can take it to the High Court Enforcement Officers Association (HCEOA), whose complaints process covers its members, and to the Enforcement Conduct Board (ECB), which has considered escalated complaints about agents and firms since 1 January 2025. The HCEOA will not review complaints about the amount owed or whether a writ is lawful, which are matters for the creditor and the court.
DCBL contact details
Direct Collection Bailiffs Ltd (DCBL)Complaints: the Complaints Officer, Direct House, Greenwood Drive, Manor Park, Runcorn, WA7 1UG
Email for complaints: [email protected]
Phone: 0203 434 6132, as listed by the HCEOA
Website: www.dcbltd.com
DCBL has offices in several places. Use the contact details on your paperwork.
We are not associated with DCBL. This information is provided to help people contact their creditors. Contact details change, so check the company’s website before you write or call. Last reviewed 11 November 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Is DCBL a bailiff company?
DCBL provides High Court enforcement and certificated agents. It enforces judgments for creditors, so its powers come from a court order.
What is a High Court writ?
It is an order that lets a High Court enforcement officer take control of goods to recover a judgment debt. It usually follows a county court judgment that was transferred up.
Can I stop a writ?
Sometimes. You can pay, agree a plan, apply to the court to set aside or vary the judgment, or use a formal solution. Get advice quickly.
Can I complain about the debt itself?
Not to DCBL. Raise that with the creditor or the court that made the judgment.