Direct Collection Bailiffs Ltd Reviews 2,851

TrustScore 3 out of 5

2.8

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Review summary

Created with AI, based on recent reviews

Evaluating 300 reviews, most reviewers were somewhat happy with their experience overall. Many customers praise the professionalism and efficiency of the staff, highlighting clear communication and helpfulness throughout the process. People appreciate the quick resolution of cases and the successful recovery of debts, often noting that the service exceeded their expectations. Several reviewers would readily recommend the company and use their services again for debt recovery. However, some customers report significant issues with payment processes and contact, including receiving calls at late hours and demands for payments that were already settled. There are complaints about staff being rude and unhelpful, not answering emails, or refusing to provide necessary information, leading to stress and frustration. Some people also felt that the company pursued alleged fines without proper evidence or communication, sending letters to incorrect addresses and ignoring proof of payment.

What people talk about most

Staff

People report ambiguous experiences with staff, with many customers praising individuals for being polite,... See more

Service

Clients share ambiguous opinions on service, with many reviewers praising the professionalism, efficiency,... See more

Payment

Consumers find payment to be a frustrating experience, with many reporting being pressured to pay fines they... See more

Customer service

Reviewers mention ambiguous feedback about customer service, with many expressing dissatisfaction due to... See more

Customer communications

Reviewers highlight negative aspects of contact, with many reporting issues such as unreturned calls and... See more

Reviews shaping this summary

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Has a parking fine ,look back for date , this was paid for actual parking at time , said I put zero instead of o on reg they tracked me to my address , I rang them said this was paid for ! give them... See more

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Aweful harass vulnerable adults and kids even if you have an agency supporting with debts due to DV .. they call you at late hours contiguously and all day /night was driving the other day kept Ge... See more

Company replied

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Couldn’t even show me proof of the alleged “offence”, just sent threatening letters to my house. Pathetic bunch of scammers, hope the company goes bankrupt or the government puts a stop to this crim... See more

Company replied

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Force you into a payment plan with false legal advice. Ignore a disabled persons right of advocacy. Payment plan under wrong date and say they've fixed it and haven't. Hang up when you try to explain... See more

Company replied


Company details

  1. Debt Collection Agency
  2. Bailiff
  3. Debt Collecting

About Direct Collection Bailiffs Ltd

Written by the company

DCBL is the UK’s leading provider of ethical High Court Enforcement and Debt Recovery services.

Widely recognised from the popular Channel 5 TV series “Can’t Pay? We’ll Take It Away!”, we provide effective recovery solutions to both SMEs and large corporate clients across the UK.

Backed by a 98% client retention rate, we have successfully recovered in excess of £85 million in the last 12 months.

Our dedicated team delivers a stress-free, 'One Solution' service designed to protect your reputation while securing the money you are owed.

Learn more about our debt recovery and high court enforcement expertise.

Contact info

2.8

Average

TrustScore 3 out of 5

3K reviews

5-star
4-star
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1-star

Asks customers to review

This company invites their customers to review, whether positive or negative

Replied to 49% of negative reviews

Typically takes over 1 month to reply

How this company uses Trustpilot

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2.8

All reviews

(2,851)

285 reviews in the last 12 months

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Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Brilliant quick easy transaction

Absolutely brilliant from start to finish, Tony kept us informed with every step either via email or phone call.
Quick easy painless way to resolve a debt issue, I would highly recommend if you are chasing any bad debtors.

June 9, 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Tried multiple phone calls

Tried multiple phone calls, paying online and phone call payments and all unsuccessful! never any agents available and while writing this I'm on a 30minutes on hold yet again

June 8, 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Has a parking fine ,look back for date…

Has a parking fine ,look back for date , this was paid for actual parking at time , said I put zero instead of o on reg they tracked me to my address , I rang them said this was paid for ! give them proof and took my 155 quid for a car park that was paid for , said I could put in to claim i ask for car park company they wouldn't give out , woman said we don't have Bullshit. This company needs looking in to take your money and never give any back even if you give proof robbing b_____s

May 5, 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Professional

once I placed the enquiry I was contacted and went through our requirements. Very professional service. Thank you for all your help Tony.

June 4, 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Fantastic result from DCBL

DCBL was highly efficient and I am so pleased with the result. From the date they received my instruction to payment into my account it took just 7 weeks including obtaining the high court writ which was absolutely brilliant. I cannot express my thanks enough to all members of staff. Everyone was courteous, polite and very professional and explained everything in detail before I instructed them.They also kept me informed at every stage by email and also phone call. I would highly recommend this company to everyone. A special thank you to The enforcement agent Mr Rutherford who successfully obtained the payment during the first visit, also Michael for your time given to me explaining everything in detail also Alex and Charlotte and Jamie for your efficient administration. Thank you.

June 3, 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Highly dubious firm of debt collectors

Copy of post left for ANPR 365 Ltd who evidently ‘hood wink’ DCBL to harass people to pay fictitious parking fees ……
“Hemsby, owned by the Geoffrey Watling Charity, seems to be a good place to pay a parking fee and then face months of harassment from ANPR!
Their phone still doesn’t work, they still don’t reply to emails or posted appeals and still use scare tactics to obtain money by instructing debt collectors (DBCL Ltd).
I’ve welcomed their threat of County Court action and indeed repeatedly invited them Geoffrey Watling and DBCL to set a date.
The parking lot in Hemsby had practically fallen into the sea any way so hopefully no one else can suffer on Geoffrey Watling’s or ANPR’s instructions!!”

June 3, 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Simple, quick & clear

Simple, quick process to get the process started, David Snowdon was great and explained everything really clearly. Thank you! Will definitely be using you again.

June 2, 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Trespassed then apologised.

DCBL ignored a Removal of Implied Right of Access (RIRA) which was given 3 times and ended apologising to me. In contacting me I feel they implied authority they don't have and attempted to intimidate by trespassing onto my property grounds.
People please understand this. If they don't have a Warrant or a Writ of Control or something from a court to actually support a 'bailiff' activity they are merely an admin company pestering you to pay. Debt collector and bailiff are very different things.
If you have valid ground to dispute a debt do not give in to these people and request it go to court. If you don’t want them visiting your home for a reason, you have the right to contact them and "revoke their implied right of access to your property" (google this) meaning they will be trespassing if they set foot on your property. If they then trespass by sending someone to knock your door tell them to leave, advise them they're trespassing and call the police if necessary. I respect fully there's a place for proper collection of debts from non payers however my experience is that the line of fairness was crossed with DCBL in my experience and they leaned into the realm of overreaching their actual authority.

May 19, 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Professional Service and Excellent Communication

Having used DCBL for a number of years, I have always found them to be professional and efficient.

I would particularly like to thank Stephen Hunt, who recently dealt with my case. He took the time to understand my perspective and kept me informed throughout. Although certain matters were outside of his control, I greatly appreciated the way he handled the situation and the professionalism he showed at all times.

Thank you to Stephen and the wider DCBL team for your assistance. I would not hesitate to use your services again in the future.

June 1, 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Horrible Company

Hard to believe these people are allowed to trade, Vile company, they harass the hell out of you, tried explaining that I was waiting for an appeal result, simply not interested, I was threatened on several occasions with county court judgments , they should be shut down

May 25, 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

This company has been extremely unprofessional and intimidating

This company has been extremely unprofessional to deal with.
I recently received an £80 parking fine in my name relating to an incident from over two and a half years ago. After looking into the matter, I discovered that I have never been the registered keeper or owner of the vehicle in question.
When I spoke to a representative named Amanda, I found her attitude rude, dismissive, and unnecessarily intimidating. She insisted that I contact the DVLA to find out why my details had been provided. I politely explained that it is the responsibility of your company to carry out proper investigations and obtain the correct information from the relevant authorities.
Furthermore, this parking charge was already paid over two years ago by the actual owner of the vehicle through another company. I have evidence to support this and will be happy to present it in court if necessary.
I look forward to resolving this matter properly and demonstrating the facts when the time comes. See you in court.

May 30, 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Excellent Service and Successful Results with DCBL

I had a very positive experience with DCBL. My contact was Jack Goulden, who was professional, efficient, and clear in his communication throughout the process. He handled all cases promptly and professionally, and every case was successful. The service was reliable, well-organised, and straightforward from start to finish. I would be happy to recommend DCBL to others.

May 21, 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

uncompliant and bully disabled homeless people

Every agent you speak to will tell you totally different things, be argumentative and push you into paying more than you can afford. They are hounding me despite having a blue badge and being in mental health crisis. They do not follow proper FCA procedures when you try to complain! - PLEASE NOTE IF YOU WANT TO COMPLAIN THEY TRY TO FOB YOU OFF WITH THE COLLECTIONS TEAM EMAIL BUT COMPLAINTS SHOULD BE EMAILED TO: complaints at dcbltd dot com - I hope this helps you.

May 28, 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

DCBL - trusted partners

I've used DCBL for almost two decades, and view them as trusted partners when it comes to collecting non-paying accounts. Costs are always reasonable and transparent, communications are good, and they've never failed to deliver. Always happy to recommend.

May 28, 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Excellent service from Michael Sedman…

Excellent service from Michael Sedman at DCBL. He dealt with my enforcement enquiry professionally and kept me updated throughout the process. Everything was explained clearly regarding the High Court writ and next steps for enforcement. Very responsive and helpful from start to finish. Thank you again for your assistance.

May 28, 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Michael at DCBL was excellent…

Michael at DCBL was excellent throughout the process. Professional, responsive, and very clear in all communication. He took the time to explain everything properly and dealt with matters efficiently from start to finish. I really appreciated his help and would highly recommend him and the team at DCBL. We will be using again!

May 27, 2026
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Excellent Service

Michael Sedman did excellently well in providing me with detailed information regarding instructions for DCBL from day one. I am indeed grateful for his excellent service.

May 27, 2026
Unprompted review

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