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Sheriff officers rights and powers. What they can and cannot do

Sheriff officers enforce any order issued by the Sheriff Court in Scotland.

Sheriff officers are responsible for enforcing diligence. This is how creditors get their money back from you.


Read our section on court action in Scotland to learn:


  • What to do
  • How to deal with debts that are dealt with by the Scottish Court

What powers do sheriff officers have?

Sheriff officers can serve or issue court papers, either:


  • By hand or
  • First class recorded delivery

They will try to speak to you about:


  • The action being served
  • The importance of the documents
  • The process involved

Sheriff officers also enforce any diligence.

Diligence cannot begin until a ‘Charge to Pay’ or a ‘Charge for Payment’ is issued. This tells you to pay the debt in full within a set period of time, usually 14 days.

Sheriff officers start diligence to enforce:


  • The recovery of goods (like hire purchase items)
  • The recovery of money owed or
  • The repossession of your home

Sheriff officers can agree a plan to stop further action being taken. But they must only do this with consent from the lender.

Diligence can include:


  • Arresting your earnings
  • Attachment of goods
  • Arrestment of your bank account
  • Petitioning for your bankruptcy

Contact for advice if you do not know what to do.

Free multilingual debt guide

Download our free guide to help with money worries.

Our guide to debt in Scotland covers:


  • Debt collection processes
  • Where to get help
  • Budgeting
  • What to expect from a debt advice session

Download in English, Urdu, Punjabi or Polish. Find out more.

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Can a sheriff officer break into my home?

It is rare for a sheriff officer to break into your home.

They can only do this when:


  • Instructed by a court order and
  • The type of diligence is an ‘exceptional attachment of goods’

They must leave your home secure and locked if they do break in.

Before a sheriff officer visits your home:


  • They must give you at least 4 days notice before they try to gain entry
  • They can take items straight away, or let you know when they will come take them
  • They must not enter your home if the only person there is under 16 years old
  • They cannot take goods from inside or outside your home when there is proof the goods do not belong to you

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Can I complain about a sheriff officer?

You can complain if a sheriff officer treats you in an unfair way.

You cannot complain about:


  • The outcome of your case, or
  • The handling of your case

Seek legal advice if you think a mistake has been made in court with your case.

Please visit the mygov.scot website for more information on how to complain about a sheriff that you have been dealing with.

Help and advice on sheriff officers

Our dedicated team in Glasgow can offer you free, impartial advice on your options.