Quick answer
What should you do if Rundles contacts you?
Check who instructed Rundles, the type of debt, the legal authority, current balance and deadline before deciding what to do. Rundles may be acting as a debt collector or carrying out formal enforcement using certificated enforcement agents. Depending on the stage, you may be able to pay, request an affordable arrangement, report vulnerability, correct an error or obtain advice about wider debts.
Identify the document
Check whether it is ordinary collection correspondence or a formal Notice of Enforcement.
Act during compliance
Resolving the account before a visit can avoid the enforcement-stage fee.
Do not promise too much
Prepare a realistic budget and ask for an arrangement you can maintain.
Rundles explained
Who are Rundles?
Rundles is the trading name used by Rundle & Co. Limited, an active private company registered in England and Wales under company number 03231767.
The company provides debt recovery and enforcement services to the public and private sectors. Rundles says its work includes Council Tax, business rates, road-traffic debts and commercial rent.
Rundles is not normally the council, court, landlord or original creditor. It acts on instructions from the organisation entitled to collect or enforce the debt.
Private company
Rundle & Co. Limited is the legal entity behind the Rundles trading name.
Acts for clients
Rundles recovers money on behalf of councils and other organisations.
Uses enforcement agents
Its certificated enforcement agents are commonly referred to as Rundles bailiffs.
Received a Rundles letter?
Why has Rundles contacted you?
Rundles normally contacts someone after an earlier bill, penalty, rent demand or court-related liability has remained unpaid and the account has been passed to the company.
An amount became due
This may have been Council Tax, business rates, a traffic penalty or commercial rent.
Earlier recovery took place
The creditor may have sent reminders, final notices or court documents.
Authority may have been obtained
This can include a liability order, warrant of control or another recognised power.
Rundles was instructed
The creditor transferred the account for collection or formal enforcement.
Fees may have been added
A statutory compliance fee can be added when a formal enforcement instruction is received.
Rundles issued contact
This may be a letter, text, email, call or Notice of Enforcement.
Check the original liability
What debts do Rundles collect?
| Debt type | Likely authority | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Council Tax arrears | Liability order | Council, property, tax year, liability, payments and any reduction or exemption. |
| Non-domestic business rates | Liability order | Business premises, rate period, occupation, reliefs and payments. |
| Road-traffic and parking penalties | Warrant of control | Issuing authority, vehicle registration, penalty number and warrant details. |
| Commercial rent arrears | CRAR or other process | Lease, premises, rent-only balance, notice and whether statutory CRAR conditions apply. |
| Certain court fines or warrants | Court authority | Court, fine or warrant reference and the specific powers stated on the paperwork. |
Rundles enforcement process
What stage has your Rundles case reached?
Compliance stage
Rundles receives the instruction, adds the applicable compliance fee and issues formal notice.
Payment or arrangement opportunity
You may be able to pay or secure an affordable plan before an agent attends.
Enforcement visit
If unresolved, an agent may attend and the enforcement-stage fee can be added.
Taking control of goods
Eligible goods may be listed, secured, clamped or removed under the relevant legal power.
Controlled goods agreement
Goods may remain with you subject to an agreed repayment plan and restrictions.
Sale or disposal stage
After default or failed enforcement, controlled goods may progress toward removal and sale.
Before a Rundles visit
Rundles Notice of Enforcement
A Notice of Enforcement is the formal warning normally issued before an enforcement agent takes control of goods.
It should identify the debtor, creditor, debt, enforcement authority, amount outstanding, fees, payment methods and deadline.
GOV.UK states that bailiffs must usually give at least 14 days’ notice of their first visit. Calculate the deadline carefully and act before it expires.
The correct route depends on the case
How can you stop or pause Rundles enforcement?
| Situation | Possible action | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|
| You can pay in full | Pay through an official channel | Confirm the full balance including lawful fees and keep a receipt. |
| You need instalments | Propose an affordable plan | Rundles is not required to accept every proposal; obtain written confirmation. |
| The debt or balance is wrong | Contact creditor and Rundles | A dispute or complaint does not automatically suspend enforcement. |
| The goods are not yours | Provide ownership evidence | Act quickly, especially if a vehicle has been clamped or removal is planned. |
| You are vulnerable | Contact the welfare team | Vulnerability does not automatically cancel the debt, but procedures should be reviewed. |
| You need statutory protection | Obtain regulated debt advice | Protection starts only when the legal process has formally taken effect. |
Paying Rundles
Can you arrange a Rundles payment plan?
Rundles’ customer portal states that customers can make payments, check balances, set up a payment plan and update contact details. A plan must still be accepted for the particular case.
Check the full balance
Ask for the original debt, court costs, payments and enforcement fees to be separated.
Prepare a budget
Include reliable income and essential housing, food, energy, childcare and travel costs.
Protect priority bills
Do not create new rent, mortgage, Council Tax or utility arrears to fund an unrealistic offer.
Make a sustainable proposal
Explain the payment frequency, first date and why the amount is affordable.
Request written acceptance
Confirm the instalments, due dates and whether visits are suspended while payments are maintained.
Contact Rundles before a missed payment
Explain the change immediately and request a revised arrangement rather than waiting for default.
Rundles bailiff entry rights
Can Rundles force entry?
For ordinary home visits
- You do not normally have to open the door
- You can speak through a closed door or upstairs window
- You can ask for identification and a balance breakdown
- You can make a doorstep payment without allowing entry
- Entry must normally be peaceful and through a usual means of entry
Important exceptions
- Different powers may apply for criminal fines or certain tax debts
- Business premises can be subject to different entry rules
- Re-entry can be possible after goods have already been controlled
- An unlocked door may permit peaceful entry in some circumstances
- Keeping the door locked does not protect a vehicle outside
Belongings and vehicles
What can Rundles bailiffs take?
A Rundles enforcement agent can take control only of goods that the law permits and that belong to the debtor.
Non-essential items and a debtor-owned vehicle can be at risk. Essential household items, qualifying work tools, disability equipment, domestic pets and goods owned entirely by another person are protected or outside the debtor’s ownership.
Ownership and exemption disputes are evidence-based. Receipts, bank statements, finance agreements, insurance records and vehicle documents can be important.
Statutory charges
Current Rundles bailiff fees
The applicable figures depend on when Rundles received the formal instruction. Rundles publishes both the pre-1 May 2026 and current fee scales.
| Stage | Cases received before 1 May 2026 | Cases received on or after 1 May 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Compliance | £75 fixed fee | £79 fixed fee |
| Enforcement | £235 plus 7.5% of principal debt above £1,500 | £247 plus 7.5% of principal debt above £1,900 |
| Sale or disposal | £110 plus 7.5% of principal debt above £1,500 | £116 plus 7.5% of principal debt above £1,900 |
Liability and address problems
What if the debt is wrong or the letter is for someone else?
You dispute the debt
- Contact Rundles and the original creditor immediately
- State exactly what is disputed
- Attach payment, residence or liability evidence
- Ask for the case to be placed on hold in writing
- Use the correct court or statutory challenge route where required
- Do not assume the dispute automatically stops enforcement
The named person does not live there
- Tell Rundles promptly that you are the current occupier
- Use Rundles’ new-occupier process
- Provide reasonable evidence such as a tenancy agreement
- Keep proof that your vehicle and valuable goods belong to you
- Do not pay someone else’s debt merely because it came to your address
- Keep copies of every document you send
Ask for the case to be reviewed
Rundles vulnerability support
Vulnerability can arise from health, disability, bereavement, pregnancy, mental health, age, communication needs, domestic abuse, financial shock or another circumstance that makes enforcement harder to understand or manage.
Rundles states that vulnerable customers may be assigned a Welfare Manager and that each case is considered individually.
Explain what has happened, how enforcement is affecting you, what adjustment is needed and whether another person can help you communicate.
Challenge conduct through the correct process
How to complain about Rundles
Record the facts
Note dates, times, agent names, words used, payments, witnesses and goods involved.
Preserve evidence
Keep letters, screenshots, call records, receipts, photographs and video where lawfully obtained.
Complain to Rundles
Send a clear written complaint stating the evidence and the outcome you require.
Copy the creditor
The council or other instructing organisation remains responsible for overseeing its contractor.
Request escalation
Follow Rundles’ internal stages and observe the timescale for asking for a formal review.
Consider the ECB
Eligible unresolved complaints can be submitted to the Enforcement Conduct Board within its time limits.
Rundles complaint email template
Verified company information
Rundles contact and company details
Customer contact
- Telephone
- 0800 081 6000
- Hours
- Weekdays 8am–6pm; Saturday 8am–12pm
- General email
- info@rundles.org.uk
- Postal address
- PO Box 11113, Market Harborough, Leicestershire, LE16 0JF
- Contact page
- Official Rundles contact form
Payments and account
- Portal
- Rundles customer portal
- Automated line
- 0800 081 6000, option 1
- Availability
- Online portal and automated payment line are available 24/7
- References
- Use the Rundles Reference and Client Reference shown on the letter
- Payee
- Postal payments are payable to Rundle & Co Ltd
Specialist contact
- Welfare
- welfare@rundles.org.uk
- Complaints
- complaints@rundles.org.uk
- Complaint form
- Official complaints procedure
- New occupier
- Update address records
- External complaint
- Enforcement Conduct Board
Legal company information
- Legal name
- Rundle & Co. Limited
- Company number
- 03231767
- Status
- Active private limited company
- Incorporated
- 31 July 1996
- Registered office
- 3rd Floor, 10 Lloyd’s Avenue, London, England, EC3N 3AJ
- Companies House
- View official company record
Formal protection is different from a voluntary arrangement
Can a debt solution stop Rundles?
| Option | Legal effect | Key limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Breathing Space | Temporary statutory pause | Applies only after qualifying debts are formally entered and the required notification takes effect. |
| Individual Voluntary Arrangement | Formal insolvency procedure | Not every debt qualifies, and the enforcement stage or controlled goods can affect the position. |
| Debt Management Plan | Voluntary arrangement | It does not itself legally bind Rundles, the creditor or the court to stop enforcement. |
| Direct payment arrangement | Case-specific agreement | Enforcement pauses only if Rundles or the creditor accepts the arrangement and confirms the hold. |
What to do now
Immediate Rundles action plan
Verify the contact
Use Rundles’ official number and portal rather than relying on an unexpected message link.
Identify the debt
Record the creditor, debt type, legal authority, balance and every reference.
Check the stage
Establish whether this is ordinary collection, compliance, a visit, controlled goods or removal.
Choose the correct response
Pay, propose instalments, dispute liability, prove ownership or report vulnerability as appropriate.
Protect evidence
Keep notices, receipts, budgets, ownership documents and written confirmation of every agreement.
Get debt advice early
Do not wait until goods are controlled or removed before reviewing wider debt options.
Related Bailiff Advice guides
Read the guide that matches your situation
Need help dealing with Rundles and wider debts?
Request a callback to review the enforcement stage and whether an IVA may be a suitable option for qualifying debts.
Frequently asked questions
Rundles bailiffs FAQs
Rundles is the trading name used by Rundle & Co. Limited, a private enforcement company that recovers debts for local authorities and other organisations. It is not normally the original creditor.
Rundles may carry out ordinary debt-contact work, but it also uses certificated enforcement agents, commonly called bailiffs, to enforce debts under liability orders, warrants and other legal authority. The powers available depend on the capacity in which Rundles is acting.
Rundles states that its work includes Council Tax, non-domestic business rates, road-traffic penalties and commercial rent arrears. Its own FAQ also refers to enforcing certain magistrates’ court fines and warrants. Your letter should identify the creditor, debt and enforcement reference.
A Rundles letter normally means a council, court or other organisation has instructed the company to collect or enforce an unpaid amount. Check whether it is ordinary collection correspondence or a formal Notice of Enforcement.
There is no single method that stops every case. Depending on the debt and stage, you may be able to pay, agree affordable instalments, correct an error with the creditor, prove goods belong to someone else, report vulnerability, obtain Breathing Space or consider whether a formal debt solution affects the enforcement.
Rundles provides an online account portal where customers can check balances, make payments and set up or request arrangements. Acceptance depends on the case and enforcement stage. Obtain written confirmation that the arrangement has been accepted and whether enforcement is on hold.
For ordinary Council Tax and road-traffic enforcement at a residential property, Rundles cannot normally force entry on a first visit. Different rules can apply to criminal fines, certain tax debts, business premises or re-entry after goods have already been controlled.
Rundles may clamp or remove a vehicle owned by the debtor if it is not exempt. Urgent evidence may be needed where the vehicle belongs to another person, is subject to finance, is used for qualifying disability needs or is essential for work within the statutory exemption.
For relevant cases received by the enforcement provider on or after 1 May 2026, Rundles lists fixed fees of £79 at compliance, £247 at enforcement and £116 at sale or disposal. A 7.5% fee can apply to the part of the principal debt above £1,900 at the enforcement and sale stages.
Contact Rundles promptly and explain that the named person does not live at the address. Rundles says it may ask for evidence such as a Council Tax bill, tenancy agreement, mortgage statement or recent utility bills before updating its records.
Rundles says vulnerable customers may be assigned a Welfare Manager. Contact its welfare team as early as possible, explain the effect of enforcement and provide relevant evidence where available.
Complain to Rundles in writing with the reference, dates, agent details, evidence and the outcome required. Rundles publishes complaints@rundles.org.uk and an online complaint form. After its internal process, eligible complaints may be referred to the Enforcement Conduct Board within the applicable time limit.
A qualifying debt can be entered into Breathing Space by an authorised debt adviser. Once the relevant creditor and enforcement company are correctly notified, most enforcement and additional charges for that protected debt must pause for the applicable moratorium.
An approved IVA can bind creditors for qualifying debts and may stop relevant enforcement, but it does not automatically protect every debt or reverse action already completed. The debt type, enforcement stage and whether goods have already been controlled or removed must be checked.
Official sources
Sources used for this Rundles guide
Official Rundles website
Company services, debt types and customer information.
RundlesContact details
Telephone number, opening hours, postal address and contact form.
RundlesPayment options
Portal, automated line, bank transfer, standing order and postal payments.
RundlesCustomer FAQs
Enforcement stages, fee scales, arrangements, controlled goods and welfare support.
RundlesComplaints procedure
Internal complaint stages, response targets and escalation information.
Companies HouseRundle & Co. Limited record
Company number, status, incorporation date and registered office.
GOV.UKBailiff powers when visiting
Notice, entry, identity checks, goods, payments and basic rights.
GOV.UKCurrent enforcement fees
Fixed fees and percentage thresholds effective for the current fee scale.
Enforcement Conduct BoardExternal complaint process
Eligibility, time limits and the free complaint route for accredited firms.
Speak to Bailiff Advice
Discuss the Rundles enforcement stage and whether an IVA may be suitable for your wider qualifying debts.


