# Recommendation: Proportionate and holistic debt enforcement mechanisms



## Brendan Burgess (1 Mar 2011)

The  Debt Enforcement Office would have to ensure that any debt enforcement  mechanism is proportionate (the least restrictive and most effective)  and that the debtor is left with a minimum standard of living for  him/her and any dependants. In addition, any mechanism must be based on a  complete picture of the person’s indebtedness (the holistic approach to  debt). This ensures that an appropriate balance is made between the  creditors and the debtor in a specific case. It also means that  creditors and debtors do not become involved in the expensive, and often  fruitless, debt enforcement processes currently in place. The Debt  Enforcement Office would be able to use a wide variety of enforcement  mechanisms. These include: instalment orders, attachment of debts  orders; attachment of earnings orders; and goods seizure orders. These  can also be used in combination with each other, where appropriate.


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