0:00:02 > 0:00:04If you're owed money, but aren't getting paid,
0:00:04 > 0:00:05it's time to call the sheriffs.
0:00:05 > 0:00:08My name's Mr Grix, my colleague and I are enforcement agents.
0:00:08 > 0:00:09I'm here to issue a High Court writ.
0:00:09 > 0:00:12I've got to do what I'm instructed to by the courts.
0:00:12 > 0:00:14They're enforcement agents of the High Court.
0:00:14 > 0:00:19And if a court's ruled in your favour - they're on your side.
0:00:20 > 0:00:21If the debtor doesn't want to pay...
0:00:21 > 0:00:25You currently owe £9,461.80.
0:00:25 > 0:00:28..the law says the sheriffs can get you what you're owed.
0:00:28 > 0:00:29If you don't come to the door
0:00:29 > 0:00:31we have to remove the vehicle off the drive.
0:00:31 > 0:00:34You'll have a week to pay in full before it gets sold at auction.
0:00:34 > 0:00:36Whether it's a small company...
0:00:36 > 0:00:38Can I speak to the person in charge please?
0:00:38 > 0:00:39..or a household name...
0:00:39 > 0:00:41We're here to see somebody from G4S.
0:00:41 > 0:00:44..if they owe you money - the sheriffs get it paid.
0:00:44 > 0:00:46I'm not going anywhere, you get him to come in here.
0:00:46 > 0:00:49We're not going to be waiting around like that, it needs to be done now.
0:00:49 > 0:00:50I just collected 42 grand.
0:00:53 > 0:00:57Coming up - when Stephen McKinnon moved to London,
0:00:57 > 0:00:59he was messed around by a lettings agent.
0:00:59 > 0:01:01'I came home one day'
0:01:01 > 0:01:04and there was another person living in the living room.
0:01:04 > 0:01:06At this point, I'd had enough.
0:01:06 > 0:01:10His deposit was never refunded. Can the sheriffs get him his money?
0:01:10 > 0:01:12As we're here now with a High Court warrant
0:01:12 > 0:01:14we have to insist on full payment.
0:01:14 > 0:01:18Mechanic Dilwyn Stoole was sold a duff second-hand engine.
0:01:18 > 0:01:20It was in a dreadful state. The sump was smashed.
0:01:20 > 0:01:22There were parts of the engine broke.
0:01:22 > 0:01:25It really wasn't the engine that these people had promised me.
0:01:25 > 0:01:28But when the sheriffs enter the scrapyard which sold it to him,
0:01:28 > 0:01:30things get nasty.
0:01:34 > 0:01:37It's a dangerous place where you are, Mr Khan.
0:01:37 > 0:01:40Tommy and Craig pay a visit to one of the country's best known
0:01:40 > 0:01:42engineering firms.
0:01:42 > 0:01:45Can they get the money owed to a former worker?
0:01:45 > 0:01:48I need to speak to someone in finance. Is that possible?
0:01:49 > 0:01:53And when a businessman claims he's stopped trading...
0:01:53 > 0:01:56- Right, when was the company dissolved?- A few weeks ago.
0:01:56 > 0:01:58..Lawrence and Kev turn detective.
0:01:58 > 0:01:59Got milk.
0:01:59 > 0:02:01And there's only one day's worth of post there.
0:02:01 > 0:02:04I would think there's potentially assets behind that shutter.
0:02:10 > 0:02:13In London, enforcement agent Ken Warby is headed
0:02:13 > 0:02:15to a lettings agents in Camden.
0:02:16 > 0:02:19We're on our way to a place called Education For London Limited,
0:02:19 > 0:02:21trading as London Homes.
0:02:21 > 0:02:25The claimant has got a judgment against them
0:02:25 > 0:02:29for withholding a tenancy deposit.
0:02:29 > 0:02:33It's just over £5,000.
0:02:33 > 0:02:35The claimant is Stephen McKinnon.
0:02:35 > 0:02:39The saga began when he moved to London from his native Scotland.
0:02:40 > 0:02:43I'm actually from Glasgow. I do like to travel.
0:02:43 > 0:02:45Lived in Greece for a while.
0:02:45 > 0:02:48Travel quite a lot to America and Europe.
0:02:48 > 0:02:49So, I decided to move to London,
0:02:49 > 0:02:51one of the biggest cities in the world.
0:02:51 > 0:02:54He'd got a new job, but needed somewhere to live
0:02:54 > 0:02:59and found property hunting in the capital a daunting experience.
0:02:59 > 0:03:01Compared to the prices back home...
0:03:01 > 0:03:05you know, I could get a mansion back home for the price of a studio here.
0:03:05 > 0:03:08Online he managed to find a two-bedroom flat-share
0:03:08 > 0:03:13he liked the look of in Belsize Park in the north-west of the city,
0:03:13 > 0:03:16and arranged a viewing with the agents - London Homes.
0:03:16 > 0:03:17Based in Camden,
0:03:17 > 0:03:21they're not to be confused with any other company of a similar name.
0:03:21 > 0:03:22The flat seemed perfect.
0:03:22 > 0:03:24It was a good size, it was a nice area that I liked.
0:03:24 > 0:03:26It was close to the Tube for work.
0:03:26 > 0:03:29The agreement was that I had my double room
0:03:29 > 0:03:31which was for my sole purpose
0:03:31 > 0:03:33and it was shared living room and separate kitchen.
0:03:33 > 0:03:36And there was another couple sharing another room
0:03:36 > 0:03:38in the property which I was fully aware of.
0:03:38 > 0:03:40By the time I got on the Tube back to work,
0:03:40 > 0:03:44I'd decided that was going to be the flat for me.
0:03:44 > 0:03:48He signed a tenancy agreement and arranged to move in.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51But the welcome into his new home, didn't go as planned.
0:03:51 > 0:03:53I got the keys on the way to work.
0:03:53 > 0:03:55And then by the time I got home it was about 1.00,
0:03:55 > 0:03:58and it was the first time I'd been in the property since I viewed it.
0:03:58 > 0:03:59And I put the key in the door
0:03:59 > 0:04:02and opened the door and the chain was locked from the inside.
0:04:02 > 0:04:06They hadn't told the other tenants who were there that I was moving in.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09It turned out to be the first in a long line of problems
0:04:09 > 0:04:11with London Homes.
0:04:11 > 0:04:12About three weeks later,
0:04:12 > 0:04:16I had someone come to the door from one of the energy companies,
0:04:16 > 0:04:18basically telling us that the bills hadn't been paid
0:04:18 > 0:04:20for the property and therefore
0:04:20 > 0:04:23they were coming to switch off the electricity and the gas.
0:04:23 > 0:04:25The bills were supposed to be paid by the agents
0:04:25 > 0:04:27as part of the contract.
0:04:27 > 0:04:29Then there were the unwelcome wake-up calls.
0:04:29 > 0:04:33Contractors coming at 8.00 in the morning,
0:04:33 > 0:04:36basically coming to do work we didn't know anything about.
0:04:36 > 0:04:38There was no warning, no nothing.
0:04:38 > 0:04:40Basically just came in with their own keys
0:04:40 > 0:04:42and started drilling holes into walls.
0:04:42 > 0:04:45Far away from home and just a month into his contract -
0:04:45 > 0:04:48Stephen was finding the flat unbearable.
0:04:49 > 0:04:52It's supposed to be a flat that I can enjoy privacy and whatever
0:04:52 > 0:04:55else and, you know, there was a lot of people in and out
0:04:55 > 0:04:58and basically just turning up as and when.
0:04:58 > 0:05:00So I was starting to panic at this point.
0:05:02 > 0:05:04And things were about to get worse.
0:05:04 > 0:05:05I came home one day
0:05:05 > 0:05:10and there was another person living in the living room.
0:05:10 > 0:05:12Yes, the agent had rented it out.
0:05:12 > 0:05:16There was now four people living in a two-bedroom flat.
0:05:16 > 0:05:18At this point, I had had enough.
0:05:18 > 0:05:22He tried to raise the issues with the agent, but with little success.
0:05:22 > 0:05:24Basically just stopped talking to me.
0:05:24 > 0:05:28They stopped replying to e-mails, they wouldn't take my calls.
0:05:28 > 0:05:31And it got to the point where I just got fed up
0:05:31 > 0:05:34and basically said to them I would really like to end the contract
0:05:34 > 0:05:35and move out the flat.
0:05:35 > 0:05:37I tried to come to some kind of agreement with them
0:05:37 > 0:05:40about the rent, they basically said that I had a contract
0:05:40 > 0:05:42and they hadn't broken their contract.
0:05:42 > 0:05:43And that that was that.
0:05:43 > 0:05:46So, I eventually just cleaned the flat, took the keys back,
0:05:46 > 0:05:49got them to sign just to say I've returned the keys
0:05:49 > 0:05:52and I moved out a month earlier than I was supposed to.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55Nevertheless, Stephen honoured his side of the contract
0:05:55 > 0:05:58and paid the final month's rent, leaving him out of pocket.
0:05:58 > 0:06:01Then there was his deposit.
0:06:01 > 0:06:03I was expecting my deposit to be returned,
0:06:03 > 0:06:07cos the flat was in the same condition as it was when I moved in.
0:06:07 > 0:06:11And I expected to receive that within maybe two or three weeks
0:06:11 > 0:06:15of moving out of the property, if not sooner.
0:06:15 > 0:06:18But...that didn't happen.
0:06:18 > 0:06:21That left him another £1,000 down.
0:06:21 > 0:06:24Time, he thought, to pay a visit to London Homes in person.
0:06:24 > 0:06:27So I decided just to go down to the agents
0:06:27 > 0:06:29and try and speak to the manager.
0:06:29 > 0:06:33The manager basically came and spoke to me.
0:06:33 > 0:06:36Halfway through the conversation, she got up and left
0:06:36 > 0:06:39and went into the back office and never returned.
0:06:39 > 0:06:41So I was sitting for about 20 minutes,
0:06:41 > 0:06:42waiting for her to come back out
0:06:42 > 0:06:45and eventually I had to ask someone else, you know, "Where is she?
0:06:45 > 0:06:47"What's happening? Is she coming back out?"
0:06:47 > 0:06:49And they told me she was in a meeting
0:06:49 > 0:06:51and wouldn't be able to continue the conversation.
0:06:51 > 0:06:54Despite a number of e-mails and calls to the office,
0:06:54 > 0:06:56Stephen never heard any more about his deposit
0:06:56 > 0:06:59which had a huge impact on him personally.
0:06:59 > 0:07:03The deposit that they had on hold for me
0:07:03 > 0:07:05would've gone onto another property.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08Not receiving that money made it very difficult
0:07:08 > 0:07:11to the fact that I ended up moving back to Scotland.
0:07:12 > 0:07:15But Stephen hadn't given up on his money.
0:07:15 > 0:07:18And after doing some research, he realised that the agents
0:07:18 > 0:07:19should have put his deposit
0:07:19 > 0:07:23into a government-backed protection scheme, only they hadn't.
0:07:23 > 0:07:27I was obviously quite angry that they hadn't followed, you know,
0:07:27 > 0:07:29followed the legal procedure that they should've done.
0:07:29 > 0:07:32So, where my money went, I don't know.
0:07:32 > 0:07:35I presume it's in the company's bank account.
0:07:35 > 0:07:38But, you know, it should've been protected for me.
0:07:38 > 0:07:41On the plus side, that meant he was entitled to compensation -
0:07:41 > 0:07:44up to three times the value of the deposit.
0:07:44 > 0:07:46The only way to get it though,
0:07:46 > 0:07:48would be to take the lettings agent to court.
0:07:48 > 0:07:50When the company didn't defend the case,
0:07:50 > 0:07:52he got the outcome he wanted.
0:07:52 > 0:07:54We then got a letter from the courts,
0:07:54 > 0:07:58basically to say that the judge had awarded the judgment in my favour,
0:07:58 > 0:08:00which was absolutely fantastic after...
0:08:00 > 0:08:04This is now nine months after I moved out of the flat.
0:08:04 > 0:08:07So, it just felt, you know, that I was getting somewhere with it.
0:08:07 > 0:08:11The court ordered that he be paid back his last month's rent,
0:08:11 > 0:08:13his deposit and compensation.
0:08:13 > 0:08:15But London Homes never paid.
0:08:15 > 0:08:17I've now contacted the sheriffs.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20And hopefully, if they do what they say that can do on their website,
0:08:20 > 0:08:24I'll be ecstatic, because they are basically my last hope.
0:08:30 > 0:08:32The company which owes Stephen money
0:08:32 > 0:08:35is actually Education For London Limited,
0:08:35 > 0:08:37which trades as London Homes
0:08:37 > 0:08:38from their office in Camden.
0:08:38 > 0:08:41Sheriff Ken Warby is on his way there now
0:08:41 > 0:08:42to try to get the debt paid
0:08:42 > 0:08:46and he's anticipating a tricky job.
0:08:46 > 0:08:47As it's an estate agents,
0:08:47 > 0:08:49chances are you're not going to get too much
0:08:49 > 0:08:52in the way of assets there.
0:08:52 > 0:08:55Usually the odd PC, bit of office equipment.
0:08:56 > 0:08:59But we'll see how it goes when we get there.
0:08:59 > 0:09:02Ken's North London patch has its unique challenges.
0:09:02 > 0:09:05There's no parking outside the business.
0:09:05 > 0:09:08Let's have a look here.
0:09:08 > 0:09:10No, no, no.
0:09:12 > 0:09:14The joys of working in London.
0:09:16 > 0:09:19There we go, yeah. We can park here.
0:09:19 > 0:09:22Ah, that's not going to happen, is it?
0:09:23 > 0:09:27- Second time around the block. - Ah, yeah.
0:09:28 > 0:09:29Bingo.
0:09:33 > 0:09:36After managing to bag a space, he heads in.
0:09:36 > 0:09:38The staff are busy with customers.
0:09:38 > 0:09:41Ken's in no mood to hang around in the queue.
0:09:43 > 0:09:46Excuse me, sir. Sorry to bother you. Is there anyone in charge here?
0:09:48 > 0:09:49I don't have an appointment, no,
0:09:49 > 0:09:51I just need to speak to the person in charge here.
0:09:54 > 0:09:57- Yes, sir, are you in charge?- No. - You're not?- No.
0:09:57 > 0:10:00There appears to be some confusion.
0:10:00 > 0:10:03Nonetheless, the man seems willing to help.
0:10:03 > 0:10:06I need to speak to someone at Education For London Limited.
0:10:06 > 0:10:07- Yeah, yeah, we are they. - That's you?- Yes.
0:10:07 > 0:10:09Right, OK, my name's Mr Warby.
0:10:09 > 0:10:13An individual called Stephen McKinnon has a judgment
0:10:13 > 0:10:18against the company for, originally, £5,146. Do you know about this?
0:10:21 > 0:10:23At first, the man says he knows nothing about the case.
0:10:23 > 0:10:25But Ken is able to jog his memory.
0:10:27 > 0:10:28You remember the name now, yes?
0:10:30 > 0:10:31Well, I'm here now for the money in full.
0:10:31 > 0:10:33So, that's where we are.
0:10:33 > 0:10:35Do you make the...
0:10:38 > 0:10:40Can you get him on the phone?
0:10:40 > 0:10:42OK, thank you.
0:10:44 > 0:10:47The boss of the company is apparently out to lunch.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50But the staff appear to be co-operative.
0:10:50 > 0:10:56They're going to get the boss on the phone and explain why I'm here.
0:10:56 > 0:10:58I've told him I need payment in full now,
0:10:58 > 0:11:00so we'll see where we go with that.
0:11:02 > 0:11:04The boss can't be reached.
0:11:04 > 0:11:07Instead, Ken is introduced to another senior staff member.
0:11:07 > 0:11:10- Hi, how are you?- Hello.
0:11:10 > 0:11:13- Hi, my name is Alejandra. - Hello, I'm Mr Warby.
0:11:13 > 0:11:17The woman says the company knew the tenant had been to court -
0:11:17 > 0:11:20but she says they didn't know the final details of the payment
0:11:20 > 0:11:23they needed to make. It also sounds like she can't pay today.
0:11:33 > 0:11:34Of course.
0:11:34 > 0:11:37The problem you've got is if you don't pay,
0:11:37 > 0:11:42I have to list the items, and organise removal of them.
0:11:42 > 0:11:45The woman is asking if they can pay in instalments.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48But Ken is holding his ground.
0:11:48 > 0:11:49The situation's this.
0:11:49 > 0:11:52As we're here now with a High Court warrant, we have to execute it.
0:11:52 > 0:11:55Unfortunately, we have to insist on full payment.
0:12:01 > 0:12:03What are you able to pay now?
0:12:05 > 0:12:07The woman does seem willing to pay -
0:12:07 > 0:12:09and with a substantial offer on the table
0:12:09 > 0:12:12and few sizeable assets to remove in the office -
0:12:12 > 0:12:14Ken is now willing to consider it.
0:12:15 > 0:12:19OK, so you make the first payment, that would be 3,270.06.
0:12:19 > 0:12:22When are you looking to clear the balance of 3,270?
0:12:24 > 0:12:25On the 16th of this month.
0:12:27 > 0:12:28Yeah, OK.
0:12:28 > 0:12:31- It will not kill me that much. - I can agree to that.
0:12:31 > 0:12:34- I can agree to it. Everyone's happy.- Yes.- That's cool.
0:12:34 > 0:12:35OK.
0:12:35 > 0:12:38They've struck a deal - and it looks like half of the money
0:12:38 > 0:12:42owed will be paid today - with the rest to follow in a week's time.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45But to be on the safe side, Ken will also get them
0:12:45 > 0:12:48to sign a controlled goods agreement for the assets here.
0:12:49 > 0:12:51I have to list items here as well and...
0:12:53 > 0:12:57In case you don't do it and then we come back.
0:12:57 > 0:12:59- LAUGHING:- Don't worry. - It's not going to happen,
0:12:59 > 0:13:02I understand that. It's just something we have to do.
0:13:02 > 0:13:04Meanwhile, the employee gives his side of the story
0:13:04 > 0:13:06of how the writ came about.
0:13:18 > 0:13:21In this case, the court clarified that Stephen was owed more
0:13:21 > 0:13:25than £5,000 - the man claims the company was never told.
0:13:36 > 0:13:40Additional fees and interest mean the bill's now more than £6,500 -
0:13:40 > 0:13:43with the company stumping up half today.
0:13:46 > 0:13:49- KEN LAUGHS - That's all right, sir, thank you.
0:13:49 > 0:13:51What a nice chap.
0:13:51 > 0:13:53- Thank you very much for being so nice about that.- Pleasure. Bye.
0:13:53 > 0:13:55Bye-bye.
0:13:55 > 0:13:58All in all, it's been a successful visit.
0:13:58 > 0:13:59That's a good deal.
0:13:59 > 0:14:02They happily paid the half, I've taken that
0:14:02 > 0:14:06and I'm pretty convinced they'll pay the balance within seven days.
0:14:07 > 0:14:09London Homes did pay the balance
0:14:09 > 0:14:13and Stephen McKinnon got his money back.
0:14:13 > 0:14:14I'd just like to say thanks to the sheriffs,
0:14:14 > 0:14:17they've done exactly what they said they'd do.
0:14:17 > 0:14:19I've received all the money that was due back to me,
0:14:19 > 0:14:21so I'm absolutely ecstatic. It's been a long year.
0:14:21 > 0:14:25His message to other people is don't be put off.
0:14:25 > 0:14:28I've done all this without any help from, you know, lawyers,
0:14:28 > 0:14:29done a lot of research myself.
0:14:29 > 0:14:33And it just shows you that if you took the time and patience,
0:14:33 > 0:14:34you know, you can win.
0:14:37 > 0:14:39If you've been ripped off
0:14:39 > 0:14:42and the person or company responsible refuses to pay you back,
0:14:42 > 0:14:46the first step is to make a claim in the County Court.
0:14:46 > 0:14:48It's simple to do this online.
0:14:48 > 0:14:51For a small fee, depending on the size of the claim,
0:14:51 > 0:14:54the court will review the evidence and if it finds in your favour,
0:14:54 > 0:14:57the debtor will be ordered to pay up.
0:14:57 > 0:15:00If they don't, then for a further £60,
0:15:00 > 0:15:02the High Court will grant a writ
0:15:02 > 0:15:05authorising the sheriffs to act on your behalf.
0:15:05 > 0:15:08If they're successful, you get all your money back.
0:15:12 > 0:15:16It's 9am and Craig Wild and Tommy Coyle are in the van
0:15:16 > 0:15:18travelling through the East Midlands.
0:15:18 > 0:15:20They're on their way to see a household name
0:15:20 > 0:15:23normally thought of as the best of British.
0:15:23 > 0:15:25Rolls-Royce, in fact.
0:15:25 > 0:15:29Rolls-Royce owes money as a result of a personal injury claim
0:15:29 > 0:15:32made by a former worker who suffered hearing loss
0:15:32 > 0:15:34from operating machinery.
0:15:34 > 0:15:37Although the company settled the majority of the claim,
0:15:37 > 0:15:39some legal costs are outstanding.
0:15:39 > 0:15:43£1,500. We're off there now to try and get the money.
0:15:43 > 0:15:46It's the aerospace division of the business
0:15:46 > 0:15:47that the sheriffs are visiting,
0:15:47 > 0:15:50but the name on the writ is just one part
0:15:50 > 0:15:52of a complex company structure.
0:15:52 > 0:15:55It's Rolls-Royce Industrial Power Engineering
0:15:55 > 0:15:58(Overseas Projects) Limited.
0:15:58 > 0:16:00So, we've done a bit of digging.
0:16:00 > 0:16:03It is, as a limited company, non-trading,
0:16:03 > 0:16:06but it's part of a group of companies belonging to Rolls-Royce.
0:16:07 > 0:16:09This'll be a massive place, mate.
0:16:09 > 0:16:12I've got a feeling it's going to be big, yeah.
0:16:12 > 0:16:16It's not long before the Rolls-Royce complex comes into view.
0:16:16 > 0:16:20- Big, old place, this, isn't it? - It's all that over there.
0:16:24 > 0:16:26We want the main reception, don't we?
0:16:28 > 0:16:29The site's huge,
0:16:29 > 0:16:34so finding the right person to deal with is not going to be easy.
0:16:34 > 0:16:36Time to start knocking on doors.
0:16:36 > 0:16:39Hello there, sir. I'm an enforcement agent.
0:16:39 > 0:16:42Can I speak to someone from finance?
0:16:42 > 0:16:45- G wing?- G wing.- How do I get there? - Turn left.- Turn left.
0:16:45 > 0:16:49- And head through this way. - Brilliant. OK, thank you very much.
0:16:51 > 0:16:54Simple, easy-to-follow directions.
0:16:54 > 0:16:58- Are you sure it's the G wing or G zone?- G something.
0:16:58 > 0:16:59G zone, G wing or something.
0:16:59 > 0:17:02- G something like that, though, isn't it?- Yeah, I think so.
0:17:02 > 0:17:04- Is it that way or this way? - This way. This way, mate.
0:17:05 > 0:17:09C wing, this is. I'm sure he said G wing.
0:17:09 > 0:17:11- Well, we'll try.- We'll ask in here.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15It's just...it's getting through to the right person, isn't it?
0:17:15 > 0:17:19- Somewhere this big.- These places always are, aren't they?
0:17:19 > 0:17:22Hello there. I need to speak to someone in finance.
0:17:22 > 0:17:23Is that possible?
0:17:25 > 0:17:27I don't think they do, no.
0:17:27 > 0:17:29They're not going to know I'm here, no.
0:17:32 > 0:17:34Thank you.
0:17:35 > 0:17:39Despite being in the wrong wing, the sheriffs are offered a seat
0:17:39 > 0:17:41and promised someone will come along to deal with them.
0:17:41 > 0:17:46I think he's finding whoever authorised that initial payment.
0:17:46 > 0:17:48They'll be aware of the payment, hopefully,
0:17:48 > 0:17:50and then they can just sort out the balance.
0:17:50 > 0:17:54As an £11,500 payment's already been made towards the claim,
0:17:54 > 0:17:57the guys are hoping the finance department
0:17:57 > 0:18:01will know the details of the case, but it might not be that simple.
0:18:01 > 0:18:04Most people go, "Yeah, I remember him cos it's 11.5 Gs,"
0:18:04 > 0:18:06but 11.5 Gs to these is small change.
0:18:07 > 0:18:10Moments later, we're asked to stop filming...
0:18:12 > 0:18:14..and we have to leave.
0:18:17 > 0:18:20After an hour of talking to various company representatives,
0:18:20 > 0:18:23Craig comes outside to update us.
0:18:23 > 0:18:24As we thought,
0:18:24 > 0:18:27we've had to go through several layers of the hierarchy.
0:18:27 > 0:18:29They've found the details.
0:18:29 > 0:18:33The majority of the actual payment was made by Rolls-Royce's insurers.
0:18:33 > 0:18:38However, they've neglected to pay the court costs for the claimant.
0:18:39 > 0:18:41As the matter was being dealt with by its insurers,
0:18:41 > 0:18:45the Rolls-Royce staff are unsure why it hadn't been settled in full,
0:18:45 > 0:18:49but they've agreed to look into it and an hour and a half later,
0:18:49 > 0:18:51Tommy and Craig are back.
0:18:51 > 0:18:55It's all about talking to the right person and going up the chain.
0:18:55 > 0:18:58Yeah, we took some time, eventually got the company lawyer down.
0:18:58 > 0:19:00He agreed this needs to be paid.
0:19:01 > 0:19:04And now it has been, in full.
0:19:04 > 0:19:07It's another successful result for the sheriffs.
0:19:09 > 0:19:10If we have the writ,
0:19:10 > 0:19:14the court's saying you have to pay it, and you will pay it.
0:19:15 > 0:19:19Rolls-Royce told us, "Once we were made aware of the oversight
0:19:19 > 0:19:21"that led to the non-payment in this case, we..."
0:19:44 > 0:19:46High Court enforcement agents are no strangers
0:19:46 > 0:19:48to a bit of detective work.
0:19:48 > 0:19:51Unsurprisingly, some debtors aren't keen to pay up
0:19:51 > 0:19:54and it's down to the sheriffs to do whatever they can
0:19:54 > 0:19:56to track down their assets.
0:19:58 > 0:20:01They don't yet know it, but in Kent this morning,
0:20:01 > 0:20:04Lawrence and Kev have just such a day ahead of them.
0:20:05 > 0:20:10We're going to Mid Kent Generators looking for £6,960 this morning.
0:20:11 > 0:20:14The money is owed to a supplier, which rented equipment
0:20:14 > 0:20:17to Mid Kent Generators and took the company to court
0:20:17 > 0:20:19when they didn't get paid.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22A judgment was awarded in their favour,
0:20:22 > 0:20:24but as they still didn't get their money back,
0:20:24 > 0:20:27the sheriffs are going to pay Mid Kent Generators a visit.
0:20:29 > 0:20:30But as they get near,
0:20:30 > 0:20:32it doesn't look like the address on the writ
0:20:32 > 0:20:34is leading to a commercial premises.
0:20:36 > 0:20:38So, it is residential, then.
0:20:38 > 0:20:41Looking for a company but at a residential.
0:20:41 > 0:20:44It's not...it's not great.
0:20:44 > 0:20:48You wouldn't have thought there was potentially any assets here.
0:20:48 > 0:20:50Mind you, at least we're here sort of early enough
0:20:50 > 0:20:53that we might catch him.
0:20:53 > 0:20:54It's not a good start.
0:20:54 > 0:20:57This looks like the company director's house,
0:20:57 > 0:21:00and any assets will probably belong to him personally,
0:21:00 > 0:21:01not the debtor company.
0:21:05 > 0:21:06At least someone is in.
0:21:07 > 0:21:10Morning. I'm looking for Mid Kent Generators.
0:21:13 > 0:21:15Um, is it Mr Monger, the director?
0:21:15 > 0:21:16My name's Mr Grix.
0:21:16 > 0:21:19I'm an enforcement agent, as is my colleague.
0:21:19 > 0:21:22We've got a High Court writ against Mid Kent Generators.
0:21:22 > 0:21:24But Mr Monger says he doesn't recognise
0:21:24 > 0:21:26the name of the company that's taken him to court.
0:21:28 > 0:21:29No idea who they are?
0:21:29 > 0:21:32Right, well, we've got a High Court writ in their favour
0:21:32 > 0:21:35and we're ordered out today to take control of goods
0:21:35 > 0:21:37to the value of £6,960.48.
0:21:38 > 0:21:41The company has been dissolved?
0:21:41 > 0:21:43Right. When was the company dissolved?
0:21:45 > 0:21:48A bad start has got even worse.
0:21:48 > 0:21:51They've found the director, but if the company is defunct,
0:21:51 > 0:21:53it might be the end of the road.
0:21:53 > 0:21:57Lawrence, however, isn't going to give up without some proof.
0:21:57 > 0:22:00So, can you evidence that the company has got no money?
0:22:00 > 0:22:03Company bank accounts? Something like that?
0:22:03 > 0:22:06- Have you got evidence that it was dissolved?- No.
0:22:06 > 0:22:08Have you got your dissolution paperwork? No?
0:22:09 > 0:22:12Mr Monger seems vague on the details,
0:22:12 > 0:22:14so Lawrence fills him in.
0:22:14 > 0:22:16I'll tell you what it's about cos we've got notes here.
0:22:16 > 0:22:20Hire of four generators at different sites in Kent and Surrey,
0:22:20 > 0:22:23court costs, interest and returned cheque fees.
0:22:23 > 0:22:25So, you've obviously bounced cheques on him,
0:22:25 > 0:22:29so you can't say you don't know what it's all about, I'm afraid.
0:22:29 > 0:22:32Mr Monger now says he does know about the case,
0:22:32 > 0:22:35but that he knew the claimant company under a different name.
0:22:35 > 0:22:38He says he thought the court case against him had been dropped.
0:22:38 > 0:22:40Have you got paperwork to that effect?
0:22:42 > 0:22:44Do you want to see if you can find that?
0:22:46 > 0:22:49The man disappears inside to look for his court documents.
0:22:49 > 0:22:51In the meantime, Lawrence checks the status
0:22:51 > 0:22:54of Mid Kent Generators on the internet.
0:22:55 > 0:22:59Oh, no, it's not dissolved. The company's house is still live.
0:23:00 > 0:23:04When Mr Monger returns, he says he can't find the paperwork,
0:23:04 > 0:23:07but is still adamant that the company has ceased trading
0:23:07 > 0:23:09three weeks ago and has no assets.
0:23:11 > 0:23:14The only thing here is an old VW Golf
0:23:14 > 0:23:16that probably doesn't belong to the company,
0:23:16 > 0:23:20and certainly isn't worth enough to cover the seven grand he owes.
0:23:21 > 0:23:24Getting nowhere, Lawrence decides to give the man some time
0:23:24 > 0:23:26to prove his side of the story.
0:23:26 > 0:23:28Right, well, I'll give you that.
0:23:28 > 0:23:31- It's got my contact details on it... - Yeah.- ..down the bottom there.- OK.
0:23:31 > 0:23:36You need to send any evidence you've got with regards to assets,
0:23:36 > 0:23:37what have you.
0:23:37 > 0:23:40OK, I'll give you five days to get that sorted. OK?
0:23:40 > 0:23:43- Thank you.- Bye-bye.
0:23:44 > 0:23:47But Lawrence isn't done with Mid Kent Generators
0:23:47 > 0:23:49for today just yet.
0:23:49 > 0:23:51He's not sure he's getting the full story
0:23:51 > 0:23:54and wants to make some further investigations.
0:23:54 > 0:23:55It was all very evasive.
0:23:55 > 0:23:59He's saying the company's liquidated, which it isn't.
0:23:59 > 0:24:03He has no assets, no money. He can't evidence any of that at the moment.
0:24:03 > 0:24:06Mr Monger might not have given much away,
0:24:06 > 0:24:10but he did provide an address which he says his company traded from.
0:24:10 > 0:24:13What he doesn't know is that Lawrence's notes also include
0:24:13 > 0:24:15a second address, which he didn't mention.
0:24:17 > 0:24:21Although it's a 50-mile round trip, Lawrence wants to check them out,
0:24:21 > 0:24:25starting with the address that Mr Monger didn't volunteer.
0:24:25 > 0:24:26There we go.
0:24:26 > 0:24:28The address leads them to a trading estate,
0:24:28 > 0:24:32but the unit in question seems to have someone else's name on it.
0:24:32 > 0:24:34Yeah, that's not it.
0:24:34 > 0:24:37That's an empty unit being refurbished, isn't it?
0:24:38 > 0:24:39He's gone from here.
0:24:39 > 0:24:43But we now know it's definitely not here.
0:24:43 > 0:24:45So far, the man's story is holding up
0:24:45 > 0:24:48and the road trip might be a waste of time.
0:24:48 > 0:24:50Still, they head to the second address -
0:24:50 > 0:24:54the one Mr Monger did give them - hoping for better luck.
0:24:54 > 0:24:55- All right, at the back.- The end one.
0:24:55 > 0:24:57When they arrived,
0:24:57 > 0:25:00Lawrence immediately spots something suspicious.
0:25:00 > 0:25:02Got milk.
0:25:02 > 0:25:04There's fresh milk at the door.
0:25:04 > 0:25:07And there's only one day's worth of post there.
0:25:07 > 0:25:08He's coming here.
0:25:08 > 0:25:11And the milkman wouldn't keep delivering.
0:25:11 > 0:25:14If he sees an empty unit and doesn't get paid,
0:25:14 > 0:25:16he's not going to keep coming here and delivering milk.
0:25:16 > 0:25:19If he's not actually trading out of here,
0:25:19 > 0:25:23he's certainly coming back here on a fairly regular basis, I would say,
0:25:23 > 0:25:26and there could well be some assets in there.
0:25:29 > 0:25:33Although there's nothing valuable visible through the windows,
0:25:33 > 0:25:35Lawrence needs to know for sure,
0:25:35 > 0:25:37so he goes on the hunt for more evidence.
0:25:39 > 0:25:42Mid Kent Generators - is he still running out of next door?
0:25:42 > 0:25:46The man in the neighbouring unit says that they have indeed gone.
0:25:46 > 0:25:48All right. Cheers.
0:25:48 > 0:25:50It sounds like the company has stopped trading,
0:25:50 > 0:25:52just like Mr Monger said,
0:25:52 > 0:25:54but Lawrence isn't giving up altogether
0:25:54 > 0:25:56on the hope of finding something.
0:25:56 > 0:25:59He may not be running out of here,
0:25:59 > 0:26:03but, you know, three weeks, sold all his assets?
0:26:03 > 0:26:04It's unlikely.
0:26:07 > 0:26:10But in the end, Lawrence never needs to discover
0:26:10 > 0:26:12whether the company still has any assets.
0:26:12 > 0:26:14Their visit to Mr Monger earlier
0:26:14 > 0:26:16appears to have prompted him into action.
0:26:16 > 0:26:18Soon afterwards, he enters a payment plan
0:26:18 > 0:26:21in order to clear his debt to the supplier.
0:26:26 > 0:26:29Mr Monger told us that at the time of the sheriffs' visit,
0:26:29 > 0:26:32he believed the court case against Mid Kent Generators
0:26:32 > 0:26:34had been discontinued.
0:26:34 > 0:26:36He says the company didn't have any assets
0:26:36 > 0:26:38and was being dissolved,
0:26:38 > 0:26:41but the process hadn't yet completed.
0:26:41 > 0:26:42And he says...
0:26:50 > 0:26:53Sheriffs are now officially known as High Court enforcement agents
0:26:53 > 0:26:56and they'll collect the money you're owed.
0:26:56 > 0:26:59My job is to collect in full or remove goods.
0:26:59 > 0:27:02They've got more powers of entry than bailiffs...
0:27:02 > 0:27:05We don't have to take any notice of your security protocol, I'm afraid.
0:27:05 > 0:27:08..and there's no limit on the size of the debts they can pursue.
0:27:08 > 0:27:10£1.6 million.
0:27:10 > 0:27:13Their fees are set by the government,
0:27:13 > 0:27:16which debtors have to pay on top of what they already owe.
0:27:16 > 0:27:18Thank you very much. See you later.
0:27:18 > 0:27:21If the sheriffs can't recover any of your money,
0:27:21 > 0:27:24there's a fee of £75 plus VAT.
0:27:32 > 0:27:34All too often, the sheriffs deal with cases
0:27:34 > 0:27:38where there's more than one company trading from the same address.
0:27:38 > 0:27:40Debts owed by companies like these
0:27:40 > 0:27:43are among the hardest for the sheriffs to collect,
0:27:43 > 0:27:47as it can be difficult to determine which business owns the assets.
0:27:47 > 0:27:49In Manchester, Sheriff Alan Pennington
0:27:49 > 0:27:52is about to become embroiled in just such a case.
0:27:52 > 0:27:54Yeah, I'm off to serve a High Court writ.
0:27:54 > 0:27:59The company's called Sal-Ford & Vauxhall Limited.
0:27:59 > 0:28:01Sal-Ford & Vauxhall,
0:28:01 > 0:28:04which has no connection to the car manufacturer Vauxhall,
0:28:04 > 0:28:09owes £2,500, but the chances of getting paid aren't looking good.
0:28:09 > 0:28:12The company has applied to be dissolved.
0:28:12 > 0:28:16Alan has been to visit once already, but found it shut.
0:28:16 > 0:28:18We did leave a letter at the first instance.
0:28:18 > 0:28:20We've had no reply from that letter.
0:28:20 > 0:28:23Whether they've actually been back to the premises
0:28:23 > 0:28:25since we went the first time, I'm unsure,
0:28:25 > 0:28:29but it's one of those cases where we need to really make contact
0:28:29 > 0:28:31to try and get this resolved for the claimant.
0:28:33 > 0:28:37That claimant is lifelong mechanic Dilwyn Stoole
0:28:37 > 0:28:39from Newport in South Wales.
0:28:39 > 0:28:41He came into contact with Sal-Ford & Vauxhall
0:28:41 > 0:28:43when he was looking for a new engine
0:28:43 > 0:28:46for a second-hand car he was fixing up.
0:28:46 > 0:28:48I bought a Fiesta which had an engine problem.
0:28:48 > 0:28:51It was overheating, so, obviously, we had to replace the engine,
0:28:51 > 0:28:54so I thought, "Well, I'll put a nice, low-mileage engine in
0:28:54 > 0:28:56"and it'll last me a few years."
0:28:56 > 0:28:59To find the engine he wanted, he posted on internet forums
0:28:59 > 0:29:01and received a number of offers,
0:29:01 > 0:29:03but one particular engine stood out -
0:29:03 > 0:29:06from a dealer based in the Manchester area.
0:29:06 > 0:29:1031,000 miles. Came out of a very modern vehicle.
0:29:10 > 0:29:14Despite having lower quotes, I picked Sal-Ford & Vauxhall
0:29:14 > 0:29:16because they promised me this engine was a low-mileage,
0:29:16 > 0:29:18clean, tidy engine.
0:29:18 > 0:29:23Dilwyn paid £705 to Sal-Ford & Vauxhall for a new engine
0:29:23 > 0:29:24in exchange for his old one,
0:29:24 > 0:29:28and within a few days, a van arrived with the new engine.
0:29:28 > 0:29:30The minute he dropped the pallet on the floor
0:29:30 > 0:29:33and I took off the wrapping, the engine was in a dreadful state.
0:29:33 > 0:29:36The sump was smashed. There were parts of the engine broke.
0:29:36 > 0:29:38I've taken a video which proves the problems.
0:29:38 > 0:29:41- ON VIDEO:- 'The gold plug is snapped in the block
0:29:41 > 0:29:43'and the injector is totally loose.'
0:29:43 > 0:29:45There was no vacuum pump on it.
0:29:45 > 0:29:49'This engine supposedly has done 30,000 miles
0:29:49 > 0:29:51'and this is a clutch we've taken out of it,
0:29:51 > 0:29:54'and as you can see, it's on the rivets.'
0:29:54 > 0:29:57I honestly think this engine had done 130,000 miles.
0:29:57 > 0:29:59It was almost a scrap engine.
0:29:59 > 0:30:02It really wasn't the engine that these people had promised me.
0:30:02 > 0:30:06Dilwyn wasted no time in ringing up Sal-Ford & Vauxhall to complain
0:30:06 > 0:30:08and spoke to a woman there.
0:30:08 > 0:30:11The initial response was, "Oh, we must have sent you the wrong engine.
0:30:11 > 0:30:13"We're just a depot here.
0:30:13 > 0:30:15"Where the engine was was a different building."
0:30:15 > 0:30:17And I said, "Well, I was really disappointed
0:30:17 > 0:30:19"and rejecting the engine."
0:30:19 > 0:30:24I told her straight, "This isn't the engine we talked about
0:30:24 > 0:30:26"and, you know, I don't want it."
0:30:26 > 0:30:30Dilwyn thought the dealer would send him a complete replacement,
0:30:30 > 0:30:32and sure enough, a few days later, there was a delivery,
0:30:32 > 0:30:35but it wasn't what he was expecting.
0:30:35 > 0:30:38On the Wednesday or the Thursday, some parts arrived,
0:30:38 > 0:30:40which were the parts I'd described to her as being broken.
0:30:40 > 0:30:42I immediately got on the phone to her and said,
0:30:42 > 0:30:46you know, that wasn't enough. I needed for the engine to go back.
0:30:46 > 0:30:48After a few days of bickering and barking,
0:30:48 > 0:30:51she promised that the engine would be picked back up.
0:30:51 > 0:30:53A week later, it hadn't been.
0:30:54 > 0:30:58And that was the start of a pattern which kept repeating.
0:30:58 > 0:31:01Another week went by, the engine hadn't been picked up.
0:31:01 > 0:31:02Back on the phone again.
0:31:02 > 0:31:04She explained there was another problem -
0:31:04 > 0:31:06the van wouldn't come down the lane.
0:31:06 > 0:31:09The excuses Sal-Ford & Vauxhall made were absolutely ridiculous.
0:31:09 > 0:31:12In the end, the woman at Sal-Ford & Vauxhall
0:31:12 > 0:31:14came up with a new solution.
0:31:14 > 0:31:18She said the best thing to do would be to send it back at my expense.
0:31:18 > 0:31:20- I said, "Well, at my expense?" - HE LAUGHS
0:31:20 > 0:31:23And she said, "Yeah, it's not a problem.
0:31:23 > 0:31:26"We'll refund you with the full refund.
0:31:26 > 0:31:28"We'll give you the cost of whatever it cost
0:31:28 > 0:31:31"to send the engine back," which I did.
0:31:31 > 0:31:35Dilwyn was now £755 down
0:31:35 > 0:31:37and still didn't have a working engine for his van.
0:31:37 > 0:31:40Eventually, a cheque arrived from Sal-Ford & Vauxhall,
0:31:40 > 0:31:45but for just £250, so Dilwyn refused to cash it,
0:31:45 > 0:31:48holding out for the full refund he'd been promised.
0:31:48 > 0:31:51I was really, really polite. I wasn't going to wind anybody up.
0:31:51 > 0:31:52I wanted somebody to help me,
0:31:52 > 0:31:55but I was just fobbed off week after week after week.
0:31:55 > 0:31:58It was promises and the engine wasn't forthcoming.
0:31:58 > 0:32:00It was never going to come.
0:32:00 > 0:32:02So, I'm probably into this the best part of a grand now.
0:32:02 > 0:32:05I'm thinking, "Whatever. Now I've got to go all the way."
0:32:05 > 0:32:07So, I did.
0:32:07 > 0:32:09Dilwyn filed a claim against Sal-Ford & Vauxhall
0:32:09 > 0:32:10in the County Court.
0:32:10 > 0:32:12It's something he'd never done before
0:32:12 > 0:32:16and was pleasantly surprised by the process.
0:32:16 > 0:32:17It's so easy to do that.
0:32:17 > 0:32:19On a computer, it takes a couple of hours.
0:32:19 > 0:32:22Don't ever be afraid to take anybody to County Court.
0:32:22 > 0:32:24But while winning the case against the dealer in court
0:32:24 > 0:32:26proved to be easy...
0:32:26 > 0:32:28They didn't even turn up. They had no defence.
0:32:28 > 0:32:30They didn't even bother going to court.
0:32:30 > 0:32:32..getting the money back wasn't.
0:32:32 > 0:32:34I won by default. They've lost the case
0:32:34 > 0:32:37and they're still not forthcoming with the money,
0:32:37 > 0:32:40so I'm really annoyed to think that this guy has supplied me
0:32:40 > 0:32:43with an engine that wasn't what he said it was.
0:32:43 > 0:32:44He's taken my money,
0:32:44 > 0:32:47he's made me send it back at my expense
0:32:47 > 0:32:48and now he's doing a runner.
0:32:48 > 0:32:51And that's why the next step for Dilwyn
0:32:51 > 0:32:53has been to enlist the help of the sheriffs.
0:32:53 > 0:32:54You can ignore letters.
0:32:54 > 0:32:57You can't ignore someone who's there with an order
0:32:57 > 0:33:00and a bit of authority, you know, so...
0:33:00 > 0:33:02I've seen the programmes and I've watched the sheriffs in action
0:33:02 > 0:33:04and I'm still hoping that
0:33:04 > 0:33:06the sheriffs can go in there and retrieve my money, yes.
0:33:17 > 0:33:20Sheriff Alan Pennington is en route to Sal-Ford & Vauxhall,
0:33:20 > 0:33:25and after his previous visit, has got some idea of what to expect.
0:33:25 > 0:33:28It presents itself as a very large area
0:33:28 > 0:33:30of scrap cars and metal.
0:33:30 > 0:33:34Both main gates to the premises were padlocked.
0:33:34 > 0:33:37As the company has applied for dissolution,
0:33:37 > 0:33:39it might no longer be trading,
0:33:39 > 0:33:43but there are some indications it's not all over just yet.
0:33:43 > 0:33:46I spoke to a neighbour from a local business
0:33:46 > 0:33:48who basically said they come and go.
0:33:48 > 0:33:52They're not always there each day. They arrive at different times.
0:33:52 > 0:33:55Alan's determined to get Dilwyn's money back
0:33:55 > 0:33:57before the company dissolution is completed
0:33:57 > 0:34:01and its assets are gone, but will today be his day?
0:34:01 > 0:34:03Looks like the gates are padlocked again.
0:34:07 > 0:34:11Or maybe they're not. Let's just have a quick look.
0:34:14 > 0:34:15It's open.
0:34:15 > 0:34:19The gates are open after all, so Alan is allowed to go in.
0:34:19 > 0:34:20Hello?
0:34:22 > 0:34:24Hello?
0:34:24 > 0:34:26At first, there's no sign of life,
0:34:26 > 0:34:29but then a man appears, keeping his back to our camera.
0:34:29 > 0:34:32Oh, hello, sir. Looking for Mr Khan.
0:34:34 > 0:34:36Mr Khan.
0:34:40 > 0:34:42This is Sal-Ford & Vauxhall Limited, yeah?
0:34:45 > 0:34:47Can you get him on the phone for me?
0:34:47 > 0:34:50I'm from the High Court. I've got a High Court writ.
0:34:52 > 0:34:53Thank you.
0:34:53 > 0:34:55Although Dilwyn applied for a writ
0:34:55 > 0:34:57in the name of Sal-Ford & Vauxhall Limited,
0:34:57 > 0:35:01the company's full name is Sal-Ford & Vauxhall Spares Limited.
0:35:01 > 0:35:03- Mr Khan is its owner. - Is he coming, bud?
0:35:05 > 0:35:06Is he coming?
0:35:06 > 0:35:08Thank you.
0:35:08 > 0:35:10Alan's on the phone when Mr Khan arrives.
0:35:13 > 0:35:15I'll explain to you in a minute, sir.
0:35:17 > 0:35:20Mr Khan asks our cameraman to leave.
0:35:20 > 0:35:21Put the camera down.
0:35:22 > 0:35:25He tells Alan the business here is a different company
0:35:25 > 0:35:28and he's got the documents to prove it.
0:35:29 > 0:35:32He then marches him off the premises.
0:35:51 > 0:35:53- You go and get me your proof. - I will.
0:35:53 > 0:35:55Obstructing the work of a High Court enforcement agent
0:35:55 > 0:35:58is illegal and Alan gets straight on the phone.
0:36:00 > 0:36:04Hello, sir. My name's Mr Pennington from the High Court Sheriffs Office.
0:36:04 > 0:36:05Can I have the police, please?
0:36:08 > 0:36:10It's 1A Sutherland Street.
0:36:10 > 0:36:12Meanwhile, Mr Khan walks off.
0:36:13 > 0:36:16Just basically told me to get out of the property
0:36:16 > 0:36:19and for my own safety, I did that, but he manhandled me out.
0:36:21 > 0:36:24Thanks very much. Thanks for your time. Bye-bye. Bye.
0:36:24 > 0:36:27And Alan isn't impressed by Mr Khan's behaviour.
0:36:27 > 0:36:29He wasn't prepared to listen to me.
0:36:29 > 0:36:32He was being abusive and basically escorted me out,
0:36:32 > 0:36:34manhandling me to the gate.
0:36:34 > 0:36:36He's then left
0:36:36 > 0:36:38and there are two other people still in the property.
0:36:38 > 0:36:41I've called for the police cos as far as I'm concerned,
0:36:41 > 0:36:43I've been assaulted whilst doing my duty,
0:36:43 > 0:36:48and whether we speak to Mr Khan today again, I'm not sure.
0:36:48 > 0:36:50The company which sold Dilwyn the duff engine
0:36:50 > 0:36:52is based at this scrapyard,
0:36:52 > 0:36:56but it sounds like Mr Khan might have a second company here too.
0:36:56 > 0:36:59Finding out whether any assets belong to the debtor -
0:36:59 > 0:37:02Sal-Ford & Vauxhall - could be tricky.
0:37:02 > 0:37:06Now Mr Khan's returned brandishing some paperwork.
0:37:06 > 0:37:09I'll speak to you, Mr Khan, when the police arrive, OK?
0:37:09 > 0:37:13- Take my number.- You've assaulted... - I assaulted nobody.- Yes, you have.
0:37:13 > 0:37:15No, I haven't. I asked you to leave the premises.
0:37:15 > 0:37:16You've assaulted me, manhandled me.
0:37:16 > 0:37:19You've assaulted me and manhandled me out of the premises.
0:37:19 > 0:37:22- I escorted you out.- No, you didn't. - It's a dangerous place, mate.
0:37:22 > 0:37:24You can't be in there. That's why the gate's shut.
0:37:24 > 0:37:26It's a dangerous place where you are, Mr Khan,
0:37:26 > 0:37:28because you assaulted me
0:37:28 > 0:37:30- and forced me out of the premises. - I barely touched you.
0:37:30 > 0:37:34Alan doesn't want to speak to Mr Khan without the police present,
0:37:34 > 0:37:38but they still haven't arrived and Mr Khan's come back for more.
0:37:38 > 0:37:41- You opened that gate and walked in. - That's right. It wasn't locked.
0:37:41 > 0:37:44- You're not allowed to do that. - I'm entitled to move in.
0:37:44 > 0:37:47- If it's open, I'll walk in peacefully.- It's a dangerous place.
0:37:47 > 0:37:48You've come to the wrong place.
0:37:48 > 0:37:50I even told you you have the wrong place
0:37:50 > 0:37:52and I've asked you nicely,
0:37:52 > 0:37:55"Come to my office and we can speak about this," but no.
0:37:55 > 0:37:58What's all that about? I've got things to do.
0:37:58 > 0:38:01- Leave, then.- I'm telling you, take my number, give me a call.
0:38:01 > 0:38:03No, I'm going to deal with you here.
0:38:03 > 0:38:07- Right, there's the stuff you need. - Let's see.- OK?
0:38:07 > 0:38:11Mr Khan hands over paperwork relating to his second company -
0:38:11 > 0:38:13Sal-Ford Auto Spares Limited -
0:38:13 > 0:38:16including invoices for some of the items in the yard.
0:38:16 > 0:38:19There's an invoice for Sal-Ford Auto Spares.
0:38:19 > 0:38:20That's the company here.
0:38:20 > 0:38:23Everything in there is owned by that company.
0:38:23 > 0:38:26So, if you go and touch anything, it's going to be illegal, isn't it?
0:38:26 > 0:38:29OK? Thank you very much. Thank you.
0:38:29 > 0:38:31Thank you. Goodbye.
0:38:32 > 0:38:35With that, Mr Khan makes his exit.
0:38:35 > 0:38:37You've got my number.
0:38:37 > 0:38:41The gates to the yard are locked and the police never turned up,
0:38:41 > 0:38:43which means Alan's hands are tied.
0:38:43 > 0:38:45There's nothing we can do at this stage.
0:38:45 > 0:38:48I've only gone in the premises this morning because the gates were open.
0:38:48 > 0:38:50Those gates have now been locked
0:38:50 > 0:38:53and I don't have right of access unless the court allow me,
0:38:53 > 0:38:55so I'll take direction from the office
0:38:55 > 0:38:59over the next few weeks and we go from there, really.
0:38:59 > 0:39:03The sheriffs now know this case is going to be tough to enforce.
0:39:03 > 0:39:05It's likely Sal-Ford & Vauxhall Spares Limited
0:39:05 > 0:39:08has few, if any, assets left.
0:39:09 > 0:39:12Also, as Dilwyn didn't use the company's full name
0:39:12 > 0:39:14when he took them to court,
0:39:14 > 0:39:16the sheriffs are now concerned the debtor will use that
0:39:16 > 0:39:18as yet another excuse not to pay.
0:39:20 > 0:39:22They've advised Dilwyn to apply for a new writ,
0:39:22 > 0:39:25but instead, he's decided to let the matter go.
0:39:27 > 0:39:29It was disappointing. Just annoyed to think
0:39:29 > 0:39:32this man has got away with what he's got away with.
0:39:32 > 0:39:33Although Mr Khan
0:39:33 > 0:39:36remains the owner of Sal-Ford & Vauxhall Spares Limited,
0:39:36 > 0:39:37he told us that...
0:39:55 > 0:39:58In North London, Ken is on his way to a heavy-duty job.
0:39:58 > 0:40:01He's chasing a debt owed by a company
0:40:01 > 0:40:04specialising in construction machinery.
0:40:04 > 0:40:06We're going to Hunter Plant Hire Limited.
0:40:06 > 0:40:10Hunter Plant Hire has tried to sue a demolition company
0:40:10 > 0:40:13for unpaid invoices, but the case was dismissed.
0:40:13 > 0:40:16They were ordered to pay their opponents' legal costs,
0:40:16 > 0:40:19but haven't, so now it's down to Ken to collect.
0:40:19 > 0:40:22This one is quite a chunky one.
0:40:22 > 0:40:26Around about 14 and a half grand after our fees.
0:40:28 > 0:40:32Nevertheless, he's hopeful of finding enough assets to cover it.
0:40:32 > 0:40:34Should be plenty of stuff there, I would imagine.
0:40:34 > 0:40:36Heavy plant, for one.
0:40:37 > 0:40:39Small office, loads of plant machinery.
0:40:40 > 0:40:43When he arrives, it's just as he imagined.
0:40:44 > 0:40:47And here we are.
0:40:47 > 0:40:48Ken heads into the office.
0:40:51 > 0:40:52- Hello.- Hello.
0:40:52 > 0:40:54Hello. I need to speak to the person in charge.
0:40:54 > 0:40:58PHONE RINGS The boss has made an appearance...
0:40:58 > 0:40:59Hello, sir.
0:40:59 > 0:41:02..so Ken explains he's here with a writ.
0:41:02 > 0:41:04It's regarding a judgment against Hunter Plant Hire.
0:41:04 > 0:41:08It was for £12,500,
0:41:08 > 0:41:11which has now gone up, with our fees.
0:41:11 > 0:41:13But the boss has a different take on events.
0:41:22 > 0:41:25The boss asks our cameraman to leave.
0:41:30 > 0:41:33Ken remains inside to negotiate.
0:41:34 > 0:41:38Shortly afterwards, he comes outside to fill us in.
0:41:38 > 0:41:42Well, the MD seems to think that he's owed £18,000
0:41:42 > 0:41:48as opposed to he owes them originally £12,500.
0:41:48 > 0:41:52However, I told him the judgment is against themselves
0:41:52 > 0:41:55and we will remove goods straightaway
0:41:55 > 0:41:57should he not pay any money.
0:41:57 > 0:42:01And by goods, he really does mean the big metal stuff in the yard.
0:42:01 > 0:42:04We would hire a specialist low-loader company
0:42:04 > 0:42:07that specialise in removing these big diggers
0:42:07 > 0:42:09and take one of them away.
0:42:09 > 0:42:11I think he's going to pay
0:42:11 > 0:42:15because there's no way he's going to want to lose one of his diggers.
0:42:15 > 0:42:19Those diggers on their own are worth in excess of £50,000,
0:42:19 > 0:42:21and he won't want that at all.
0:42:21 > 0:42:22I think he'll pay.
0:42:23 > 0:42:26With the law on his side and plenty of assets here,
0:42:26 > 0:42:28Ken has every reason to be confident,
0:42:28 > 0:42:31but there are no guarantees in this business.
0:42:33 > 0:42:37A short while later, he emerges from the office.
0:42:37 > 0:42:39So, has he secured payment?
0:42:39 > 0:42:44The upshot was he paid half the debt, which is £7,126,
0:42:44 > 0:42:47and he's signed a controlled goods agreement
0:42:47 > 0:42:50to a piece of plant equipment and office equipment there,
0:42:50 > 0:42:52to pay in full within 14 days.
0:42:52 > 0:42:54That means, if he doesn't,
0:42:54 > 0:42:57the sheriffs will be back to take the goods.
0:42:57 > 0:43:00He really didn't want to pay it.
0:43:00 > 0:43:03Paid it in the end, and all in all, good result.
0:43:04 > 0:43:07The MD paid the rest of the balance as promised
0:43:07 > 0:43:10and the demolition firm have got the money they were owed.