By David Field

Get into debt and you could soon face the full wrath of bailiffs at your door under new powers to be introduced in the near future.

Under the new rules, bailiffs will have sweeping powers to enter into people's homes to seize their property where they have fallen into debt. Whether it be falling behind on your credit card repayments or failing to pay your council tax, bailiffs will have the power to take property as repayment - while anyone who tries to stop them could face a jail sentence.

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But some campaigners argue that the move could only cause more problems - warning that many bailiffs are renowned for using bullying tactics and intimidating their victims.

The changes are put forward in the tribunals, courts and enforcement bill which is being debated in Parliament and will see the principles laid down in an earlier Act extended. Under the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims of Crime Act 2005, debt collectors were allowed into people's homes for the first time to recover unpaid magistrates' courts fines.

Following that scheme, the latest bill seeks to extend that power to allow bailiffs to break into homes and seize property for far less serious offences. A person could even find their door being charged down to reclaim money for an unpaid parking ticket - where they have refused to pay it.

The concern is that bailiffs will essentially be employed by companies and banks in future, because they will have the power to break into homes to reclaim debts owed to private firms, rather than simply to meet an order made by a magistrates' court.

The Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) is one of the organisations against the plans, warning that they will provide an ample opportunity for abuses of power by over-zealous bailiffs and money-hungry companies.

Indeed, the CAB has conducted research into the way in which bailiffs carry out their jobs. The organisation found that almost two-thirds of the 500 complaints it reviewed were cases of genuine harassment or intimidation by the debt collectors. It is therefore concerned that these new powers will only exacerbate the already-existing problems with allowing bailiffs to break down doors and enter properties without the owner's permission.

However, those in favour of the new plans claim that the bill does have safeguards in it that will ensure the safety of those affected by the bailiffs' new powers. They point to the fact that the debt collectors are only allowed to use "reasonable force" to enter a property, meaning that a person who cooperates should have no concerns about their property being broken into.

Britain's debt mountain soared past the £1 trillion mark last year for the first time as an increasing number of people take out personal loans and pay for property on their credit cards that they are unable to pay back.