New rules tackling bailiffs’ aggressive behaviour and banning them from entering homes at night will come into force this weekend.

The government confirmed yesterday that changes to the law will also prevent bailiffs from entering properties where only children are at home and from taking vital household essentials such as cookers, microwaves, fridges or washing machines.

Other changes in the law will ban landlords from using bailiffs to seize property for residential rent debts without going to court first, while the debt collectors will have to give courts information on the likely means of entry and amount of force required before a warrant is granted.

Bailiffs will also have to be trained and certified to practise under the shake-up which is designed to bring an end to aggressive behaviour.

Justice Secretary Chris Grayling said: “Aggressive bailiff activity is unacceptable and it is high time that the cowboys out there are stopped from giving the rest of this important industry a bad name.

“People will still have to face up to their debts — but they will no longer need to fear their home being raided at night, the threat of violence or having their vital household equipment seized.”

Citizens Advice chief executive Gillian Guy welcomed the new rules but said more needed to be done to tackle bailiff firms. She said that the charity would be monitoring the effect of the changes closely.

“For too long bailiffs have been getting away with aggressive behaviour and charging for visits they don’t make,” she said. “We help with 1,000 bailiff problems a week. People have reported bailiffs giving debt letters to their children and threatening violence.

“These new rules reflect just how out of control the industry is and are a welcome step towards protecting people in debt.

“It’s important bailiffs seize this opportunity to transform into a responsible industry that understands the difference between people who can’t pay and people who won’t pay. We’ll be watching to see if that really does happen.”

She added: “What is missing from these changes is accountability for bailiff firms. We’d like to see a licensing system that means firms are struck off if bailiffs break the rules.”