Commercial forfeiture
Goods may remain after peaceable re-entry even though the lease has been forfeited. The possession event and the goods process should be documented separately.
Goods left behind · notice drafting · service support
Torts Act Disposal Package
Where goods remain after a tenant, occupier, licensee or business has vacated, the next step should be documented rather than improvised. UK Bailiffs provides notice drafting, service and evidential support to help landlords and property managers create a clear paper trail before goods are removed, sold or otherwise dealt with.
Structured process
Notice drafting, service and supporting paperwork rather than informal disposal steps.
Evidence trail
Service records and case documentation to support what was done and when.
Possession kept separate
Recovering the premises and dealing with goods left behind are distinct issues.
General support, not legal authority
The package does not create a court order or automatic right to dispose of goods.
Direct answer
What is the Torts Act Disposal Package?
It is an administrative and evidential support service for clients dealing with goods left behind after possession has changed. The package can include background review, drafting a notice to collect goods or an intended-disposal notice, service at relevant addresses and confirmation of service.
The service does not itself authorise disposal, sale or destruction. The client remains responsible for the legal basis of possession and for ensuring that any later action concerning the goods is lawful in the circumstances.
After possession changes
Possession of the premises does not make the goods yours
Goods left behind can create a separate set of obligations and practical risks. A landlord or property operator should avoid treating possession of the building as automatic ownership of everything inside it.
Vacated or managed units
Property may be surrendered, abandoned or otherwise vacated while furniture, equipment, stock or personal items remain.
Excluded occupier matters
Where an occupier leaves goods behind after a lawful possession event, notice and collection arrangements may still need to be considered.
A documented sequence
How the package works
The aim is to give the client a more controlled process before any later removal, sale or disposal decision is made.
1
Review the background
We identify how possession changed, who appears to own the goods, what information is available and what the client wants to achieve.
2
Record the goods
Descriptions, photographs, inventories and location information should be retained where available.
3
Prepare the notice
The notice is drafted from the approved facts and intended next step, with clear collection or response information.
4
Serve at relevant addresses
Service can be arranged at the available last-known, traced or other relevant address, with evidence retained.
5
Preserve the service trail
The client receives confirmation or certification of service and supporting evidence for the file.
6
Decide the next step
If the goods remain uncollected, the client considers the lawful storage, removal, sale or disposal route appropriate to the circumstances.
Package scope
What UK Bailiffs can provide
Typical package elements
- Background review and practical guidance from the supplied facts.
- Drafting of a notice to collect goods or intended-disposal notice.
- Service at available last-known or traced addresses.
- Confirmation or certification of service.
- Referral for specialist legal advice where required.
Information normally required
- Name and last-known contact details of the former occupier or owner.
- Property address and how possession was recovered.
- Description and photographs of the goods where available.
- Any known dispute about ownership, storage or collection.
- Whether drafting only, service support or the full package is required.
No formal “Torts certificate” exists
The package can include confirmation or certification of service for the client's records. It does not create a statutory certificate authorising disposal of the goods.
Pricing
Clear fees for straightforward instructions
All prices shown are from rates and are plus VAT. Complex, multi-address or disputed matters may require a tailored quotation.
Notice drafting only
From £95 + VAT
For clients who require a professionally drafted notice only.
Drafting + service
From £275 + VAT
Drafting and service with confirmation of delivery or service for the client's records.
Full disposal package
From £355 + VAT
Administrative support including review, drafting and service.
Service boundaries
What this package does not do
A notice-and-service package should not be presented as replacing legal entitlement, ownership analysis or a court determination where those issues are disputed.
No ownership transfer
Goods do not become the landlord's property merely because they were left inside premises that have been recovered.
No automatic sale authority
The package does not by itself authorise sale, disposal or destruction of property.
No substitute for legal advice
Where ownership, value, retention rights or the intended disposal route is disputed or legally sensitive, specialist advice should be obtained.
Frequently asked questions
Goods-left-behind and Torts Act FAQs
Can UK Bailiffs issue a “Torts certificate”?
There is no formal statutory “certificate” under the Torts (Interference with Goods) Act 1977. UK Bailiffs can provide a professionally drafted notice together with confirmation or certification of service for your records.
Does this package authorise me to sell the goods?
No. The service supports a structured and documented process only. It does not create legal authority. The client remains responsible for ensuring that any sale, disposal or other dealing with the goods is lawful in the circumstances.
Can notices be served at more than one address?
Yes. Where appropriate, notices can be served at a last-known address, traced address, workplace or another address reasonably connected to the intended recipient.
Is this legal advice?
No. This is an administrative and enforcement-support service. Where matters are legally complex or disputed, specialist legal advice may be required.
Do you store or sell the goods?
Storage and disposal arrangements vary depending on the instruction. This package focuses on notice drafting, service and documentation rather than physical storage or sale.
How quickly can this be arranged?
Straightforward instructions can usually be progressed promptly once the necessary information is provided. Timescales depend on the complexity of the matter and the number of service addresses involved.
CW
Operational review
Reviewed by Craig Whinray
Craig Whinray is Director of UK Bailiff Services Ltd and a Certificated Enforcement Agent with more than 20 years' frontline enforcement experience.
This page describes UK Bailiffs' operational notice-drafting and service package for goods left behind after possession changes. It does not replace legal advice where ownership, retention, value, disposal rights or another material issue is disputed or uncertain.
Editorial owner: UK Bailiff Services Ltd · Last reviewed 3 October 2026 · Review following material legal or operational change and at least annually.Need help with goods left behind?
Send us the property background, occupier details and information about the goods. We can identify the information needed for drafting and service and flag matters that require legal advice before any later disposal decision.
