Amendments to Distress for Rent Rules 1988
13.—(1) In rule 8(1) after “shall be made” there shall be inserted “in Form 4 or, where the complainant has conducted a formal investigation into a complaint by a third party against the bailiff, in Form 5”.
(2) After rule 8(3) there shall be inserted:
“(3A) If upon reading the reply the Judge is satisfied as to the bailiff’s fitness to hold a certificate, the court officer shall issue a notice to the bailiff to that effect and no further action shall be taken in respect of that complaint.”.
(3) In rule 8(4) after “the notice” there shall be inserted “under paragraph (3) or (as the case may be) (3A) above”.
(4) After rule 8(4) there shall be inserted:
“(4A) If, after a notice has been issued under paragraph (3) above, the complainant so applies in writing, and the application is received by the court not later than the date 14 days before the date set for the hearing, the court officer of the court receiving the complaint shall order that the complaint be heard in the issuing county court whose name appears in column 2 of the Table opposite the name of the complainant’s home county court.
(4B) In the event of an order being made under paragraph (4A) above, the court officer of the court receiving the complaint shall forthwith send:
(a)to the court officer of the court hearing the complaint:
(i)certified copies of any relevant entries in the records of the court receiving the complaint; and
(ii)copies of all other documents in his custody relating to the bailiff’s certificate and to the complaint; and
(b)to the bailiff and any other interested party, notice of the order made under paragraph (4A) above.”.
(5) After rule 8(6) there shall be inserted:
“(7) If an order is made under paragraph (4A) above, the court officer of the court hearing the complaint shall, following the hearing, send to the court officer of the court which received the complaint certified copies of the order and all other documents in his custody relating to the bailiff’s certificate and to the complaint, including the certified copies and copies sent under paragraph (4B)(a) above;”.