GROSVENOR GROUP'S new civil enforcement division has secured support from charities battling for reform and against poverty in the UK.

Grosvenor now has two businesses providing services in the collections, recoveries and enforcement sectors, having added the GCMI Enforcement Group to its well-established Credit Management & Investigations operation.

GCMI Enforcement Group is looking to roll out the new and unique approach across the country, to provide assistance to vulnerable customers, using early engagement to avoid unnecessary fees, whilst still being able to maximise returns for its clients by treating customers fairly.

The idea is the brainchild of founders and directors Kevin Crompton and Liam Bailey. They now lead a back office boasting more than 250 years of experience in the industry.

GCMI Enforcement Group’s innovative new framework called TCF6 is being welcomed by a string of debt charities.

Mr Bailey said: “Good practice benefits everybody. TCF6 is a defined framework that is designed to stamp out exclusion via the holistic use of the latest technology and the industry’s first ever person-centred approach to engaging people at the compliance stage. The process is so simple but the impact will be huge.”

That support from charities follows a year when it was revealed bailiffs have been used 1.4m times to collect council tax debt; a figure expected to dramatically rise following the impact of Covid-19 with estimates that 2.8m have fallen behind on council tax payments.

Mr Crompton, who has been in the industry for 20 years and hails from the North-East, said: “It is important to us as a Group we answer the questions that have been put to the industry over a long period of time.

“We believe our framework answers a lot of those questions that have called for bailiff reform in the enforcement sector, such as early engagement with debtors, bailiff behaviour and treating people and businesses fairly. It is important to do things right.

“Many people need that extra bit of help, especially now. We want to offer that support to help signpost people to the opportunity of early engagement.”

Christians Against Poverty (CAP) has welcomed the approach from GCMI Enforcement Group, whose headquarters are in Addlestone, Surrey, as it looks to roll out its methods across England and Wales.

A CAP statement issued to GCMI Enforcement Group read: “We're pleased to see the collaborative approach GCMI have taken in engaging with the debt advice sector so far.

“We've particularly appreciated the clarity and cooperative tone of their early letters, and the emphasis they've placed on making sure clients get the help and advice they need.

“We look forward to seeing how they put this ethical approach into practice moving forward.”

GCMI Enforcement Group will have men and women operating with the aim to give debtors every opportunity to avoid the bailiffs arriving. It is expected to create hundreds of jobs nationwide as the contracts grow.

Surrey-based Grosvenor – which boasts some of the largest manufacturers and banks as well as councils in the public sector - is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority, so sticks by the FCA’s main principles demanding fair treatment.

Benjamin Lee, who is the managing director of 16-year-old Grosvenor, said: “The new enforcement division is an excellent addition to the Group because it is well-aligned with our ‘treating customer fairly culture’. The focus of engagement at the compliance stage will hugely benefit our clients, customers and the economy.”