Derek Moran
Information on Bailiffs
The City of Toronto Act, 2006 permits municipalities to use the services of a bailiff in the collection of property tax arrears.
A bailiff is a duly appointed agent under contract with the City of Toronto to recover outstanding property taxes. The costs of the bailiff service are the full responsibility of the property owner.
Bailiff tax recovery actions include:
Serving a Warrant to Distrain for Taxes to the assessed address advising the property owner of default of such outstanding taxes, penalties and lawful cost of said distress.
Mailing notices to the property owner advising that a warrant has been issued and the amount of the warrant.
Title searches.
Telephone contact with the property owner(s), mortgage holder(s) and all other parties that appear on title.
Site visits.
Attornment of Rent(s) (i.e. if a property is tenanted, the bailiff can direct the tenant(s) to submit rent payments to the bailiff. These attorned rents are then applied against the outstanding property taxes).
Issuing a Warrant to Distrain Goods/property (i.e. the bailiff can register a common law lien against goods/property located in or on an owner's property).
Issuing a Warrant to Seize Goods/Chattels (i.e. the bailiff can physically seize and remove goods/chattels from the property and ultimately sell items seized to recover the tax arrears.
Printed copy · Anthology Volume 6, page 930
