Bailiff at the door | Divers | France 3

The job of bailiff is one of the most unpopular professions. It sometimes attracts insults, threats and violence. At times bailiffs are even killed. Despairing debtors may also commit suicide after their visit. Some bailiffs throw in the towel in the face of such problems, but the majority carries on their trade till retirement. There are 3200 in this profession in France and a hundred young people qualify each year. No bailiff talks about vocation; a lot talk about chance or a choice by default. We followed bailiffs on the ground day by day. We went everywhere, with men and women, with experienced bailiffs and with those just starting. Through them, we met the people they work for, the people they get the money for (owners cheated by their tenants, tradesmen or suppliers who aren’t paid) and also the notorious “bad payers”, and those in debt through accident, negligence, bad faith, etc. We also heard their version, their defence, and their story.