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In general, an unsecured creditor cannot take action against the chattels of a debtor until a judgment is obtained. Only after a judgment has been granted on a debt claim can a creditor look to the assets of the debtor to satisfy the judgment.
Aggressive creditors often threaten action against assets even before a judgment is obtained. (See the section on [[Harassmentby Debt Collectors]].) Such threats are usually baseless because seizure of chattels after judgment can usually be avoided.
However, two exceptions allow unsecured creditors to tie up the assets of a debtor while a legal action is pending (that is, '''before''' a judgment):
* [[Bailiffs, Court Bailiffs and Sheriffs]]
* [[Garnishment and Set-offs]]
* [[Harassmentby Debt Collectors]]
* [[Instalment Payment Orders]]
* [[Recovery of Goods]]