Will a bailiff knock on your door? Soon, maybe no one will. Although the number of enforcement cases is skyrocketing, the system is nearing its breaking point. There’s a shortage of workers, offices are overwhelmed, and experienced bailiffs… are being pushed into retirement.
A Flood of Cases and Emptying Offices
Poland’s bailiff enforcement system is in a state of alarming imbalance. On one hand, the number of cases grows yearly; on the other—there aren’t enough professionals to handle them effectively. According to the National Council of Bailiffs, in 2023 alone, enforcement offices across the country received 4.25 million cases, marking a double-digit percentage increase from the previous year.
Meanwhile, as of 2022, there were only 2,198 bailiff offices operating in Poland. Experts warn that with such a heavy workload, the current number of bailiffs is insufficient to ensure efficiency. Overburdened offices struggle to keep up, leading to growing frustration among creditors and raising doubts about the state’s ability to enforce obligations.
Debts Are Growing, Recovery Rates Are Falling
The situation becomes even more concerning when looking at debt recovery statistics.
“Only 25% of debts are successfully collected” announced the spokesperson of the National Council of Bailiffs in an interview with Gość Infor.pl.
In practice, this means that out of 84.1 billion PLN in unpaid Polish debts, a staggering 62.8 billion PLN remains unrecovered—nearly matching the annual budget of the “Family 800+” program (estimated at 70 billion PLN in 2024).
This structural inefficiency not only undermines trust in the legal system but also directly harms creditors—from businesses to ordinary citizens.
Retirement Instead of Enforcement
The situation is further complicated by retirement age regulations. Since 2019, bailiffs in Poland have been forced to retire at 65. Now, the Ministry of Justice is considering extending this limit to 70—not to allow them to keep working, but to permanently remove them from duty at that age.
This prospect has sparked backlash from the professional community.
“We advocated against imposing mandatory retirement on bailiffs. The decision should be theirs—not forced by law” said Przemysław Małecki, spokesperson for the National Council of Bailiffs, in an interview with Infor.pl.
According to Małecki, the current regulation forces experienced professionals—still in excellent physical and mental shape—to leave their positions prematurely:
“I know several older colleagues who are unhappy about being forced to retire. They’re in great shape and would like to continue working for a few more years. Unfortunately, they can’t.”
A Profession Without a Future?
The staffing crisis in the bailiff profession is also worsening due to declining interest among young lawyers. Low popularity, a complex and costly career path, and the public perception of bailiffs as “villains” discourage new entrants.
Additionally, recent legislative changes have repeatedly cut bailiffs’ earnings and increased bureaucratic burdens, making the profession less attractive—both financially and in terms of prestige.
Are Debtors Winning?
With rising debt statistics, falling recovery rates, and a shrinking number of bailiffs, more experts are bluntly stating: Poland’s enforcement system is entering a crisis phase.
Meanwhile, debtors gain time. Enforcement delays stretch for months, sometimes years. Effectiveness? Declining. Accountability? Increasingly blurred.
Will the state find a way to restore the power of legal enforcement before the system collapses? For now, optimism is in short supply.