Commentary on Sections Part 3: Access to Services etc Schedule 3: Excluded residential tenancy agreements Section 31: Enforcement
169.This section provides that a penalty due to the Secretary of State may be recovered as though it were due under an order of a court. This means that the Secretary of State may take action to recover money owed under a penalty notice without first issuing a substantive claim with a court. Instead the debt may be registered with the court, and enforcement action pursued without further order.