Problems paying your Council Tax bill

If you fall behind with your council tax payments, we will send you a reminder notice.

If you do not contact us or if you do not pay the full amount outstanding within 14 days, we will send you a Magistrates’ Court Summons. This will also add to the amount you owe, and you will lose the right to pay your Council Tax in instalments.

At the Magistrates Court

At the court hearing we will apply for a Liability Order against you, which will allow us to take further action to collect the money you owe. This might involve one or more of the following:

• We may send an Attachment of Earnings Order to your employer, to take money out of your wages and pay it directly to the council
• If you are receiving Income Support or Job Seekers Allowance, we may ask the Department of Work & Pensions to take money out of your benefits
• We may get a Bailiff to collect the outstanding debt on the Council’s behalf. The Bailiff will be able to remove goods or furniture from your home (to the value of your debt). You will also incur additional costs in bailiff fees.
• If you don't make a suitable arrangement with the Bailiff, or you don't have enough goods to clear what you owe, we may decide to declare you bankrupt, or place a 'charging order' on your property, which allows us to collect the debt when you sell your property.
• We may even decide to ask the Magistrates to commit you to prison.