How we collect unpaid Council Tax

How we recover Council Tax

We follow a set process to recover council tax, starting with sending you a bill
Pay as instructed and make your payments on, or before the due date
Paying within the month they are due will not always avoid recovery action
We will send you a reminder if you are behind with your payments
If you don't pay as instructed, you could lose the right to pay by instalments and the full amount for the year would be due immediately
If we have to send you a summons to the Magistrates Court, we will add costs for this action to your bill

If you receive a liability order:

If you don't contact us, we can:

Request financial information from you about your household's income
Enforcement Agents (bailiffs) to visit your property to seize your goods for sale at public auction
Deduct money directly from your earnings
Deduct money from your income support or jobseekers allowance
Start bankruptcy proceedings in the County Court
Apply to the Magistrates' Court for you to be committed to prison for a maximum of 90 days

We add costs to your bill if we:

We may also add further costs if:

Deducting money directly from your earnings is called an Attachment of Earnings Order
We don't need to contact you, but we do send you a copy of the Attachment of Earnings Order for your records
Once we know your employment details we send the order to your employer
They start deducting money from your next available wage
This attachment to earnings order does not affect your credit rating
To stop the deductions you must pay the amount due in full. You should also contact us so we can tell your employer to stop making deductions from your wage once your payment is received.
Advice guide: Creditor takes money from your wages

We may deduct money directly from your income support or jobseekers allowance
We don't need to contact you to start the deductions
Once we know your income details we send the order to the benefits office
They start deducting money straight away
To stop the deductions you must pay the amount due in full. You should also contact us so we can tell the benefits office to stop making deductions from your benefits once your payment is received.

Tell us details of your household's income and expenditure and we will try to help you

Your liability order warns that Enforcement Agents may call after 14 days
Enforcement Agents can add costs as soon as they are instructed. They will send you a Notice of Enforcement giving you 7 days to make payment
Additional costs are added if an Enforcement Agent has to visit you home and further costs added if they have to remove your goods. Details are on the back of your liability order

They cannot force entry, can only remove certain goods and can only remove enough to cover the amount of council tax you owe, plus their costs.
The law states the days and times they can enter, what they can take, the way they can secure your goods, the Notices they must leave and how your goods must be sold.
Bailiff powers when they visit your home
If you, or a responsible adult, aren't at home when they visit, they will leave a letter in a sealed envelope addressed to you, with details of your debt and the amount due, along with their name and telephone number.

Rather than remove goods immediately, the Enforcement Agent may take control of your goods and offer you a payment agreement. This is a Controlled Goods Agreement.

Lists the goods that the Enforcement Agent has taken control of. You keep your belongings but are prevented from removing or selling them.
Outlines the terms of the repayment agreement.
Allows the Enforcement Agent to return at a later date to remove your belongings if you fail to pay as agreed. You will be given 2 days notice of the Enforcement Agent's intention to re-enter your premises.
If you are not at home when the Enforcement Agent calls to remove your belongings, they have the legal right to force entry.

If you can't pay in full, don't make a payment arrangement, or fail to pay as agreed, the Enforcement Agent may remove and sell enough of your belongings to settle the debt you owe.