Your Business Rates bill usually asks for your charge to be paid in instalments over 10 months. The date by which you should pay is marked on your bill.

This is normally the first of the Month, unless you decide to pay by Direct Debit, then as an incentive to sign up we offer four different payment dates (the Paying your Business Rates page gives you full details of how to sign up for Direct Debit).

The following procedure will be followed by the Council:

First Reminder

If an instalment becomes overdue, a reminder will be issued for the amount of the arrears. If payment of this amount is made within seven days, your instalments can continue. If you don't pay the arrears within seven days, you will lose the right to pay by instalments and the full balance on your Business Rates account will become due immediately. If you do not pay the full amount shown on your reminder a summons for non-payment will be issued by the courts.

You must be aware that a reminder is not sent every month.

Final Notice

If you miss any further instalments (during the same billing period) the full balance on your Business Rates account will become due immediately and a Final Notice will be issued. If this amount is not paid within seven days a summons for non-payment will be issued by the courts.

Summons

If you have not paid after receiving a reminder notice, or have not paid the whole amount of the final notice then you will be sent a summons for non-payment of your Business Rates.  At this point you will incur an additional £100.00.  If you pay the whole amount on the Summons including the costs then the case will not go before the Magistrates Court.

If payment is not made in full then any balance that remains unpaid will go before the Magistrates Court where we will ask for a Liability Order to be awarded to the Council. This entitles us to take further steps to recover the money from you.

Liability Order

If the amount shown on the summons is not paid in full by the court date the Council will apply to the Magistrates Court for a liability order. An order will be granted to the Council if the Court is satisfied that the Council has followed the correct procedures in setting and requesting payment of the Council Tax.

The liability order provides the Council with the option of the following enforcement powers:

• Request information regarding your finances
• Bailiff action
• Insolvency proceedings
• Proceedings for committal to prison