What Happens if you don't pay?
Your Council Tax bill usually asks for your Council Tax to be
paid in instalments over 10 months. The date you should pay
is on your bill.
This is normally the 1st of the Month, unless you decide to pay
by Direct Debit, then as an incentive to sign up we offer 5
different payment dates (the Making Payments page gives you full
details of how to sign up for Direct Debit - our most popular
method of payment).
At any time, please contact our Council Tax Helpline on
01909 533234/533258 to discuss the notice you have received, we may
be able to help discuss a new payment plan.
So, what happens if you don't pay:
First Reminder
If an instalment is overdue, a reminder is issued for the amount
of the arrears. If payment of this amount is made within 7
days, your instalments can continue. If you can't pay the
amount of the arrears within 7 days, you lose the right to pay by
instalments and the whole balance on your Council Tax account is
due to be paid. If you do not pay the whole amount a Summons
for non-payment will be issued.
YOU MUST BE AWARE THAT A REMINDER IS NOT SENT EVERY
MONTH
Second Reminder
If you paid in full the arrears on your first reminder, but
you are late paying a further instalment a second reminder will be
issued. If payment of your arrears is made within 7
days then you can continue with your original instalment
plan. If you do not pay the arrears you will lose the
right to pay by instalments and you must pay the whole balance on
your Counil Tax account within the next 7 days or a summons
for non-payment will be issued.
YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE A FURTHER REMINDER, ONLY 2
REMINDERS ARE ISSUED IN ANY ONE FINANCIAL YEAR
Final Notice
If another instalment is missed then the whole balance on your
Council Tax account becomes due and a Final Notice is issued, if
this is not paid within 7 days then a Summons for non-payment will
be issued.
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 receive
a Summons for non-payment of your Council Tax. At this point
you will incurr an additional £47.30 in costs. 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 whatever balance remains
unpaid will go before the Magistrates Court to ask for a
Liability Order to be awarded to Bassetlaw District 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. This action will involve costs of £12.70 in addition to
the £47.30 summons costs already added.
Once granted the liability order provides the Council
with the option of the following enforcement powers. For
further information regarding each option, please click on the
link.
- Request for information regarding your finances
- Payment Arrangements
- Attachment of Earnings Order
- Deductions from Benefits
- Bailiff action
- Bankruptcy proceedings
- Charging Order
- Committal to prison
Citizens Advice Bureau
You can also contact your local Citizens Advice Bureau. In
the Bassetlaw area the opening hours are:
WORKSOP
MONDAY & WEDNESDAY 9.30 am - 3.00 pm, FRIDAY 9.30 am - 12:00
noon
HARWORTH
THURSDAY 10:00 am - 12:00 noon
RETFORD
TUESDAY & THURSDAY 10:00 - 2:00 pm
There are also telephone help lines which are operated
during the same opening hours, these are Worksop (01909) 476049 and
Retford (01777) 708014.
They also have a useful website which
gives advice and information not only on Council Tax matters but
debt and money matters in general.