If you can't pay your business rates bill

Failure to pay your account by the instalment date will result in the issue of a reminder notice. If the reminder notice is not paid within 7 days of receipt, we will after a further 7 days issue a summons for non-payment at which time the full outstanding balance will become due.

Final notice

Only one reminder notice will be issued for business rates, and two for council tax, in a financial year. If a subsequent instalment is not received by the due date, the council will issue a final notice, demanding the total balance outstanding. You must pay this amount within seven days to avoid being sent a summons.

Summons

If, after receiving one or both of the above notices, you do not make the payment demanded, the council will apply to the local magistrates' court for a summons to be issued against you and costs of £80 will be added to your account. At this stage you can still make an arrangement to pay the amount due by contacting the council tax or business rates teams.

Liability order

If you do not pay the balance shown on the summons before the court hearing, the matter will be taken to the magistrates' court and the council will apply for a liability order. You will have the opportunity of attending the court, but this is only to determine your liability, not your ability to pay. Any questions relating to the banding or rateable value of your property, or claims relating to council tax support, will not be dealt with by the court.

What powers does a liability order give the council?

A liability order gives us powers to collect your debt using different methods such as:

• Instructing enforcement agents to visit your property with the intention of removing your goods and for those goods to be sold at public auction to pay off your outstanding debt. This action will incur further costs to your account.
• Collecting what you owe directly from your employer or by deducting it from your benefits.
• Taking out a charge against your property.
• Starting bankruptcy or liquidation proceedings.

At each of the above stages you will be sent more detailed information about any action we are taking.