Before Court Action
It is the Council’s aim to minimise the amount of recovery action that is necessary throughout the life of the tax.  Therefore, at any time that payment becomes difficult or there is a problem with your account, please let us know immediately.  Alternative payment arrangements may be able to be accommodated.

The Process
The Council will be allowed to issue reminders or final notices for non-payment.  The whole balance of the Council tax will become due if an instalment is missed more than twice.

If the payments are not brought up to date or paid in full, then the council has no option other than to issue a summons to attend the magistrates court.

Once in front of the magistrates, unless there are grounds for non-payment such as the amount has not been demanded properly or the bill has already been paid, a liability order will be ranted by the magistrates to the Council.

The liability order allows the Council to pursue payment by using various alternatives:

• By Attachment of Earnings
• By deductions from Income Support
• By instruction the Bailiffs
• By charging order against the property
• By commitment to prison by the magistrates

Joint and Several Liability
Those who are married or living together as man and wife are jointly and severally liable for the whole of the Council Tax on the relevant property.  Additionally, those who jointly own or jointly rent a property are equally liable.