What if I have problems paying?

Remember that paying by direct debit ensures that your payments are made on time each month.

However, if you have problems paying your business rates, please contact the Business Rates section immediately. If you don't let us know, we can't help you.

If you report the problem to us...

We will look into your case and where possible, offer you an alternative arrangement, such as a revised payment schedule.

What happens if I don't pay?

The recovery timetable where a person either does not pay or fails to agree a revised payment schedule with the Council is as follows.

1. As soon as you miss a payment the Council will send you a reminder.
2. If you do not bring your instalments up to date within seven days of receiving the reminder, you will lose the right to pay by instalments.
3. If you pay the amount requested on the reminder, no further action will be taken.
4. If you fall behind again, you will be sent a notice that will cancel your right to pay by instalments.
5. Failure to pay will ultimately lead to the issue of a summons through the Magistrates' Court. The cost of issuing this summons will be added to your account.
6. If you do not pay the summons plus costs in full before the hearing date, the Magistrates' Court will make a liability order against you.

This liability order can be enforced in a variety of ways, all of which involve extra costs for you:

• The seizure of your property by bailiffs
• bankruptcy and winding up proceedings
• imprisonment for wilful non-payment.

Make an agreement with us

If you make an agreement with us before the court hearing date, you will not have to go to court.

You cannot do this at the court hearing, as magistrates do not have the power to make such arrangements.

Even if you arrange to pay the outstanding debt before the court hearing date, we will still obtain a liability order against you.  However, as long as you keep to your agreement with us, bailiffs will not remove your goods.

If you dispute that you owe the rates...

You must contact us to discuss how to settle the dispute.

If your query is not settled by talking to us you may have to go to court to present your case to a magistrate.