Guide to business rates

If you do not pay, or fail to agree a revised payment schedule, we'll take the following steps. 

1. As soon as you miss a payment, we'll send you a reminder.
2. If you do not bring your instalments up to date within 7 days of receiving the reminder, you'll lose the right to pay by instalments.
3. If you pay the amount requested on the reminder, we'll take no further action.
4. If you fall behind again, we'll send you a notice that will cancel your right to pay by instalments. 

Summons and court order

If you still fail to pay we'll issue a summons through the Magistrates' Court. 

We'll add the cost of issuing this summons to your account. If the debt is not settled in full by the time of the court hearing, we'll get a liability order for the outstanding balance. We'll then charge you the costs. 

We can enforce the liability order in various ways. All of these involve extra costs for you. 

They include: 

• having an enforcement agents seize your assets
• starting bankruptcy or winding-up proceedings against you
• charging you for wilful non-payment, which can carry a prison sentence 

Making an agreement

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

Even if you arrange to pay the outstanding debt before the court hearing date, we'll still get a liability order against you. 

As long as you keep to your agreement with us, we will not take further enforcement action.