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What happens if I don't pay my council tax?

If you have any difficulty paying your Council Tax please contact us immediately.  We are happy to talk about the situation and discuss a short-term payment plan with you.

Reminders

If you do not pay your instalments on the due date a reminder notice will be issued. If the missed payment(s) are not then caught up within 7 days you will lose the right to pay monthly and the total remaining charge will become due. If, after receiving a reminder, you then bring your instalments up to date but subsequently fall behind again, a second reminder will be issued. However fall behind again and you will be issued with a Final Notice (not another reminder) and the whole remaining debt will then become due within 7 days. Failure to pay after receiving any of these notices will result in a complaint being made to the Magistrates Court for the issue of a summons. This can result in further recovery action being taken against you.

Summonses

If you receive a summons you are required to pay the sum due, plus costs, straight away. If you do not pay the whole balance before the date of the Hearing, the Council will apply to the Magistrates Court for a Liability Order. This will give them the authority to recover the unpaid sum. You will have the option to make an arrangement to pay the outstanding amount, including the costs. This arrangement to pay must be maintained if further recovery action is to be prevented.

Further recovery action

The Council can take further action if the amount summoned is not paid in full, with costs.  

• Bailiff Action - This involves the use of bailiffs who can take goods belonging to the council tax payer named on the liability order. Further costs will be added if this course is taken to cover storage and auctioneer fees etc. An arrangement to pay can be agreed and the goods kept on the premises whilst the outstanding liability is cleared  
• Security for unpaid council tax  - The Council can make an application to the County Court to secure a charge on the property that has accrued the debt. This agreement will include any future council tax due, plus interest.  
• Insolvency - If the debt is more than £1000, action can be taken to bankrupt an individual or wind up a company.  
• Committal - If bailiff action has resulted in the debt not being cleared, for example, because there were insufficient goods or the bailiffs were unable to gain entry, then a Committal Summons can be issued. The council tax payer on the liability order will then be required to appear in court and give details, under oath, of their financial details. Failure to appear at Court will result in an arrest warrant being issued. If the Magistrates believe that there has been wilful refusal or neglect to pay then the person can be sent to prison for up to 90 days. The Court can also place an order to pay over a period of time.

Associated documents:

  Non-payment information - Revenues & Benefits Service leaflet  (0.04 MB)
Access to money advice in the Portsmouth area - Revenues & Benefits Service leaflet  (0.04 MB)