Debt Management

We have adopted a new approach to customers who fail to pay their Council Tax instalments by the due date.

Customers will only be allowed to receive a maximum of two reminders during the course of the year. So anyone who brings their instalments up to date following receipt of a reminder but persistently fails to pay future instalments by the due date will receive a summons with court costs of £60.

The Council has also employed a firm of private bailiffs to supplement their in-house bailiffs. Therefore anyone who receives a summons and fails to contact the Council can now expect a visit from the bailiffs shortly after the Court Hearing.

We are adopting this approach due to the increasing numbers of customers who fail to pay their Council Tax or who wait for a reminder to be issued before paying their instalments.

This results in increased administration and costly recovery action for the Council and is not fair on the vast majority of customers who pay their Council Tax promptly every month.

We recommend that customers sign up for direct debit which is the easiest and most cost effective method of payment. Customers can then choose to pay on either the 1st, 8th, 15th or 22nd of the month without the need to worry about receiving a summons.

Alternatively you can call us on: 01493 846117 to use our automated payment line