Recovery action and difficulties paying business rates

Business rates must be paid in accordance with the instalments outlined on the bill to avoid recovery action.

• When one instalment is missed a reminder notice will be issued
• If the reminder is paid within the time period specified and future instalments are kept up to date, no further action will be taken
• Please note that paying within the month will not avoid recovery, it is important to make payment on the due date shown on the bill
• If the reminder notice is paid, but a subsequent instalment is defaulted upon, a final notice is issued which removes your right to pay by instalments
• The final notice requests the full outstanding balance to be paid within 7 days (it is not enough just to bring the instalments up to date)
• If this is not paid in full within 7 days a summons to appear before the magistrates court will be issued and £70.00 costs will be incurred
• At the magistrates court we will apply for a liability order and additional costs of £40.00 are added to the outstanding balance
• If you are having any difficulty paying your instalments, please ring 01772 906972 to discuss this matter

Avoid incurring £110.00 costs pay by direct debit

Payment by direct debit ensures the instalment date is always met and therefore recovery action, and the addition of costs to your account, is avoided.

Further action we can take for non payment

The liability order gives us the power to instruct a bailiff to seize your goods. The bailiff can then auction the goods to pay the bill, and the bailiffs’ fees. You will be charged for the visit by the bailiff even if you are not in when the bailiff calls. Please see the bailiff costs document for full details of the current charges which will be incurred if the bailiffs are requested to recover an outstanding sum.

If the council’s bailiffs are unsuccessful in collecting any money that is outstanding we can then apply to the courts for your committal to prison.

We also have the option to instigate bankruptcy proceedings (in the case of sole traders) or liquidation proceedings (in the case of limited companies) to recover any sum outstanding. This would result in further recovery costs being incurred on your business rates account with us.