Council tax

About the court summons

A summons will be sent if the council's records show that your council tax has not been paid by the due dates.

If the council tax bill is in more than one name each party to the bill will have received a summons. This means that each party is jointly and severally liable for the whole debt. It is a matter for the liable parties themselves to decide who should pay the debt but where payment is not received, the council can continue to recover the full amount from either party.

If you think for any reason that the amount shown on the summons is wrong, you should contact the council before the court date.

The court hearing

You do not have to attend court unless you have a valid defence against the issue of a liability order. The court will deal with your case in your absence.

If you decide to attend please note that the court cannot take into account your ability to pay. The court is only being asked to say that you are liable to pay.

At the hearing, the council will provide evidence to the court that you are liable for the council tax and that it has not been paid. If the court is satisfied with this evidence it will issue a liability order.

A liability order

A liability order provides the council further powers to recover council tax including:

• using bailiffs, which may involve the sale of some of your property and will incur you with considerable costs;
• obtaining information about your employment, earnings or benefit;
• deductions from your earnings, income support or jobseekers allowance.

A letter will be sent to you after the court date.

Paying the summons

Once a liability order has been obtained, the council will write to you and will send you a personal information form. You will need to complete this and advise of your proposal to pay. The council will respond if your proposal is not acceptable, you should pay as offered in the meantime.

The council may not accept your offer of payment if it considers it will take too long to clear the debt.

Payment methods

Your credit rating

The issue of a magistrates' court summons for non payment of council tax will not affect your credit rating. It is a private matter between you and the council and lists are not provided to any credit agency.

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