Recovery notice?

If you have received a reminder to pay your council tax, the information below explains why you have received the reminder and provides further information that you might find helpful.

Note: You can access your account online to view your payments, outstanding balance and set up a direct debt. To access your account you will need to use the online key shown on the notice you have received, or on your most recent bill.

Reminder notice

You have been sent a reminder notice because you have not paid the instalments as advised on your council tax bill.

To bring your payments up to date you must pay the amount shown on the reminder within the next seven days.

If you have made payment in the last few days then you can ignore this notice. However you should note that payments must be made by the due date shown on your council tax bill.

Note: You should therefore allow ten days for payments made at a post office to be credited to your council tax account.

If you do not pay the amount shown on the reminder within the next seven days you will lose the right to pay by instalments and the full balance of your council tax will become due after a further seven days.

Second reminder notice

The council will only send you two reminders. If you do not bring your instalments up to date or you miss any more payments you will not be sent another reminder. Your instalment will be cancelled and the full amount of the council tax for the year will be payable.

If your instalments are cancelled because you have not paid the amount shown on the reminder in time (within seven days) the council will issue a summons against you.

Final notice

You have been sent a final notice because the balance of your council tax is overdue and you must pay the total amount outstanding within the next seven days.

If you do not pay the amount shown on the final notice in full within the next seven days the council will issue a summons against you.

Summons

You have been summonsed because you have not paid the council tax as requested, even though a reminder, second reminder or final notice was sent to you.

You have lost the right to pay the council tax by instalments and must now pay the full amount shown on the summons plus the costs of £125 before the court date. If you pay the amount in full (including costs), the council will not ask the court to issue a liability order against you and no further action will be taken.

If you do not pay the amount in full (including costs) then the council will ask the court to issue a liability order against you and could apply for further costs in respect of the liability order. You have the right to attend court, however, your attendance is only required if you wish to dispute the granting of a liability order. There are very few defences against the granting of a liability order and unless you have a valid defence for non payment, the court will have no option but to grant the liability order. If you choose not to attend the hearing will proceed in your absence.

If you wish to discuss why you have received a summons, or discuss how this can be paid, please contact the council tax office on the telephone numbers shown.

The liability order allows the council to take the following action against you to recover the council tax you owe.

• Deduct council tax payments from your salary/wages.
• Deduct council tax payments from Income Support or Job Seeker Allowances.
• Instruct bailiffs to take goods and possessions from your home and sell them at auction to raise money to clear your debt.
• Take action to make you bankrupt.
• Apply for a charge on your property and then ask the court to force you to sell your property to pay the council tax.
• If all else fails, we can apply to the court for you to be sent to prison for up to three months for not paying your council tax.

Liability order notification

You have been sent this notice because a liability order has been issued against you, by the Uxbridge Magistrates' Court. This notice tells you:

• when the liability order was issued
• how much the liability order was for
• the costs you have been charged and that you must pay the full amount within 14 days.

You must complete and return the statutory demand for financial information, sent with this notice, within 14 days.

Difficulties in paying

If you are having difficulties paying your council tax.

• Please talk to us, at any stage of recovery. We may be able to help you by making a payment arrangement.
• Check the website to see if you are entitled to a discount, exemption or relief. 
• On a low income? Then contact the council tax office to discuss if they can reduce your council tax bill.

Further information on financial difficulties »