Why has a summons been sent to me?
If you don’t make a payment following a reminder, a summons is sent, and we add £70 in court costs to the unpaid Council Tax bill. As long as the full summons balance, excluding the costs, is paid in full before the court hearing, no further action will be taken, or costs added to your Council Tax bill.
Everyone in the household has received a summons, do we all have to pay the amount on the summons?
Every person named on the Council Tax bill will receive a copy. Only one amount of Council Tax and court costs need to be paid.
I’ve received a summons, if I bring my instalments up to date can the costs be withdrawn?
No, the summons has been issued because you didn’t bring your Council Tax account up to date following a reminder. You have now lost your right to pay by instalments and the full balance is due, including the costs. The costs have arisen by the council preparing the issue of the summons and need to be paid. As long as the full summons balance, excluding the costs, is paid in full before the court hearing, no further action will be taken, or costs added to your Council Tax bill.
You can make a payment online, please visit our pay your Council Tax online page. You can also call our automated payment line on 01553 616671. Both options are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
I’ve received a summons, but I’m unable to pay in full, can I make an arrangement to pay?
Yes, provided the arrangement you make is acceptable to us. We are legally required to ask the court to grant a Liability Order unless the total amount due, excluding costs is paid before the hearing date. If you can’t pay in full, we will apply for a Liability Order at the hearing. You can make a payment arrangement (including costs) with us before the court date online at arrange a payment plan.
Summons costs are included as part of the payment plan. However, no further action will be taken to collect the debt as long as the payments are made as agreed. Payments must be made on or before the agreed date.
Do I have to attend court?
No, unless you have a legal defence to put to the Magistrates as to why you feel that you’re not liable.
Why do I still need to pay the costs when I make a payment plan?
The council is legally required to ask the Magistrates to grant a Liability Order unless the total amount due is paid before the date of the hearing. Even if you have recently made a payment plan to pay the amount shown on the summons, we will still apply for a Liability Order at the hearing.
Summons costs are included as part of the payment plan. However, no further action will be taken to collect the debt as long as the payments are made as agreed. Payments must be made on or before the agreed date.
What happens if I don’t pay the summons amount or make a payment plan?
If you don’t pay in full (excluding the costs), make a payment plan or attend Court, a Liability Order will be issued in your absence. We do not need to go back to court to take any further action against you.
Further recovery action, such as Enforcement Agents (previously known as bailiffs) or Attachment of Earning Orders can be avoided by either paying in full (excluding the costs) with us before the court date or by making a payment arrangement (including costs) with us before the court date online at arrange a payment plan.
What if I cannot afford the summons amount?
You can make a reasonable payment arrangement (including costs) with us before the court date online at arrange a payment plan. If you think you’re going to struggle to make a reasonable payment arrangement, then you need to contact us, so we can discuss your options.
If you’re on a low income you may be able to get help with your Council Tax. If you wish to see if you’re eligible to claim Council Tax Support, use our online Council Tax Support calculator.
Why have I been sent a summons for the whole year when I’ve got until March next year to pay it?
You have the right to pay by instalments (usually from April to January), but if you don’t pay the instalments as shown on your Council Tax bill you will be sent a reminder. If the amount due on the notice is not paid within seven days, you lose your right to pay by instalments and the full amount needs to be paid. A summons for non-payment is issued for the full years balance which includes additional costs.
I’ve received a summons for the people that used to live at my address, what should I do?
If you haven’t notified us that you’ve moved in or received your own Council Tax bill yet, please provide details of who has moved into the property and when online, please visit our Tell us you’re moving page. Please can you also contact us, so we can ensure a note is added to the account.
Do not make any payments using the details for the previous occupier, as you need to wait for a Council Tax bill with the correct details on it.
Can I pay “my share” of the summons?
If the summons is addressed to more than one person, we must receive payment for the full amount due before the court date. Everyone named on the bill is ‘jointly and severally liable’ for the full amount, this means that we can ask for the full amount owed from anybody named on the Council Tax bill. Although you may want to split the amount owed, it is your responsibility to make sure that everyone pays their “share”. If payment is not received in full, further action can be taken against anyone named on the Council Tax bill whether payments have been made or not and further costs may be added onto the bill.
Will this affect my credit rating? Will my name or address be ‘black-listed’?
Applications for a Liability Order are made in the Magistrates Court, not the County Court, so it will not affect your credit rating at this stage. If you do not pay and the council has to resort to an application for a committal to prison, this will result in you having a criminal record and could affect your credit rating.