If you are having difficulty paying you can change the way you pay your bill or the date you make payments.
Avoiding a reminder could be as simple as changing your monthly payment date, or by signing up for direct debit.
If you are taken to court for non payment of council tax, they have no power to alter the amount you owe or make any arrangements to pay. It will be quicker and cheaper to resolve any issues you have before we issue a summons.
The reminders
If you have not paid anything or only paid part of an instalment owing, by the due date, a reminder will be sent.
First reminder
The first reminder will be sent the first time you miss a payment. If you make the payment by the date on the reminder you will be able to continue paying by instalments. If you don't make this payment you will lose your right to pay by instalments and receive a final notice for the full balance to be paid within seven days.
If you do not pay your council tax by the billed instalment date for the full billed instalment amount we will send you a reminder.
You have seven days to pay a reminder, but you also have to pay any billed instalment that falls within this period as well, if you do not bring the account up to date in full within the seven days you will receive a final notice.
If you bring the account up to date and are then late with another billed instalment we will send you a second reminder. No further reminders will be sent.
Second reminder
If you make your payment after a first reminder but then miss another payment within the same billing year you will be sent a second reminder. If you make the payment by the date on the second reminder you will be able to continue paying by instalments. No further reminders will be sent, so any more missed payments will mean you lose your right to pay by instalments and receive a final notice for the full balance to be paid within seven days.
Final notice
If you fail to pay the outstanding amount on a reminder we will normally issue a final notice, although we are able to issue a summons. If you receive a final notice it means you have lost your right to pay by instalments and the total amount outstanding will be due to be paid within seven days.