What can happen if Council Tax is not paid?

All citizens are expected to pay their Council Tax in time. Few of them go in for paying the same in full on the fixed dates while many prefer to clear such taxes in instalments that usually fall on the first of each month. We often come across many people who fail to pay their council taxes in time due to one reason or the other that leads to uncalled for consequences including the Marstons Bailiffs. The council can penalize them in the following manners.

Council Tax Bill

Primary Reminder – Failure on the part of any citizen to pay his or her council taxes invites the first reminder issued by the council of that area that allows the defaulter to pay the tax within one week to continue paying the tax in instalments. If the concerned guy does not comply with the same, he or she will be banned to continue the payment of taxes through instalments and the entire amount has to be paid in full failing which he or she will be served a Summons for non-payment of the taxes. It may be noted the council is not bound to send the reminder each month.

Subsequent Reminder – Few residents pay their tax dues in full after receipt of the initial reminder but fail to pay the following instalments in time. They are served with the second reminder that asks them to pay the dues of taxes within one week to continue the initial instalment plan. If the dues are not paid, they will be asked to pay the entire tax amount within the following one week failing which they must be ready to receive the summons for being defaulters in terms of non-payment of the taxes. It is worth mentioning that the council issues only two reminders within a fiscal year.

Last Notice – The council issues the last notice to the persons that fail to pay the instalment and asks them to deposit the entire dues of taxes within the next one week. Failure to do so on their part invites Summons that is issued by the council.

Summons – If any citizen is unable to pay off the entire tax dues despite the above three notices, the council issues a Summons for want of payment of the council taxes. This leads to payment of extra charges of £80. The defaulter has to pay off the entire tax amount plus the costs of £80 to avoid the case to be sent to the Magistrates Court for legal proceedings and issuance of the Liability Order for recovery of the entire tax amount.

Liability Order – Failure to pay the entire amount of council tax by the concerned person makes him or her liable to receive this order by the Magistrates Court on the request of the council that has followed all the procedures meant for the liability order.

Imprisonment – If any citizen is adamant or is unable to pay the council taxes in spite of the above legal procedures on the part of the council then he or she can be sent behind the bars as per the state laws. As such, it is suggested that the council taxes are paid in time to avoid such uncalled for situations.

Candidly, the citizens can avoid the above uncalled for situations apart from Marstons Bailiffs if they pay their taxes in time and in accordance with their rules.