What happens when you don’t pay?

We are responsible for collecting Council Tax on behalf of; Leicestershire County Council, Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Leicestershire, the Combined Fire Authority and parish councils throughout the borough.

We make payments to those authorities whether we have received your payment or not, which is why we will take prompt action against you if you do not pay your Council Tax on time.

Tips for avoiding recovery action

What happens if I forget to pay?

If your payment is late we will issue a reminder notice for the overdue amount. If this is not paid by the required date, the full remaining balance becomes due and a summons may be issued against you.

Whilst paying the 10 monthly instalments in a year, a maximum of two reminder notices will be issued. Should your payment be late a third time, then the full balance on the account becomes due and a final notice is issued.

If the full balance is not paid within seven days a summons may be issued against you and extra costs will be added to your account.

What happens if a summons is issued?

Following the issue of a summons we will attend the Magistrates Court (on the date specified on the summons) and ask for a liability order to be granted against you.

If a liability order is granted we are legally permitted to use a range of 'enforcement' actions to collect outstanding Council Tax (for example, attachment to earnings orders).

Defences against the liability order

You can appeal your liability order if:

• You have paid in full prior to the issue of the summons
• You have been billed incorrectly (this excludes an award of Local Council Tax Support)

Deal with this now without attending court

If you do not wish to attend the hearing and/or have no valid defence:

• Pay in full online at www.charnwood.gov.uk/payonline or by calling 01509 634666
• Contact us on 01509 634666 or use our online contact form to discuss making alternative arrangements for payment

Court attendance

If you wish to attend the hearing you MUST follow the steps below:

• Contact us on 01509 634666 or use our online contact form
• If we can, we will try to resolve the matter with you ahead of the hearing and save you a journey to court
• We may agree to adjourn the hearing while we look into your case
• If we can’t help, then we will arrange for a specific time in which the Magistrates will hear your defense
• We will provide you with details to ensure that you are able to comply with the social distancing measures that are in place at court

Please note: If you turn up at the Magistrates Court without a prior appointment, you will be refused entry and your case will be heard in your absence.