Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council

Recovery and enforcement

To avoid receiving a reminder notice for late payment of your current account, your Council Tax instalments must be paid on the due dates shown on your bill. If your account is not brought up to date after a reminder notice, a summons will be issued for the remaining balance of the full year's charge, and costs will be added. Only two reminder notices will be issued against an account in any financial year - after this, any further late payment will result in the withdrawal of instalments and the issue of a final notice for the remaining balance of the full year's charge.

A reminder notice will not be issued however if the account is now closed (e.g you have moved from the property to which the council tax charge related). In the case of a closed account a final notice will be sent if the balance due is not paid in full after being sent a final bill. If the account is not paid with seven days of the final notice a summons can be issued, with costs added.

If you receive a summons, the Council will apply to the Magistrates' Court for a liability order. This could result in deductions from your earnings, Income Support, Jobseekers Allowance or Pension Credits, bankruptcy proceedings,or your arrears being referred to Bailiffs for collection.