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What happens if I don't pay my rates?

Land & Property Services (LPS) is responsible for the collection of rates. Payment of rates is a legal obligation. Find out what measures are available to LPS to recover unpaid rates.

If you don't pay your rates

If you do not pay your rates or contact LPS to make an arrangement to clear your account, you will be taken to court. This will mean:

  • additional costs
  • your credit rating could be affected, and as a result you may not be able to apply for credit or a loan
  • you could be made bankrupt
  • your home could be repossessed

In 2010 - 11 court action was taken against more than 45,000 ratepayers for non-payment of rates.

Contact details for LPS are as follows:

  • phone: 0300 200 7801 (charged at local rate)
  • textphone 1800 1101

Alternatively you can call in person to any LPS rating office. You can use the link below to find your nearest office:

What happens if you miss an instalment?

If you pay by monthly instalments and miss a payment, LPS will issue a reminder for the amount due. If you pay this within seven days, the instalment payment option remains in place. If you can't pay the arrears within seven days, you should contact your local LPS rating office, as it may be possible to make different payment arrangements. If you don't pay the arrears or contact LPS, you will receive a final notice for payment.

If you are not set up for instalments, you will receive a final notice 40 days after the original bill was issued.

What happens when you receive a final notice?

When you receive a final notice, you lose the automatic right to pay by instalments and you have ten days to pay the full amount outstanding. You can however still contact LPS who may be able to agree a suitable payment plan.

If you do not pay the whole amount due or make a payment agreement with LPS they will issue Process in Debt Proceedings (take you to court) and charge you extra costs without issuing any further reminders.

Court proceedings

If you receive a Process to attend court and pay the full amount and any extra costs before the court date, LPS will not take any further action. If you don't pay the full amount plus costs, the case will go to the Magistrate's Court on the day stated.

Once Proceedings have been issued, LPS cannot make an agreement with you. However, if possible you should continue to make payments to reduce the debt.

You do not have to attend the court hearing unless you wish to dispute the amount or you have a legal matter to bring to the attention of the Magistrate. The court will usually award a decree if you do not attend and you will receive this 2-3 weeks after the hearing. When the decree has been issued, you should contact LPS to make an arrangement to pay the outstanding amount.

Further recovery measures

If you do not clear the outstanding amount or make an arrangement to pay this, LPS will ask the Enforcement of Judgements Office to issue a Notice of Intention on its behalf. If you do not pay the outstanding balance with additional costs within ten days, LPS will lodge the debt for enforcement with the Enforcement of Judgements Office.

Lodgement of the debt with the Enforcement of Judgements Office could result in the following:

  • your name appearing in Stubb's Gazette, which will affect your credit rating
  • additional costs of £150 to £250 depending on the amount outstanding
  • Attachment of Earning Order - where regular payments will be deducted from your salary / wages
  • Order Charging Land - the debt will be recovered if the property is sold
  • Garnishee Order - which can be served on a bank or building society to make it pay out money from your account to clear the debt
  • Seizure Order - which enables the Enforcement of Judgements Office to seize personal property and / or valuables to cover all or part of the debt
  • Statutory Demand - if the debt exceeds £750, the Enforcement of Judgements Office can issue a Statutory Demand.  If you do not comply with this, LPS will initiate bankruptcy proceedings which will add additional substantial costs

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