Received a reminder, Final Notice or Summons?
Skip Menu
What happens if I don't pay my business rates?
Payments are due on or before the date specified on your bill. If you do not pay on time, recovery action will be taken and you may have to pay additional costs.
If you have are having difficulties paying your business rates do not wait until recovery action has started before contacting us.
Reminder Notices
It is important that you pay your business rates on or before the due date.
You will receive a Reminder Notice if:
- you didn’t pay the correct amount or by the correct instalment date as shown on your bill
- your payment didn’t reach your business rates account by the time the reminder was issued
- you missed a payment
What to do if you paid the correct amount on the correct date
If you have paid the correct amount as stated on your bill and on the correct date, you will need to check if the payment has cleared by checking your bank statement. If the payment has cleared, but the council has not received it you will need to provide proof of your payment so that we can investigate further; please email businessrates@tewkesbury.gov.uk with the date and evidence of the payment.
What to do if you didn’t pay the correct amount or missed a payment
You must pay the amount shown on the Reminder Notice within seven days to bring your account up to date. You must also ensure that you pay your future monthly instalments on time to avoid debt recovery action.
You can pay the arrears using one of the following payment methods:
- Online – pay the full amount of the arrears online. You then need to pay your next instalment on or before the due date stated on your original bill.
- Pay business rates online – reference number starting with a 5
- Pay business rates online – reference number starting with a 7
- Telephone payment line – pay the full amount of the arrears via the telephone payment line. Tel: 0330 088 3709. You then need to pay your next instalment on or before the due date stated on your original bill.
What will happen if you do not pay the Reminder
If you do not pay the amount you owe within 7 days of the date of issue of the reminder notice, you may be sent a summons after a further 7 days as you will lose the right to pay by instalments.
If you do not make full payment when you are sent the summons, we will ask the Magistrates Court to grant a Liability Order which will incur court costs of £55.00. The date of the hearing will be on the summons. Payment must have been received on your Business Rate Account prior to the date of the hearing for the Liability Order application to cease.
What to do if you cannot pay the Reminder
- Please check if you are entitled to receive any Reduction or Relief. This may not prevent a summons being issued, but it could reduce the amount to be paid, making it easier for you to manage payments.
- Please pay as much of the arrears as you can reasonably afford. Paying anything less than the full amount may not prevent a summons being issued, but it will make it easier to agree a payment arrangement after a summons is sent.
- Please check if you are paying over 10 months or 12. If over 10 months, you can ask for your payments to be extended to March of each year, which will reduce the monthly payment you need to make. You can request this by emailing businessrates@tewkesbury.gov.uk . You will then be sent a new bill with revised instalments.
- Please check www.businessdebtline.org as this may help you get additional support to deal with matters including any other debts that you may have.
Final Notices
When a Final Notice is issued you lose the right to pay by instalments and you will have to pay the full balance by the date stated on the notice. If you do not pay the full balance a summons will be issued for which you will incur court costs.
Why has a Final Notice been issued?
- You have not paid the correct amount of your instalment and on the correct date as shown on your bill
- You have not kept up to date with your payments after receiving a reminder
- Your payment had not reached your account when the Final Notice was issued
What to do if you paid the correct amount on the correct date
If you have paid the correct amount as stated on your bill and on the correct date, you will need to check if the payment has cleared by checking your bank statement. If the payment has cleared, but the council has not received it you will need to provide proof of your payment so that we can investigate further; please email businessrates@tewkesbury.gov.uk with the date and evidence of the payment.
What to do if you didn’t pay the correct amount or missed a payment
You must pay the full balance shown on the Final Notice within seven days to bring your account up to date.
- Online – pay the full amount of the arrears online.
- Pay business rates online – reference number starting with a 5
- Pay business rates online – reference number starting with a 7
- Telephone payment line – pay the full amount of the arrears via the telephone payment line. Tel: 0330 088 3709.
What will happen if you do not pay the Final Notice
If you do not pay the amount you owe within 7 days of the date of issue of the final notice, you may be sent a summons.
If you do not make full payment when you are sent a summons, we will ask the the Magistrates Court to grant a Liability Order which will incur court costs of £55.00.. The date of the hearing will be on the summons. Payment must have been received on your Business Rate Account prior to the date of the hearing for the Liability Order application to cease.
What to do if you cannot pay the Final Notice
- Please check if you are entitled to receive any Reduction or Relief. This may not prevent a summons being issued, but it could reduce the amount to be paid, making it easier for you to manage payments.
- Please pay as much of the arrears as you can reasonably afford. Paying anything less than the full amount may not prevent a summons being issued, but it will make it easier to agree a payment arrangement after a summons is sent.
- Please check www.businessdebtline.org as this may help you get additional support to deal with matters including any other debts that you may have.
Business rates summons
How do I pay the summons?
If you have received a summons you have the following options:
- Pay the balance of the Summons in full including the costs: You can make payments by credit or debit card using our automated telephone payment system: available 24 hours, 7 days each week by calling 0330 088 3709. or Pay online.
- Pay business rates online – reference number starting with a 5
- Pay business rates online – reference number starting with a 7
- If you are unable to pay in accordance with the options above, the Council may be able to accept an alternative payment arrangement. You will need to request this by calling 01684 272015. If no arrangement is agreed then further recovery action may be taken.
What is a summons?
When you receive a summons, you will already have forfeited your statutory right to pay by instalments. However, you may be able to set up a special payment arrangement to pay the balance on your account, plus the future liability costs.
The summons will advise you of your outstanding amount and court hearing date.
You don’t need to request attending court if you agree that you are responsible to pay the debt.
Why has a summons been issued?
- You haven’t paid the correct amount of your instalment and on the correct date as shown on your bill, Reminder Notice or Final Notice
- Your payment had not reached your account when the summons was issued
Attending court
Liability Order proceedings in the Magistrates Court currently take place remotely and not in person. You must not attend the Court building.
If you believe that you do not owe, or should not have to pay, the Business Rates, then you must contact the Council sufficiently in advance of the hearing date. You will need to contact the Council directly to discuss this by calling 01684 272015.
If agreement cannot be reached, the Court may adjourn the Council’s application for a Liability Order to a future date, and you will be contacted with details on how you can dispute the Liability Order by way of a remote telephone hearing
