Council Tax - what enforcement can be taken?
Deductions from your salary
We can order your employer to deduct a regular amount from your salary towards your unpaid Council Tax. This is a legal order made under The Council Tax (Administration and Enforcement) Regulations 1992. The deductions which will be taken from your salary or wages depend on:
- whether you are paid on a daily, weekly or monthly basis
- how much you earn
You can check the deduction amount for your salary or wages (PDF).
Deductions from your benefit
We can apply to the Benefits Agency for direct deductions to be made from your benefit, if you are receiving certain types of benefit.
Enforcement Agents acting on behalf of Central Bedfordshire Council
Enforcement Agents will visit your home and seize your possessions to sell, in order to clear your outstanding debt. The money raised will go towards paying your debt, plus the Enforcement Agent costs incurred. Please note these costs can be substantial.
Charges for enforcement action
With effect from 6 April 2014, in accordance with Section 4, paragraph 1 of the Taking Control of Goods Regulations, pursuant to S12 of the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007, the fees charged by Enforcement Agents, acting on behalf of Central Bedfordshire Council in collecting outstanding Council Tax are as follows:
Stage 1 - compliance fees
£75 for each outstanding Liability Order.
This fee will be added to your arrears as soon as the enforcement agent is instructed to collect your debt.
Stage 2 - enforcement fees
£235, plus 7.5% of the sum of the outstanding debt over £1,500.
This fee will be added to your debt the first time the enforcement agent visits your property.
Stage 3 - sale fees
£110, plus 7.5% of the sum of the outstanding debt over £1,500.
This fee will be added to your debt when the enforcement agent visits your property to remove your possessions.
Contact the Revenues Section on 0300 300 8011 to arrange payment of your outstanding Council Tax debt, and avoid incurring these fees.
Committal action
If the Enforcement Agent action is unsuccessful in collecting your debt, we can apply to the Magistrates' Court for a warrant committing you to prison for up to 3 months. We would only take this action where other efforts to collect your arrears have failed.
Bankruptcy
We may start bankruptcy proceedings to recover your outstanding Council Tax. You are liable for the costs incurred in this process. This will be a minimum of £800 and rises steeply beyond that.
Charging order
In certain circumstances, we can apply to the court for a charging order which places a secured charge on your property. This can, in some cases, force the sale of your property to pay the outstanding Council Tax. You will be liable for the substantial legal fees and disbursements incurred in this process.
View or download our charging order and insolvency procedure.
Debt Recovery and Vulnerability pilot scheme
We are taking part in a ‘Debt Recovery and Vulnerability’ pilot scheme in conjunction with the Cabinet Office under the Digital Economy Act 2017. If you have Council Tax debts, your name, address and identification information may be shared with the Department for Work and Pensions and HM Revenue and Customs to help us identify financial vulnerability and recover Council Tax debts more effectively.
View the business case for the Debt Recovery and Vulnerability pilot scheme
View the Data Protection Impact Assessment for the Debt Recovery and Vulnerability pilot scheme
Contact us
Telephone: 0300 300 8011
Email: revenuesct@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk
Please quote your Council Tax account reference in all correspondence – your account reference is 8 or 9 digits long and starts with a 4, 7 or 8. You can find it on your Council Tax bill or any letter we’ve sent about your Council Tax.