Enforcement Agents have been instructed, what happens now?
If you fail to pay or do not make a payment arrangement, we can ask an Enforcement Agent to collect the Council Tax debt for us.
A liability order has been issued by the Magistrates' Court and we have passed your details to an enforcement agent (otherwise known as bailiffs) to collect the amount you owe, plus any extra charges.
If you receive a letter or a visit from an enforcement agent, you should contact them urgently to discuss your options for repayment as additional enforcement agents fees will become payable.
If your account is with an enforcement agent you must make payments direct to them.
Any enforcement agency acting on our behalf should behave professionally, follow set procedures, have an internal complaints procedure and not take inappropriate action.
We use the following Enforcement Agent firms - please check your documentation to confirm who your debt has been passed to:
- Jacobs: 0151 650 4800
- Bristow and Sutor: 0871 677 0070
There are fixed fees that an enforcement agent can charge a debtor when collecting a council tax debt.
- Compliance fee: £75.00 - this fee is due as soon as the council passes an unpaid debt to the enforcement agent for collection. This fee is payable on each liability order.
- Enforcement fee: £235.00 - this fee is due if an arrangement to pay is not made, or if you default on an arrangement you have made with them, and a visit by an enforcement agent is required; this is a one-fee regardless of the number of outstanding liability orders.
- Sale or disposal fee: A minimum of £110.00 - this fee is due if the case reaches that stage.
- A further 7.5% fee will also be charged on any additional amount above £1,500, excluding fees - this fee is only chargeable at the enforcement and/or sale and disposal stages.
If you are unable to pay in full, the enforcement agent may consider giving you time to pay, but you must agree to a satisfactory arrangement and the enforcement agent may enter into a Controlled Goods Agreement. This means they wiill make a list of good in your house up to the value of the debt and their costs, you will have to sign the agreement. If you break the arrangement, the enforcement agent will re-enter your property to remove those goods.
For advice on Enforcement Agents and the action they can take, visit GOV.UK
If the enforcement agent does not collect all the money that you owe the Council, we will consider other options to recover the debt which may include bankruptcy, a charging order against your property, or asking the court to assist in the recovery of the debt which may result in sending you to prison for up to three months.