Business Rates Recovery and Enforcement

Kettering Borough Council acts as the collection agent for the government and all Business Rates collected by the Council are paid into a Central Pool and redistributed amongst local authorities. Because of this, there are regulations laid down for the effective collection of Business Rates.

You will be sent a reminder if an instalment remains unpaid. Reminders require payments to be brought up to date within 7 days. If they are not, the right to pay by instalments is lost and the full amount becomes due in a lump sum after a further 7 days.

If you still fail to pay, or do not make an arrangement, a summons will be issued for you to appear before the Magistrates' Court, for which you will incur £100 costs. If full payment including the costs is not made prior to the Court hearing in cleared funds, an additional £10 costs will be added to your account once a Liability Order has been granted. Depending upon what action is then taken to recover the debt, further costs could be incurred, some of which may be considerable, so please contact us as soon as you receive your summons to discuss your circumstances and arrange payment.

Please read the leaflet about the issue of a summons for more information. If a liability order is granted, the Council has further powers to collect the debt, such as:

• passing the debt to a bailiff company for collection. This will incur further costs, which will be added to the debt
• taking action to make you bankrupt or wind up your company
• starting liquidation proceedings against your business

Please note that you can make an arrangement with the Council at any stage of the recovery process. The earlier you contact us the less likely it is that you will have to pay extra costs.

If you have any questions regarding the Council's recovery process please contact us.

Charges Connected With Distress

Last updated 12/06/2012