What happens if you don't pay your business rates.
Your business rates bill shows the dates your payments are due by.
If you miss a payment, you'll receive a reminder giving you seven days to make the missed payment.
Find out how you to pay your business rates.
If you receive a reminder and still can't make a payment, you should contact us as soon as possible.
If you don't bring your account up to date, or if you bring your account up to date and then fall into arrears again, you won't receive another reminder. Instead, you'll lose the right to pay by instalment and we will be legally obliged to ask Guildford Magistrates to issue a summons. This action will incur substantial costs for you.
If you are unable to pay the amount shown on the summons you should contact us immediately to discuss your account.
We will advise you on the best course of action and we may be able to make a payment arrangement with you.
You may attend the hearing to present your defence for non-payment. We will ask the magistrate to grant a liability order, whether you attend or not, and this will incur further costs.
The purpose of the court hearing is to determine liability. If the magistrate decides that you are liable and that we have issued your bill correctly, it is likely that a liability order will be issued.
At this stage, we will still be able to make a payment arrangement with you, which will include any costs that have been incurred. However, if further default occurs after this, enforcement agents (bailiffs) can be employed to obtain payment, incurring further costs to your account.
If you receive any notice from the us regarding non-payment of your business rates, do not ignore it. Doing so may mean that further action will be taken and additional costs incurred.
If you are unable to pay your business rates, contact our business rates section to discuss the situation and make a suitable payment arrangement.
We use several enforcement agencies. You need to contact all enforcement agencies directly.