Failure to pay a summonsed debt
If the Council has been unable to recover the debt by the methods outlined after court, we can pursue:
- committal proceedings
- bankruptcy
- a charging order
Committal proceedings
If you cannot pay the full amount before the court date, you could face up to 90 days in prison. If you get an application for committal, please contact us immediately as in some cases payment arrangements can be made to stop the hearing from taking place.
Bankruptcy
This means that your assets will no longer be controlled by you and your home may be sold to pay back the debt. A bankruptcy order will add significant costs to your account.
Charging order
A charging order will be placed on your property and so once the property is sold (this may be forced by the court to enforce the order) we will recover the debt from the sale. If a charging order application is granted by court, this will add significant costs to your account.