If you receive a Council Tax summons

If you have been sent a Council Tax summons, it means you have not paid the amount shown on your Council Tax bill and reminder notice. The summons tells you that the council has asked the Magistrates’ Court to consider granting a liability order for the unpaid amount.

A Council Tax summons means:

• you can no longer pay by instalments
• we may take steps to recover the full amount you owe
• a court hearing has been arranged
• you may attend the hearing, but the court will only consider valid legal reasons why a liability order should not be granted

The summons paperwork you received includes a list of the valid reasons the court will accept. These reasons are set in law and are very limited.

Valid reasons usually relate to cases where the Council Tax charge is not correct, for example:

• you were not legally responsible for the property during the period charged
• the amount shown on the bill is wrong
• the bill was sent to the wrong person
• the council did not follow the correct legal process

You must provide evidence to support any reason you give.

If none of the valid reasons apply and the amount remains unpaid, the court must grant a liability order. If you are unsure whether a reason applies to you, contact us as soon as possible so we can review your account and advise you.

You do not need to attend if you agree that you owe the amount shown. The case will go ahead whether you attend or not.

If you want to attend the court hearing to dispute the summons, please email localtaxation@portsmouthcc.gov.uk

Please include the following information:

• ‘Summons’ in the subject line
• your reason for disputing the summons
• your Council Tax account number

If you cannot email, you can call 023 9268 8588. Please be aware that phone lines may be very busy.

Your summons includes a payment plan. This plan already includes:

• the summons costs
• the liability order costs

If you agree to this plan:

• you do not need to contact us
• you must keep to the payments shown

The plan only covers the amount on the summons. If you have other payment arrangements, continue paying those as agreed.

We will ask the court to grant a liability order for the unpaid amount. If the order is granted, we may take further recovery action without sending more notices.

We will not take further action if you:

• pay the full amount, including costs, before the court date, or
• keep to the payment plan included with your summons

You will still need to pay:

• the extra costs already included
• your outstanding Council Tax balance

What the court can and cannot do

The Magistrates’ Court can only decide whether to grant a liability order.

The court:

• cannot set up payment plans
• does not manage Council Tax accounts
• does not collect payments

Only the council can agree a payment plan, as we manage your account and assess:

• your balance
• your payment history
• any discounts or Council Tax Support

If you need to discuss payment options, contact us as soon as possible. We can review your account and, where appropriate, agree an affordable repayment arrangement. Your summons includes an alternative arrangement form.

You must:

• complete all sections
• return it by email or post

Email: localtaxation@portsmouthcc.gov.uk

Post:
Council Tax Office
Portsmouth City Council
Civic Offices
Guildhall Square
Portsmouth
PO1 2AL

If you need further help or your circumstances have changed, email localtaxation@portsmouthcc.gov.uk

Put ‘Summons’ in the subject line.

You can also contact us using our online form. Select Council Tax, then choose the most relevant option.

Free financial advice is available locally. You can find organisations offering independent debt advice on our Free independent financial advice pages.