Ask The Council For More Time To Pay Your Council Tax

In brief

Official guidelines state: Debtors must not be pressed to make unrealistic offers and should be asked to consider carefully any offer they voluntarily make and where possible refer to free debt advice.

Jurisdiction: England and Wales. Explore the Council tax enforcement topic hub.

Official guidelines state: Debtors must not be pressed to make unrealistic offers and should be asked to consider carefully any offer they voluntarily make and where possible refer to free debt advice.

You may request the council, referencing paragraph 24 of the Taking Control of Goods National Standards issued by the Ministry of Justice on 6 April 2014, to grant you additional time to pay the council tax arrears.

If the council consents to stopping the enforcement action, regulation 17 of the Taking Control of Goods Regulations 2014 stipulates that the bailiff cannot recover their fees from you, thereby saving you £326.

The council's authority to withdraw enforcement is discretionary, so it is crucial to make your request as compelling as possible.


Template: Request for Council to Withdraw Bailiffs and Grant Additional Time to Pay Arrears.


Primary and official sources linked on this page

These links are included to make the underlying legal or official source material easier to verify.

Council tax bailiff enforcement: key factsA council can use enforcement agents after obtaining a liability order.Stopping Bailiffs: Approaching Your Local CouncillorIf you are experiencing significant financial difficulties and bailiffs are pursuing unpaid council tax, you can contact your local councillor and the Council Chief Executive.You Did Not Get A Final Notice Or A ReminderA common reason for not receiving a notice or reminder from the council is that they need the correct address for you.Payments Made To Bailiffs Are Going MissingIf payments go missing, the bailiff could be misappropriating the money, possibly attributing it to an error.Disputing Your Council Tax ArrearsUnder Section 6 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, you are liable for council tax only for the days you reside in the property.You Are Living In A House Of Multiple OccupancyIf you're an occupant in an HMO, you're not responsible for council tax; the landlord or freeholder is and must have a Property License.