Struggling with council tax debt? We can help
Free, confidential advice on arrears, liability orders and enforcement agents. Answer a few questions and we will tell you where you stand and what happens next.
- We speak to your council and to enforcement agents for you
- Special payment arrangements based on what you can genuinely afford
- Nothing is agreed without your say-so
Are enforcement agents at your door now? Do not let them in and do not sign anything. Call us on 0800 494 7285, or read the three golden rules first.
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Free
We do not charge for advice and there are no upfront fees.
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Confidential
We will not contact your employer, your landlord or your family.
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Independent
We are not part of your council and we do not work for them.
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Nationwide
England, Wales and Scotland, including summary warrant cases.
Where you are now
Find your situation
Council tax debt escalates faster than almost any other household bill. Whichever stage you have reached, there is something that can be done.
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I have had a reminder or final notice
Miss one instalment and your council can withdraw the right to pay monthly and demand the whole year’s bill. There is still time to put this right.
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A liability order has been made
The magistrates’ court has given your council powers to recover the debt. You have more say in how that happens than most people realise.
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Enforcement agents have contacted me
Bailiff fees are fixed by law and can add several hundred pounds. Know the rules before you open the door or agree to anything.
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Money is being taken from my wages or benefits
An attachment of earnings or a deduction from benefits is already in place. It can often be reduced, or replaced with an arrangement you can afford.
How it works
What happens after you start
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Step 1: Tell us what has happened
A short set of questions about your bill, your council and any enforcement action. You do not need any paperwork to start.
About 3 minutes
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Step 2: An adviser reviews your case
We work out what you can realistically afford and what your council is obliged to consider. You get a straight answer, not a sales pitch.
Usually the same day, Monday to Thursday
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Step 3: We deal with them for you
We put your case to the council and to any enforcement agents, negotiate the arrangement and confirm it in writing.
You stay in control throughout
Enforcement agents
The three golden rules
Enforcement agents, also called bailiffs, can add several hundred pounds in fees to your debt. What you do in the first few minutes matters more than almost anything else that follows.
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Do not let them in
You do not have to open your door to an enforcement agent, and we would advise that you do not. Once they are inside they can list your belongings. Speak to them through the door or a closed window.
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Offer only what you can afford
Put a realistic payment offer to them in writing and keep a copy. Never agree to a figure you know you cannot sustain. A broken arrangement will cost you more than a refused offer.
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Get advice before you sign anything
If your offer is refused, or you genuinely cannot pay, stop there and call us on 0800 494 7285 before you agree to anything or hand over any money.
Includes the fees they can legally charge at each stage, what they can and cannot take, and advice on the specific firm that has contacted you.
What we help with
Council tax is our specialism, not a sideline
Every adviser here works on council tax debt day in, day out. We know how individual councils behave and what they will realistically agree to.
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Council tax arrears
Reminders, final notices, and the jump from monthly instalments to the full annual bill.
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Liability orders
What the order actually allows your council to do, and how to challenge one that should not have been made.
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Enforcement agents
The compliance, enforcement and sale fee stages, what can and cannot be taken, and how to get a case returned to the council.
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Discounts and exemptions
Single person discount, severe mental impairment, students, carers, empty properties and disabled band reduction.
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Banding challenges
A great many homes sit in the wrong valuation band. We will tell you whether yours is worth challenging.
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Council tax in Scotland
Summary warrants, sheriff officers and arrestments: a different system, from the first letter onwards.
Feedback
What people say
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My clients were struggling with bailiff action caused by crippling council tax demands. They helped by giving my clients sound advice and guidance. I recommend them to people who need assistance with bailiff action, council tax arrears and debt.
Haford Housing Housing association, about Council Tax Advisors, our founder’s earlier service
Check your options
Find out where you stand
Start with one question. We do not ask for your name, your email or any account details to give you an answer.
- Confidential
- No obligation
- about 3 minutes
Would you rather talk to someone? Call
0800 494 7285.
Monday to Thursday, 10am to 5pm
Step 1 of 10
What stage has your council tax debt reached?
Common questions
Questions people ask us first
Does this cost me anything?
The advice and the initial review are free, and there are no upfront fees. If a formal debt solution turns out to be the right route for you, we will explain any costs involved in plain English before you commit to anything.
Will this affect my credit score?
Answering the questions and speaking to an adviser will not. We do not run a credit search in order to give you advice. If you later choose a formal solution such as a Debt Relief Order or an individual voluntary arrangement, that is recorded, and we will tell you exactly what it means before you decide.
Can enforcement agents force their way in for council tax?
For council tax debt, enforcement agents cannot force entry to a home on a first visit. They may walk in through an unlocked door. Forced entry is available only in narrow circumstances and with a further court order. That is why the first golden rule is simply not to let them in.
My council says I have to pay the whole year at once. Is that right?
Once you have missed instalments and a reminder has expired, your right to pay monthly can be withdrawn and the full year’s balance does become due. That is not the end of the matter. Councils can and regularly do accept a new arrangement, particularly when the offer is put to them properly and supported by a statement of your income and outgoings.
Will you contact my employer or my family?
No. We speak only to your council and, where relevant, to the enforcement agents acting for them. Nobody else is contacted without your explicit permission.
What if I live in Scotland or Wales?
We can help. Wales follows broadly the same process as England. Scotland is different: there are no bailiffs, recovery is handled by sheriff officers under a summary warrant, and the rules on time limits and deductions are not the same. Tell us where you live and we will advise accordingly.