Business rates

Business Rates instalments are due on the first day of each month unless you pay by Direct Debit. If you don’t pay an instalment, or it is paid late, you will be sent a reminder notice.

If, after already having been issued with a reminder notice, you again don’t pay an instalment or pay late, we will send you either a final notice or court summons.  If we issue either of these, you will lose your right to pay in instalments. That means you must pay the balance of the year’s Business Rates immediately and in full.

Set up a Direct Debit to avoid late payments. With a Direct Debit, your Business Rate instalments are automatically paid on the due date.  As long as payments are received, you will not receive reminders, final notices or a summons, and you will avoid incurring Court costs.

As soon as you miss a payment, we’ll send you a reminder. You then have seven days to pay the outstanding amount. If you don’t, you’ll lose the right to pay the rest of the year’s rates by instalments. This means you’ll have to pay it in one lump sum.

If you bring your account up to date, but then miss another payment, we’ll send you a final notice. You will then lose your right to pay by instalments. You will only up to two notices in any one year – a reminder and a final notice. If you don’t pay after getting these, we’ll issue a summons with costs of up to £199.50.

What will happen if I get a final notice for Business Rates?

If you get a final notice for Business Rates, you’ve lost your legal right to pay by instalments. The remaining balance will be due in full. If you don’t pay the amount shown on the final notice, you’ll receive a summons. This will incur further costs of up to £199.50.