You will receive a final notice if:
- two reminders have already been sent and payment is late a third time. (see an explanation); or
- you did not have the right to pay by instalments. This may happen if it was a closed account and you have not made payment as requested. (see an explanation)
What to do when you receive a Final Notice
If you have received a Final Notice:
- You must pay the amount shown on the final notice within seven days of the date the notice was issued.
- When a Final Notice is issued you lose the right to pay by instalments. You will have to pay the full balance. No other payment arrangement can be made for a Final Notice.
To pay by phone call 0208 424 1220. You will need to have your Council Tax Reference number. For other payment methods, see Paying your council tax.
What will happen if you do not pay the Final Notice
If you do not pay the amount you owe within 7 days of the date of issue, you may be sent a summons.
When the summons is issued you will incur costs of £125. This will increase the amount you owe. The council has a duty to protect public funds, and the summons allows more debt recovery options.
If you don't pay the amount in full, including the £125 costs, we'll ask the court for a Liability Order. A further £5 will be added. The date of the hearing will be on the summons. The Council must receive full payment before the hearing date to stop the Liability Order.
What to do if you cannot pay the Final Notice
If you cannot pay, then a summons will be sent. The following actions may not prevent this, but can make it easier to manage by reducing the amount owed.
- Check if you are entitled to receive any Discount or Council Tax Support.
- Pay as much of the arrears as you can afford.
- Check if you are paying over 10 months or 12. If over 10 months, you can ask for your payments to be extended to March of each year. This will reduce your monthly payments. You can do this by setting up a Direct Debit. We will send you a new bill telling you the reduced instalments.
- Get debt advice and financial support. This may help you reduce other bills, enabling you to get the right support.
What to do if you think that the Final Notice is wrong
If you think that the notice should not have been sent, you can send a dispute. You will need to provide a letter explaining why you think it is incorrect, and any relevant supporting evidence. You will need to pay while you are waiting for a decision.
Select the reason for your dispute below and find out what you should send.
I have made the payments, but the Council has not received them
Check MyHarrow to see if and when the Council received the payments. If a payment is missing, you will need to send proof of payment.
We can accept the following as proof:
- a bank or credit card statement showing that payment has been made
- a receipt
- any other valid proof that you have to show the missing payment
Please also attach a written explanation of your dispute. This can be a saved file, such as an MS Word document.
If you have moved out or should not be responsible for the Council Tax at this address
If you received a notice for an address which you have moved out of, make sure you have notified us using the move form.
If you think you should not be responsible for Council Tax, you can submit a dispute using the evidence upload form.
You must pay the amount on the notice while the matter is being looked into.
I cannot afford to pay
If you have not paid because you cannot afford it, you should:
- check to see if you qualify for a discount or exemption.
- find out if you qualify for Council Tax Support using our benefits calculator. If you qualify you will need to apply for Council Tax Support
In most circumstances the Final Notice will still stand. Please read the above guidance on What to do if you cannot pay the Final Notice
I did not receive the bill or reminder
If you did not receive the bill or reminders then you can check them on MyHarrow. You must pay the amount shown on the notice. Not receiving a bill or reminder notice is not a valid defence against a summons.
I am waiting for the outcome of an application
If you have not paid while waiting for the outcome of an application then the notice is correct. You must always pay your council tax while waiting for a decision on any type of application.
You can use MyHarrow to check the progress of your application.
If you have recently set up a Direct Debit, check MyHarrow to see if it has been set up. You will need to pay any payments shown as outstanding.
How to send your dispute
Before you send your dispute:
- have your dispute letter and supporting evidence ready to upload
- have your Council Tax Reference number
- before you can access the form, you will be asked to sign in to your MyHarrow Account. If you do not have an account, please select 'Complete a form without logging in'
The amount you owe
The amount you need to pay is shown on the Final Notice letter as highlighted below:
Final Notice Date of Issue
You can find the date of issue on your Final Notice letter as indicated below:
The full payment must be made within 7 days of the Date of Issue.