Reminder notice

We send reminder notices if:

  • you don't pay the correct amount; or
  • you don't pay on time.

What to do if you receive a reminder

To pay by phone call 020 8424 1220. You will need to have your Council Tax Reference number. For other payment methods, see Paying your council tax.

Pay your Council Tax online

We do not send reminders for each missing or late payment. To avoid receiving notices in future, find out how to manage your payments.

What will happen if you do not pay the Reminder

If you do not pay the amount you owe within 7 days of its date of issue, you may be sent a summons. You will then lose the right to pay by instalments.

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 in full when you get the summons, including the £125, we'll ask the court for a Liability Order. It will include an extra £5. The date of the hearing will be on the summons. The Council must receive the payment in your Council Tax Account to stop the Liability Order. You can check this on MyHarrow.

What to do if you cannot pay the Reminder

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 can get a Discount or Council Tax Support. This may not stop the summons, but could reduce the debt. This will make it easier for you to manage payments.
  • 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, and get the right support.

What to do if you think the Reminder notice is wrong

If you think that the reminder is wrong, you can send a dispute. You will need to provide:

  • a letter explaining why you think it is wrong
  • any relevant supporting evidence.

You will need to pay while you are waiting for a decision.

Select the reason for your dispute for guidance:

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 access the form, you can sign in to your MyHarrow Account. If you do not have an account, please select 'Complete a form without logging in'.

Dispute a reminder notice

You must make any outstanding payments while you wait for a decision on your dispute. A decision can take up to 50 days.