Direct Debit is easy to set up and helps you to spread the cost of your business rate bill. Through a new online facility, it is now easy to set up a Direct Debit online. There are three Direct Debit collection dates each month. You can choose from the 7th, 15th or 28th of each month as your preferred collection date and funds will be collected on or around your chosen date.

Once a Direct Debit has been set up for a rate account, it will continue each year, without further action from you. If you miss Direct Debit payments for two consecutive months, the facility may be withdrawn and you will have to make alternative payment arrangements.

You can also set up your Direct Debit for single payment and your payment will be taken automatically every year.

Download the Land & Property Services (LPS) information for Direct Debit customers (PDF, 332K).

How to set up a Direct Debit

You can set up a Direct Debit online to pay your rates.

You can also set up a Direct Debit by downloading and completing the Direct Debit application form (PDF, 756K).

Alternatively you can call the LPS helpline with your bank or building society details and they will set the Direct Debit up for you. You can contact LPS by the following methods:

• Tel 0300 200 7801 (charged at local rate)
• Tel +44 28 9049 5794 if calling from outside the UK
• Text relay 18001 0300 200 7801

Please note: Most LPS services are available, but LPS Customer Information Centres remain closed until further notice. The Ordnance Survey helpline remains closed until further notice, however queries can be directed to Mapping.Helpdesk@finance-ni.gov.uk. Helplines for rating and valuation, housing benefit, rates relief and land registration are open.

Closures will be kept under regular review in line with further Government announcements. Further information on service updates, helpline numbers and reaching LPS by email are available on the LPS website.

Download the LPS information on the rate bill explained for instalment customers (PDF, 604K).

You can pay your business rates online through the Land & Property Services (LPS) rate payment online site. This service allows you to pay your rate bill by debit card.

When making a rates payment, you will need your LPS Account ID and Ratepayer ID - this is found at the top of your rate bill. You will also need to know the amount you need to pay. LPS information on the rate bill explained for instalment customers (PDF, 604K).

While LPS and their payment provider do not impose a payment limit on the online payment site, some card providers do impose a single transaction limit (commonly around £2,000). If you experience a problem trying to process a large transaction this may be the cause. To avoid this you could try to process the payment in two smaller transactions.

Debit cards accepted for rates payment

The following debit cards are accepted when paying business rates online:

• Switch
• Visa Electron
• Solo
• Maestro

Please note that LPS are currently unable to accept credit card payments on business rate accounts.

You can pay your business rate bill over the telephone using the Land & Property Services (LPS) automated payment service. This is available 24 hours a day seven days a week. You can make a payment using a debit card. There is no charge for paying by debit card.

Making a rates payment by phone

To make a business rates payment by telephone you will need the following information which you can find on your rate bill:

• Account ID
• Ratepayer ID
• Amount Due

The number to call is 0300 200 7801. Once connected you select the 'payment' option and follow the instructions to make a payment.

Please note: Most LPS services are available, but LPS Customer Information Centres remain closed until further notice. The Ordnance Survey helpline remains closed until further notice, however queries can be directed to Mapping.Helpdesk@finance-ni.gov.uk. Helplines for rating and valuation, housing benefit, rates relief and land registration are open.

Closures will be kept under regular review in line with further Government announcements. Further information on service updates, helpline numbers and reaching LPS by email are available on the LPS website.

There is no size limit on the amount you can pay in one transaction however some customers may have limits or restrictions on their debit card, so please bear this in mind when using this service. For example, you may not be able to pay more than a particular amount in one transaction. If you have problems processing a large transaction, you should check with your card provider as there may be a limit on your card. Alternatively you can make more than one transaction at smaller amounts. This will not affect your entitlement to early payment discount.

Debit cards accepted for rates payment

The following debit cards are accepted:

• Switch
• Visa
• Visa Electron
• Solo
• Maestro

Please note that LPS are currently unable to accept credit card payments on business rate accounts.

If you have a query regarding your business rates you should contact Land & Property Services.

If your bank or building society offers telephone and/or internet banking, you can pay your business rate bill using either of these payment methods.

You must quote the full 16 digit reference number which is made up from your Account ID and Ratepayer ID and can be found at the top right-hand corner of your rate bill. You must include the zeros at the beginning with no spaces or dashes, for example 0123456789105568.

Download the Land & Property Services (LPS) information on the rate bill explained for instalment customers (PDF, 604K).

If you have a query regarding your business rates you should contact Land & Property Services.

Please note: Most LPS services are available, but LPS Customer Information Centres remain closed until further notice. The Ordnance Survey helpline remains closed until further notice, however queries can be directed to Mapping.Helpdesk@finance-ni.gov.uk. Helplines for rating and valuation, housing benefit, rates relief and land registration are open.

Closures will be kept under regular review in line with further Government announcements. Further information on service updates, helpline numbers and reaching LPS by email are available on the LPS website.

BACs payments for rates

To make a Bacs payment ratepayers must provide their Rate Reference number (Account ID or Occupancy ID, followed by Ratepayer ID).

To enable correct allocation of payment(s), any remittance or Bacs query has to be sent to: commercial.lps@finance-ni.gov.uk 

The bank details are:
Danske Bank
Donegall Square West
BELFAST
BT1 6JS

• Bank Account Name: LPS Rate Account
• Account Number: 01063197
• Sort Code: 95-01-21

If a payment is coming from abroad, the LPS IBAN number for non-domestic rate accounts is as follows:

• IBAN Number: GB22DABA95012101063197
• BIC Address: DABAGB2B

CHAPs payments for rates

CHAPs payments can also be used when a payment needs to be paid quickly. There is a charge for making payments this way but it usually depends on the bank and the amount of money being transferred. It can be around £25 or more.

If you have a query regarding your business rates you should contact Land & Property Services.

Please note: Most LPS services are available, but LPS Customer Information Centres remain closed until further notice. The Ordnance Survey helpline remains closed until further notice, however queries can be directed to Mapping.Helpdesk@finance-ni.gov.uk. Helplines for rating and valuation, housing benefit, rates relief and land registration are open.

Closures will be kept under regular review in line with further Government announcements. Further information on service updates, helpline numbers and reaching LPS by email are available on the LPS website.

You can get your bank or building society to set up a standing order from your account to pay your business rates. The payment should be made to Land & Property Services (LPS) as follows:

• bank account number: 01063197
• sort code: 95-01-21
• bank account name: LPS Rate Account

You must quote the full 16 digit reference number which is made up from your Account ID and Ratepayer ID and can be found at the top right-hand corner of your business rate bill. You must include the zeros at the beginning with no spaces or dashes, for example 0123456789105568.

You should be aware that a standing order has to be renewed each year, unlike a Direct Debit which runs continuously until cancelled.

Download the LPS information on the rate bill explained for instalment customers (PDF, 604K).

If you have a query regarding your business rates you should contact Land & Property Services.

Please note: Most LPS services are available, but LPS Customer Information Centres remain closed until further notice. The Ordnance Survey helpline remains closed until further notice, however queries can be directed to Mapping.Helpdesk@finance-ni.gov.uk. Helplines for rating and valuation, housing benefit, rates relief and land registration are open.

Closures will be kept under regular review in line with further Government announcements. Further information on service updates, helpline numbers and reaching LPS by email are available on the LPS website.

You may find it more convenient to pay your business rate bill in a local Post Office or shop which offers the PayPoint service.

Find a Post Office or PayPoint outlet

As well as the network of Post Offices, there are over 450 PayPoint outlets in Northern Ireland, including garages, newsagents and convenience stores where you can pay your rate bill.

You can choose to pay by cheque, cash or debit card. However you should be aware that some PayPoint outlets may not accept payment by cheque. You can pay in full, in one single payment or you can pay in instalments. You must allow five working days for any payment to reach Land & Property Services (LPS).

You will need the Rates QuickPay card which is attached to your rate bill to make payment. You should bring your rate bill with you so you will know how much you need to pay. Remember to retain your receipt.

Transaction limits

Please be aware that PayPoint imposes a transaction limit of £300 per transaction and the Post Office imposes a transaction limit of £4,000 (for fraud purposes). If you wish to make a larger payment than the transaction limit, it can be processed in two payments. Alternatively if you are paying a large amount, you may wish to consider an alternative payment method such as direct debit, standing order, internet banking or payment online.

Download the LPS information on the rate bill explained for instalment customers (PDF, 604K).

If you have a query regarding your business rates you should contact Land & Property Services.

Please note: Most LPS services are available, but LPS Customer Information Centres remain closed until further notice. The Ordnance Survey helpline remains closed until further notice, however queries can be directed to Mapping.Helpdesk@finance-ni.gov.uk. Helplines for rating and valuation, housing benefit, rates relief and land registration are open.

Closures will be kept under regular review in line with further Government announcements. Further information on service updates, helpline numbers and reaching LPS by email are available on the LPS website.

If paying your business rate bill by cheque you should make your cheque payable to 'Land & Property Services', cross it 'Rate Account' and send it to the below address only:

Land & Property Services
Lanyon Plaza
7 Lanyon Place
Town Parks
Belfast
BT1 3LP

You should clearly print the address of the property for which the business rates are due and your Account ID and Ratepayer ID number on the back of the cheque.

A receipt will not be issued for postal payments.

Due to the closure of Land & Property Services Customer information Centres you are unable to hand deliver your cheque at this time. Please note that cash is not accepted at LPS offices.

Download the LPS information on the rate bill explained for instalment customers (PDF, 604K).

If you have a query regarding your business rates you should contact Land & Property Services.

Please note: Most LPS services are available, but LPS Customer Information Centres remain closed until further notice. The Ordnance Survey helpline remains closed until further notice, however queries can be directed to Mapping.Helpdesk@finance-ni.gov.uk. Helplines for rating and valuation, housing benefit, rates relief and land registration are open.

Closures will be kept under regular review in line with further Government announcements. Further information on service updates, helpline numbers and reaching LPS by email are available on the LPS website.

Payment of rates is a legal obligation. If you are not able to pay your rate bill you must contact Land & Property Services (LPS) immediately.

LPS is always willing to listen and will try to come to a suitable payment agreement with you. The information you provide will be treated in the strictest confidence.

You can contact LPS using the following methods:

• Tel 0300 200 7801 (charged at local rate)
• Tel 0044 28 9049 5794 if calling from outside the UK
• Text relay 18001 0300 200 7801

Please note: Most LPS services are available, but LPS Customer Information Centres remain closed until further notice. The Ordnance Survey helpline remains closed until further notice, however queries can be directed to Mapping.Helpdesk@finance-ni.gov.uk. Helplines for rating and valuation, housing benefit, rates relief and land registration are open.

Closures will be kept under regular review in line with further Government announcements. Further information on service updates, helpline numbers and reaching LPS by email are available on the LPS website.

Alternatively you can call in person to any LPS rating office.

To understand the consequences if you don't pay your business rates see what happens if I don't pay my rate bill?

Land & Property Services (LPS) is responsible for collecting rates in Northern Ireland that are due for payment. Payment of rates is a legal obligation. There are a number of measures available to LPS to recover rates that are unpaid.

If you do not pay your rates or contact LPS to make an arrangement to clear your account, you will be taken to court. This will mean:

• additional costs
• your credit rating could be affected, and as a result you may not be able to apply for credit or a loan
• you could be made bankrupt
• your home could be repossessed

If you are having problems paying your rate bill you should inform LPS immediately. See what happens if I can't pay my rate bill?

What happens if I miss an instalment?

If you pay by monthly instalments and miss a payment, LPS will issue a reminder for the amount due. If you pay this within seven days, the instalment payment option remains in place. If you can't pay the arrears within seven days, you should contact your local LPS rating office, as it may be possible to make different payment arrangements.

If you are not set up for instalments, you will receive a final notice 40 days after the original rate bill was issued.

What happens when I receive a final notice?

When you receive a final notice for payment of your business rate bill, you lose the automatic right to pay by instalments and you have ten days to pay the full amount outstanding. You can however still contact LPS who may be able to agree a suitable payment plan.

If you do not pay the whole amount due or do not make a payment agreement with LPS, they will take you to court by issuing a Process in Debt Proceedings and charge you extra costs without issuing any further reminders.

Court proceedings for unpaid rates

If you receive a process to attend court and pay the full amount and any extra costs before the court date, LPS will not take any further action. If you don't pay the full amount and additional costs, the case will go to the Magistrate's Court on the day stated.

Once proceedings have been issued, LPS cannot make an agreement with you. However, if possible you should continue to make payments to reduce the debt.

Court hearing

You do not have to attend the court hearing unless you wish to dispute the amount or you have a legal matter to bring to the attention of the Magistrate. The court will usually award a decree if you do not attend and you will receive notification of this after the hearing. To avoid further legal recovery action, after you receive this notification you should contact LPS to make an arrangement to pay the outstanding amount.

Enforcement of Judgements

If you are a sole trader and if you do not clear the outstanding amount or make an arrangement to pay this, LPS will issue a Notice of Intention to lodge the debt with the Enforcement of Judgments Office (EJO). If you do not pay the outstanding balance with additional costs within ten days, LPS will lodge the debt for enforcement with the EJO.

Lodgement of the debt with the Enforcement of Judgements Office could result in the following:

• your name appearing in Stubb's Gazette, which will affect your credit rating
• additional costs of £150 to £250 depending on the amount outstanding
• Attachment of Earning Order - where regular payments will be deducted from your salary/wages
• Order Charging Land - the debt will be recovered if your property is sold
• Garnishee Order - which can be served on a bank or building society to make it pay out money from your account to clear the debt
• Seizure Order - which enables the EJO to seize personal property and/or valuables to cover all or part of the debt

Insolvency proceedings

If you are a limited company with debt over £750 or an individual with debt over £5000 and you do not clear the outstanding amount or make an arrangement to pay this LPS can issue a Statutory Demand. If you do not comply with this, LPS will initiate bankruptcy/liquidation proceedings. See managing financial difficulty.

Direct Debit is easy to set up and helps you to spread the cost of your business rate bill. Through a new online facility, it is now easy to set up a Direct Debit online. There are three Direct Debit collection dates each month. You can choose from the 7th, 15th or 28th of each month as your preferred collection date and funds will be collected on or around your chosen date.

Once a Direct Debit has been set up for a rate account, it will continue each year, without further action from you. If you miss Direct Debit payments for two consecutive months, the facility may be withdrawn and you will have to make alternative payment arrangements.

You can also set up your Direct Debit for single payment and your payment will be taken automatically every year.

Download the Land & Property Services (LPS) information for Direct Debit customers (PDF, 332K).

How to set up a Direct Debit

You can set up a Direct Debit online to pay your rates.

You can also set up a Direct Debit by downloading and completing the Direct Debit application form (PDF, 756K).

Alternatively you can call the LPS helpline with your bank or building society details and they will set the Direct Debit up for you. You can contact LPS by the following methods:

• Tel 0300 200 7801 (charged at local rate)
• Tel +44 28 9049 5794 if calling from outside the UK
• Text relay 18001 0300 200 7801

Please note: Most LPS services are available, but LPS Customer Information Centres remain closed until further notice. The Ordnance Survey helpline remains closed until further notice, however queries can be directed to Mapping.Helpdesk@finance-ni.gov.uk. Helplines for rating and valuation, housing benefit, rates relief and land registration are open.

Closures will be kept under regular review in line with further Government announcements. Further information on service updates, helpline numbers and reaching LPS by email are available on the LPS website.

Download the LPS information on the rate bill explained for instalment customers (PDF, 604K).

You can pay your business rates online through the Land & Property Services (LPS) rate payment online site. This service allows you to pay your rate bill by debit card.

When making a rates payment, you will need your LPS Account ID and Ratepayer ID - this is found at the top of your rate bill. You will also need to know the amount you need to pay. LPS information on the rate bill explained for instalment customers (PDF, 604K).

While LPS and their payment provider do not impose a payment limit on the online payment site, some card providers do impose a single transaction limit (commonly around £2,000). If you experience a problem trying to process a large transaction this may be the cause. To avoid this you could try to process the payment in two smaller transactions.

Debit cards accepted for rates payment

The following debit cards are accepted when paying business rates online:

• Switch
• Visa Electron
• Solo
• Maestro

Please note that LPS are currently unable to accept credit card payments on business rate accounts.

You can pay your business rate bill over the telephone using the Land & Property Services (LPS) automated payment service. This is available 24 hours a day seven days a week. You can make a payment using a debit card. There is no charge for paying by debit card.

Making a rates payment by phone

To make a business rates payment by telephone you will need the following information which you can find on your rate bill:

• Account ID
• Ratepayer ID
• Amount Due

The number to call is 0300 200 7801. Once connected you select the 'payment' option and follow the instructions to make a payment.

Please note: Most LPS services are available, but LPS Customer Information Centres remain closed until further notice. The Ordnance Survey helpline remains closed until further notice, however queries can be directed to Mapping.Helpdesk@finance-ni.gov.uk. Helplines for rating and valuation, housing benefit, rates relief and land registration are open.

Closures will be kept under regular review in line with further Government announcements. Further information on service updates, helpline numbers and reaching LPS by email are available on the LPS website.

There is no size limit on the amount you can pay in one transaction however some customers may have limits or restrictions on their debit card, so please bear this in mind when using this service. For example, you may not be able to pay more than a particular amount in one transaction. If you have problems processing a large transaction, you should check with your card provider as there may be a limit on your card. Alternatively you can make more than one transaction at smaller amounts. This will not affect your entitlement to early payment discount.

Debit cards accepted for rates payment

The following debit cards are accepted:

• Switch
• Visa
• Visa Electron
• Solo
• Maestro

Please note that LPS are currently unable to accept credit card payments on business rate accounts.

If you have a query regarding your business rates you should contact Land & Property Services.

If your bank or building society offers telephone and/or internet banking, you can pay your business rate bill using either of these payment methods.

You must quote the full 16 digit reference number which is made up from your Account ID and Ratepayer ID and can be found at the top right-hand corner of your rate bill. You must include the zeros at the beginning with no spaces or dashes, for example 0123456789105568.

Download the Land & Property Services (LPS) information on the rate bill explained for instalment customers (PDF, 604K).

If you have a query regarding your business rates you should contact Land & Property Services.

Please note: Most LPS services are available, but LPS Customer Information Centres remain closed until further notice. The Ordnance Survey helpline remains closed until further notice, however queries can be directed to Mapping.Helpdesk@finance-ni.gov.uk. Helplines for rating and valuation, housing benefit, rates relief and land registration are open.

Closures will be kept under regular review in line with further Government announcements. Further information on service updates, helpline numbers and reaching LPS by email are available on the LPS website.

BACs payments for rates

To make a Bacs payment ratepayers must provide their Rate Reference number (Account ID or Occupancy ID, followed by Ratepayer ID).

To enable correct allocation of payment(s), any remittance or Bacs query has to be sent to: commercial.lps@finance-ni.gov.uk 

The bank details are:
Danske Bank
Donegall Square West
BELFAST
BT1 6JS

• Bank Account Name: LPS Rate Account
• Account Number: 01063197
• Sort Code: 95-01-21

If a payment is coming from abroad, the LPS IBAN number for non-domestic rate accounts is as follows:

• IBAN Number: GB22DABA95012101063197
• BIC Address: DABAGB2B

CHAPs payments for rates

CHAPs payments can also be used when a payment needs to be paid quickly. There is a charge for making payments this way but it usually depends on the bank and the amount of money being transferred. It can be around £25 or more.

If you have a query regarding your business rates you should contact Land & Property Services.

Please note: Most LPS services are available, but LPS Customer Information Centres remain closed until further notice. The Ordnance Survey helpline remains closed until further notice, however queries can be directed to Mapping.Helpdesk@finance-ni.gov.uk. Helplines for rating and valuation, housing benefit, rates relief and land registration are open.

Closures will be kept under regular review in line with further Government announcements. Further information on service updates, helpline numbers and reaching LPS by email are available on the LPS website.

You can get your bank or building society to set up a standing order from your account to pay your business rates. The payment should be made to Land & Property Services (LPS) as follows:

• bank account number: 01063197
• sort code: 95-01-21
• bank account name: LPS Rate Account

You must quote the full 16 digit reference number which is made up from your Account ID and Ratepayer ID and can be found at the top right-hand corner of your business rate bill. You must include the zeros at the beginning with no spaces or dashes, for example 0123456789105568.

You should be aware that a standing order has to be renewed each year, unlike a Direct Debit which runs continuously until cancelled.

Download the LPS information on the rate bill explained for instalment customers (PDF, 604K).

If you have a query regarding your business rates you should contact Land & Property Services.

Please note: Most LPS services are available, but LPS Customer Information Centres remain closed until further notice. The Ordnance Survey helpline remains closed until further notice, however queries can be directed to Mapping.Helpdesk@finance-ni.gov.uk. Helplines for rating and valuation, housing benefit, rates relief and land registration are open.

Closures will be kept under regular review in line with further Government announcements. Further information on service updates, helpline numbers and reaching LPS by email are available on the LPS website.

You may find it more convenient to pay your business rate bill in a local Post Office or shop which offers the PayPoint service.

Find a Post Office or PayPoint outlet

As well as the network of Post Offices, there are over 450 PayPoint outlets in Northern Ireland, including garages, newsagents and convenience stores where you can pay your rate bill.

You can choose to pay by cheque, cash or debit card. However you should be aware that some PayPoint outlets may not accept payment by cheque. You can pay in full, in one single payment or you can pay in instalments. You must allow five working days for any payment to reach Land & Property Services (LPS).

You will need the Rates QuickPay card which is attached to your rate bill to make payment. You should bring your rate bill with you so you will know how much you need to pay. Remember to retain your receipt.

Transaction limits

Please be aware that PayPoint imposes a transaction limit of £300 per transaction and the Post Office imposes a transaction limit of £4,000 (for fraud purposes). If you wish to make a larger payment than the transaction limit, it can be processed in two payments. Alternatively if you are paying a large amount, you may wish to consider an alternative payment method such as direct debit, standing order, internet banking or payment online.

Download the LPS information on the rate bill explained for instalment customers (PDF, 604K).

If you have a query regarding your business rates you should contact Land & Property Services.

Please note: Most LPS services are available, but LPS Customer Information Centres remain closed until further notice. The Ordnance Survey helpline remains closed until further notice, however queries can be directed to Mapping.Helpdesk@finance-ni.gov.uk. Helplines for rating and valuation, housing benefit, rates relief and land registration are open.

Closures will be kept under regular review in line with further Government announcements. Further information on service updates, helpline numbers and reaching LPS by email are available on the LPS website.

If paying your business rate bill by cheque you should make your cheque payable to 'Land & Property Services', cross it 'Rate Account' and send it to the below address only:

Land & Property Services
Lanyon Plaza
7 Lanyon Place
Town Parks
Belfast
BT1 3LP

You should clearly print the address of the property for which the business rates are due and your Account ID and Ratepayer ID number on the back of the cheque.

A receipt will not be issued for postal payments.

Due to the closure of Land & Property Services Customer information Centres you are unable to hand deliver your cheque at this time. Please note that cash is not accepted at LPS offices.

Download the LPS information on the rate bill explained for instalment customers (PDF, 604K).

If you have a query regarding your business rates you should contact Land & Property Services.

Please note: Most LPS services are available, but LPS Customer Information Centres remain closed until further notice. The Ordnance Survey helpline remains closed until further notice, however queries can be directed to Mapping.Helpdesk@finance-ni.gov.uk. Helplines for rating and valuation, housing benefit, rates relief and land registration are open.

Closures will be kept under regular review in line with further Government announcements. Further information on service updates, helpline numbers and reaching LPS by email are available on the LPS website.

Payment of rates is a legal obligation. If you are not able to pay your rate bill you must contact Land & Property Services (LPS) immediately.

LPS is always willing to listen and will try to come to a suitable payment agreement with you. The information you provide will be treated in the strictest confidence.

You can contact LPS using the following methods:

• Tel 0300 200 7801 (charged at local rate)
• Tel 0044 28 9049 5794 if calling from outside the UK
• Text relay 18001 0300 200 7801

Please note: Most LPS services are available, but LPS Customer Information Centres remain closed until further notice. The Ordnance Survey helpline remains closed until further notice, however queries can be directed to Mapping.Helpdesk@finance-ni.gov.uk. Helplines for rating and valuation, housing benefit, rates relief and land registration are open.

Closures will be kept under regular review in line with further Government announcements. Further information on service updates, helpline numbers and reaching LPS by email are available on the LPS website.

Alternatively you can call in person to any LPS rating office.

To understand the consequences if you don't pay your business rates see what happens if I don't pay my rate bill?

Land & Property Services (LPS) is responsible for collecting rates in Northern Ireland that are due for payment. Payment of rates is a legal obligation. There are a number of measures available to LPS to recover rates that are unpaid.

If you do not pay your rates or contact LPS to make an arrangement to clear your account, you will be taken to court. This will mean:

• additional costs
• your credit rating could be affected, and as a result you may not be able to apply for credit or a loan
• you could be made bankrupt
• your home could be repossessed

If you are having problems paying your rate bill you should inform LPS immediately. See what happens if I can't pay my rate bill?

What happens if I miss an instalment?

If you pay by monthly instalments and miss a payment, LPS will issue a reminder for the amount due. If you pay this within seven days, the instalment payment option remains in place. If you can't pay the arrears within seven days, you should contact your local LPS rating office, as it may be possible to make different payment arrangements.

If you are not set up for instalments, you will receive a final notice 40 days after the original rate bill was issued.

What happens when I receive a final notice?

When you receive a final notice for payment of your business rate bill, you lose the automatic right to pay by instalments and you have ten days to pay the full amount outstanding. You can however still contact LPS who may be able to agree a suitable payment plan.

If you do not pay the whole amount due or do not make a payment agreement with LPS, they will take you to court by issuing a Process in Debt Proceedings and charge you extra costs without issuing any further reminders.

Court proceedings for unpaid rates

If you receive a process to attend court and pay the full amount and any extra costs before the court date, LPS will not take any further action. If you don't pay the full amount and additional costs, the case will go to the Magistrate's Court on the day stated.

Once proceedings have been issued, LPS cannot make an agreement with you. However, if possible you should continue to make payments to reduce the debt.

Court hearing

You do not have to attend the court hearing unless you wish to dispute the amount or you have a legal matter to bring to the attention of the Magistrate. The court will usually award a decree if you do not attend and you will receive notification of this after the hearing. To avoid further legal recovery action, after you receive this notification you should contact LPS to make an arrangement to pay the outstanding amount.

Enforcement of Judgements

If you are a sole trader and if you do not clear the outstanding amount or make an arrangement to pay this, LPS will issue a Notice of Intention to lodge the debt with the Enforcement of Judgments Office (EJO). If you do not pay the outstanding balance with additional costs within ten days, LPS will lodge the debt for enforcement with the EJO.

Lodgement of the debt with the Enforcement of Judgements Office could result in the following:

• your name appearing in Stubb's Gazette, which will affect your credit rating
• additional costs of £150 to £250 depending on the amount outstanding
• Attachment of Earning Order - where regular payments will be deducted from your salary/wages
• Order Charging Land - the debt will be recovered if your property is sold
• Garnishee Order - which can be served on a bank or building society to make it pay out money from your account to clear the debt
• Seizure Order - which enables the EJO to seize personal property and/or valuables to cover all or part of the debt

Insolvency proceedings

If you are a limited company with debt over £750 or an individual with debt over £5000 and you do not clear the outstanding amount or make an arrangement to pay this LPS can issue a Statutory Demand. If you do not comply with this, LPS will initiate bankruptcy/liquidation proceedings. See managing financial difficulty.