Doncaster Council Tax Bailiffs: The Three Firms, and What Happens Next

What happens if you don't pay Doncaster council tax

Doncaster follows the usual path from a missed instalment: a reminder, the loss of the right to pay by instalments if it is not put right, then a summons to the magistrates and a liability order. The order is what lets the council pass the account to one of its enforcement firms, or use other powers such as deductions from earnings. What the firm handling your case may and may not do, and the national fee stages that apply after a referral, are covered in our council tax bailiffs guide rather than restated here.

The three firms Doncaster uses for council tax

Doncaster names the companies that collect on its behalf, and for council tax there are three: CDER Group, Jacobs and Rundles. It does not say which accounts each firm handles, so any of the three could be the name on your letter. Our profiles for CDER Group, Jacobs and Rundles explain what each can and cannot do. Doncaster also uses a fourth firm, Bristow & Sutor, but only for business rates, so it should not appear on a council tax matter.

What a Doncaster summons and liability order cost

Doncaster sets out the court costs it adds at each stage. Its pages state £52 is added when a summons is issued, and a further £28 when the magistrates grant a liability order. Because the summons cost attaches first, contacting the council before the hearing, and agreeing how to clear the arrears, can keep the added costs to a minimum and may stop the case reaching an agent at all.

Hardship relief that can waive the costs

Doncaster has an unusually clear route for people in real difficulty. Under section 13A of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 it can make a discretionary reduction, and its own page says this can reduce or even waive both the council tax and the summons costs where there is genuine hardship. You apply in writing to Revenues, City of Doncaster Council, Civic Office, Waterdale, Doncaster, DN1 3BU, or through a council tax enquiry form, setting out your income and outgoings. Council Tax Reduction for residents on a low income sits alongside it.

Complaints about Doncaster, and help if you're struggling

A complaint about how Doncaster dealt with your account goes through the council's own complaints procedure, and can then be taken to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman. A complaint about the conduct of CDER Group, Jacobs or Rundles, rather than the council's decision to refer, can go to the firm first and then to the Enforcement Conduct Board, which oversees private enforcement. Getting free debt advice early makes it easier to deal with the council and the firm at the same time.