The liability order for Council Tax is the mostly commonly issued civil judgment in England and Wales, yet few money advisers know how to respond to proceedings which take the form of a civil hearing in magistrates’ courts and outside the scope of the CPR rules. Consequently, little attention is often given to advising debtors despite the millions of such orders being made each year.
Failure to respond to liability order proceedings often results in a debtor being less able to challenge Council Tax recovery methods, such as charging orders or bankruptcy proceedings at a later stage.
Contrary to widespread belief, it is possible to successfully resist liability order proceedings in magistrates’ courts and thereby increase the chances of reaching a settlement with the local authority as an alternative to enforcement action.
This unique condensed course is written and presented by barrister and Council Tax expert Alan Murdie, to help you advise clients about how to successfully challenge liability order proceedings and obtain a more favourable outcome.
Who should attend this course?
This course is suitable for experienced advisers working in England and Wales.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this course, delegates will:
Understand the importance of liability orders and their inter-relation with other methods of enforcement such as seizure of goods, charging orders, bankruptcy and committal to prison;
Have a working knowledge of how to respond to summons issued for liability order proceedings;
Be able to explain to a client what to expect in court;
Understand how to use liability order proceedings as a means to reaching a settlement with a local authority;
Be able to give advice to debtors appearing in magistrates’ courts;
Identify potential defences available;
Identify the ways in which liability orders may be set aside or appealed.
