You will be liable to pay rates if you own your home. You may not have to pay rates if you are renting privately. If you do not pay your rates the money you owe is known as rates arrears.

• Who has to pay rates?
• Work out your finances
• Can I get help to pay my rates?
• Will my home be repossessed if I don't pay my rates?

Who has to pay rates?

You will usually have to pay rates if you live in the accommodation. You may not have to pay rates if you are renting your accommodation and:

• the property is classed as a HMO (House in Multiple Occupancy)
• the capital value is less than £55k
• the property is let as separate apartments where each occupant has their own tenancy agreement
• the NAV of the property does not exceed £1590 or it's capital value doesn't exceed £150,000

You can find out the capital value of your accommodation at the 'Valuation and Lands Agency' site. You will have to pay the rates if your tenancy agreement states that you are responsible for paying rates.

You will also have to pay the rates if:

• the whereabouts of the owner is unknown, or
• you don't tell the Land and Property Services the owner's name and address

However, in these circumstances you can deduct the amount you have paid in rates from your rent.

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Work out your finances

You must plan a solution if you are in debt. If you haven't paid your rates you should:

• work out your financial situation
• maximise your income
• minimise your spending
• produce a realistic repayment plan

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Can I get help to pay my rates?

You may be able to apply for housing benefit (rate rebate) or other reliefs to help you pay your rates. Your entitlement to Housing Benefit depends on:

• your income
• your savings
• your personal circumstances (for example, having children, being disabled, other people living in the household)
• the amount of rates payable

You can get housing benefit for up to 100% of your rates.

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Will my home be repossessed if I don't pay my rates?

You could lose your home if you are made bankrupt. However, the Land and Property Services will usually get a court order forcing you to pay the arrears. If you don't pay the arrears the Land and Property Services may be able to deduct money directly from your wages or benefits to pay the arrears.