North Norfolk District Council took legal action against the debtor and gained an order for the sale of their property, which was at the centre of the large debt.

Working with the legal firm Eastlaw, the council also managed to get warrants for possession, meaning it had the legal authority to take control of the property which was unoccupied.

This resulted in full payment of nearly £24,000, including nearly £3,000 in legal costs associated with the action.

Sean Knight, revenues manager at the council, said:  “The council is determined to take effective debt recovery and enforcement actions in cases such as this and working with our litigation partners at Eastlaw is gaining results.

“Our team of trained staff are approachable and always willing to help taxpayers in genuine difficulties, but emphasised the importance of engaging with us proactively at the early stages of payment problems before significant costs build up.”

The council has refused to disclose the location of the property.

North Norfolk District Council is the tax collection authority, and the distribution of council tax is shared between Norfolk County Council and the town and parish councils.

© Eastern Daily Press