If I move back home to Canada and dont pay my council tax debt?

Chances are you'll be flagged and stopped at customs. If you leave the country, the British authorities can still get hold of you through the Canadian police, asking for you to be arrested and sent back. Canada and the UK have extradition treaties, so they will, and your leaing the country will be taken as a presumption of guilt. Its difficult, especially if you really didn;t know, and there aren't many things to tell you about things like council tax. Though it is assumed that people will research and find these things out for themselves if they move here. I really think your best bet is to contact the council about it. Explain your situation is a face to face chat, and ask for some comprimise. maybe even ask to pay in installments.

Debts follow you easily these days - you will probably get home to Canada but the debt will follow you.

In normal circumstances, I would reexamine your tenancy agreement to check whether you were paying an amount which included all bills, including council tax. Also, ordinarily, there are concessions for various circumstances - you don't mention, for example, whether you worked or not. In the final analysis, the revenue rule would apply - unless a double tax treaty or agreement to exchange tax information applies, one sovereign state may not bring an action for unpaid tax in another country. The double taxation convention between the UK and Canada was signed 8th September 1977, entering into force in 1980. Article 24(1) is about the "collection of, the enforcement or prosecution in respect of, or the determination of appeals in relation to, the taxes ccovered by this convention". However, Article 2(1) doe not include local taxes such as council tax, therefore it is not covered. You would not be chased for the debt in Canada, but if the convention was modified then, whilst conventions may not be back-dated, it could become inconvenient. Also, credit-checking agencies are increasingly multinational these days and local councils in this country have a habit of being extremely trigger-happy when it comes to initiating a county court summons, which quickly becomes a judgement. Do not be surprised if this shows up on a credit check in a fellow commonwealth country. Of course, if you have not got the money to pay them, it may not be a bad idea to explain your position and negotiate a settlement - given that the alternative for them would be nothing, they may settle for 50% or less. Then your credit history, and your conscience, would be clear.