South Somerset District Council (19 001 479)

Statement Not upheld Council tax 27-Jan-2020

Summary: Mr X complains about how the Council applied discounts to his council tax bill. The Ombudsman finds no fault in the way the Council made its decision.

North Somerset Council (19 008 841)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Council tax 27-Jan-2020

Summary: Mr X complains that he has been forced to pay Council tax on properties he says are derelict. The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint because there is a right of appeal to a Valuation Tribunal about exemptions from Council tax.

North Devon District Council (19 015 216)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Council tax 27-Jan-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s decision not to apply an exemption to the empty homes levy. This is because the complaint is out of our jurisdiction. We cannot consider complaints relating to council tax setting.

London Borough of Newham (19 013 517)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Council tax 27-Jan-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate how the Council recovered unpaid council tax from the complainant. It is unlikely he would find evidence of fault by the Council.

London Borough of Tower Hamlets (19 011 369)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Council tax 27-Jan-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Ms B’s complaint about the Council’s decision to require her to pay council tax through direct debit. This is because there is no sign of fault by the Council which has caused the complainant an injustice to justify our involvement. The Ombudsman will also not investigate a complaint about the services the Council provides generally because there is an obligation to pay council tax as set out by law, not in exchange for services.

London Borough of Hillingdon (19 009 059)

Statement Upheld Council tax 25-Jan-2020

Summary: The Council incorrectly instructed bailiffs to pursue the debts and delayed in recalling one of the accounts and have agreed to make a payment to remedy this. There is no evidence of any further fault in how the Council dealt with Ms C’s council tax accounts.

Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council (19 015 271)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Council tax 25-Jan-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about his council tax bill. This is because there is not enough evidence of fault by the Council. If Mr X wants to dispute his liability for council tax, he can appeal to the Valuation Tribunal.

Birmingham City Council (19 008 824)

Statement Upheld Council tax 24-Jan-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman found fault on Ms D’s complaint about the Council wrongly starting recovery proceedings for council tax. The Council placed recovery action on hold while it dealt with a credit on her account but went on to issue a court summons and obtain a liability order against her instead of issuing a revised bill. The agreed action remedies the injustice caused.

London Borough of Tower Hamlets (19 014 534)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Council tax 24-Jan-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about the Council’s failure to apply a single person’s discount to her council tax bill. This is because if Mrs X disagreed with the Council’s decision it was reasonable for her to appeal to the Tribunal.

Manchester City Council (19 014 568)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Council tax 24-Jan-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman cannot investigate this complaint about council tax. We cannot investigate decisions taken in court. In addition, it is a late complaint.