Birmingham City Council (19 017 213)

Statement Upheld Other 25-Jan-2021

Summary: Mrs C complained an enforcement company, acting on behalf of the Council, charged her for a visit to her property it did not make. Mrs C felt harassed by the enforcement company and found the messages it sent her threatening. We found fault with the Council causing injustice. On the balance of probabilities, the enforcement company charged Mrs C an enforcement fee for a visit it did not make and sent her misleading messages. The Council has agreed to apologise to Mrs C, make a payment for distress and review how it monitors the enforcement companies it uses.

North East Lincolnshire Council (19 021 137)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 05-Jan-2021

Summary: Mr B complained that the Council delayed in resolving a business rates dispute, failed to take into account information he provided, failed to keep him properly informed and failed to provide evidence that the liability order has been removed causing Mr B distress, frustration and financial hardship. We intend to discontinue the investigation as the issue of liability has been considered in court and Mr B had the opportunity to dispute the debts at that point.

Manchester City Council (20 002 642)

Statement Not upheld Other 05-Jan-2021

Summary: There was no fault in how the Council processed a refund for overpaid business rates. We have therefore completed our investigation.

Birmingham City Council (19 018 802)

Statement Not upheld Other 22-Dec-2020

Summary: Mrs X says the Council acted wrongly in taking enforcement action against her for unpaid council tax. She says she suffered an injustice as she was visited by enforcement officers and charged fees, causing financial hardship. The Council is not at fault.

Kettering Borough Council (20 007 569)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 16-Dec-2020

Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about the Council’s decision regarding her application for the extended retail discount available due to COVID-19. This is because there is not enough evidence of fault by the Council.

London Borough of Newham (19 012 145)

Statement Upheld Other 10-Dec-2020

Summary: we consider there was fault by the Council when it sought to recover business rates from Mrs A. Part of the debt was too old for the Council to threaten recovery action. Mrs A says this caused her distress. The Council has agreed the remedy we proposed.

Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council (19 019 478)

Statement Not upheld Other 02-Dec-2020

Summary: Mr X complains that the Council sent his council tax debt to bailiffs when he had already paid. He says this caused stress, distress, and took him time and trouble to resolve. The Ombudsman does not find the Council at fault.

Manchester City Council (19 019 284)

Statement Upheld Other 01-Dec-2020

Summary: Mr X complains that the Council charged him business rates for a business he does not own, delayed resolving the matter, and delayed responding to his Subject Access Request. He says this caused stress, put him under undue pressure, and cost time and trouble. The Ombudsman largely does not find the Council at fault. However, the Ombudsman finds the Council at fault for failing to respond to Mr X’s emails within the timeframe it set out. This caused Mr X injustice. The Council has already apologised to Mr X for this. We are satisfied that this apology remedies the injustice caused. The Ombudsman will not investigate the part of Mr X’s complaint about the Subject Access Request because it has already been investigated by the Information Commissioner’s Office.

London Borough of Merton (20 005 580)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 27-Nov-2020

Summary: A council taxpayer complained the Council was unreasonably asking her to pay enforcement agents’ fees relating to a previous council tax debt. But we do not have grounds to investigate this matter because it is unlikely we would establish sufficient evidence to justify finding fault with the Council.

London Borough of Harrow (20 005 674)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 18-Nov-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council’s enforcement of a council tax bill. This is because it is unlikely the Ombudsman can add to what the Council has already said or change the outcome of the complaint.