Archive has 44 results
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Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 12-Jul-2021
Summary: Mrs X complained about the Council taking court action against her when she fell into arrears with her Council tax. She also complained about the actions of enforcement agents when they visited her home in 2020 and removed some of her belongings. We will not investigate this complaint. This is because we cannot investigate matters which have been subject to court proceedings and there is insufficient evidence of fault in the enforcement agents’ recovery action.
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London Borough of Camden (20 009 202)
Statement Not upheld Other 29-Jun-2021
Summary: Mr X complains the Council refused to decide on his charity’s applications for mandatory charitable rate relief which he submitted in November 2019 and August 2020. We have no jurisdiction to consider the complaint about the application submitted in November 2019. We find no fault with the Council’s actions in relation to the August 2020 application.
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West Suffolk Council (21 001 945)
Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 28-Jun-2021
Summary: Mr X complains about the Council’s enforcement of a business rates debt. We will not investigate this complaint because this was a matter for the court.
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London Borough of Islington (21 001 088)
Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 21-Jun-2021
Summary: Mr X complains about the way the Council dealt with his business rates liability. We will not investigate this complaint because there is no evidence that the alleged fault of the Council caused significant injustice to warrant investigation.
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London Borough of Ealing (20 008 902)
Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 08-Jun-2021
Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about how the Council handled his council tax and housing benefit claims since 2011, homelessness, and more recent debt recovery. Mr X complains late about much of the history. The Council has agreed to deal with its debt recovery actions via its complaint procedure.
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Statement Upheld Other 03-Jun-2021
Summary: The Ombudsman finds fault with the Council for how it handled the decision to take continuing enforcement action against the complainant for unpaid Council Tax, and for the delay in communicating with the complainant about this. This caused the complainant and her family distress. The Council has agreed to pay the complainant a financial remedy and carry out a service review.
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London Borough of Lewisham (20 013 748)
Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 01-Jun-2021
Summary: Mr X disputes liability for Business Rates on a property. The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint because this is a matter for the courts.
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London Borough of Camden (21 000 437)
Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 01-Jun-2021
Summary: Mr X complained about the Council’s refusal to accept that he was occupying a business premises which it has charged him at the empty rate for business rates. We should not investigate this complaint. This is because it is unlikely we could achieve a different outcome for the complainant.
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Derbyshire Dales District Council (20 014 233)
Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 28-May-2021
Summary: Ms X complained about the Council failing to inform her about the availability of small business grants when other units on the site were notified. We will not investigate this complaint. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault which would warrant an investigation.
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Westminster City Council (20 006 661)
Statement Upheld Other 30-Apr-2021
Summary: Mr B complained the Council wrongly set up a business rates account for an industrial unit that his business was not occupying. We find the Council was not at fault for setting up the business rates account. However, it was at fault for its communication about whether to put enforcement action on hold. It apologised for this and confirmed it had reminded officers to provide clear instructions to customers. This is a suitable remedy for the injustice caused by fault.