Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint that a Council officer was rude to him on the telephone. Any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement.

The complaint

1. Mr X complains a Council officer was rude to him during a telephone conversation. He says he felt as though the officer did not care about why he had called.

Back to top

The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. The Ombudsman investigates complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’, which we call ‘fault’. We must also consider whether any fault has had an adverse impact on the person making the complaint, which we call ‘injustice’. We provide a free service but must use public money carefully. We do not start or may decide not to continue with an investigation if we decide any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))

Back to top

How I considered this complaint

3. I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

Back to top

My assessment

5. Following a telephone call with a Council officer about his Council Tax support, Mr X complained the officer was rude, talked over him and lacked compassion.
6. Another Council officer responded and said they had spoken to the officer involved in the telephone call. The officer said Mr X had become irate and the call ended abruptly. The Council advised Mr X to call again so they could provide him with advice over his Council Tax support. Mr X complained to us.
7. We will not investigate this complaint. Mr X is unhappy with the telephone call. However, this is not significant enough to justify our involvement

Back to top

Final decision

8. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement.

Back to top

Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman