Rushcliffe Borough Council (21 010 864)
Category : Benefits and tax > Council tax support
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 30 Nov 2021
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about council tax and council tax reduction. This is because the problem has been resolved.
The complaint
- The complainant, whom I refer to as Mr X, complained the Council had not awarded council tax reduction (CTR) to cover the whole period when he was getting Universal Credit (UC) and had refused to backdate the claim.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
- 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 an investigation if we decide the problem has been resolved. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6))
How I considered this complaint
- I considered information provided by Mr X and the Council. I also considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
- In August Mr X told the Council he had applied for CTR. The Council did not receive the claim. It then decided not to backdate the claim and passed the council tax arrears to bailiffs.
- The Council has apologised for not contacting Mr X to let him know it did not receive his CTR claim. It has backdated the CTR to August and recalled the account from the bailiffs. It has also cancelled the liability order and the costs, and issued a new council tax bill.
Final decision
- I will not investigate this complaint because the problem has been resolved.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman