Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint about a council tax charge for which the complainant was not responsible. This is because the Council has reversed its decision and issued a refund.

The complaint

1. The complainant, whom I refer to as Ms X, says the Council charged her council tax of £96 for two weeks before she completed the purchase of a property.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. We investigate complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’. In this statement, I have used the word ‘fault’ to refer to these. We must also consider whether any fault has had an adverse impact on the person making the complaint. I refer to this as ‘injustice’. We provide a free service, but must use public money carefully. We may decide not to start an investigation if the Council has already provided a remedy. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended)

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How I considered this complaint

3. I read the complaint and found out the Council refunded the council tax in October. I considered comments Ms X made in reply to a draft of this decision.

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What I found

What happened

4. Ms X contacted the Council to complain it had taken money for council tax from her bank account for a period before she had completed the purchase of a property and become liable for council tax. Ms X says the Council took £96. After about two weeks Ms X chased the Council for a reply. She says the Council only responded after her estate agent intervened.
5. In response the Council explained that an overlap had occurred because of the dates Ms X said she was leaving her old home and moving into her new home. The Council said it had closed the council tax account for the disputed period and refunded the money into Ms X's bank account.

Assessment

6. I will not start an investigation because the problem has been resolved. The Council has ended Ms X’s council tax liability for the disputed period and issued a refund. There is no reason to start an investigation.

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Final decision

7. I will not start an investigation because the problem has been resolved.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman