Summary: Ms X complains that the Council will not reduce her council tax bill to reflect a lack of service. We will not investigate this complaint because there is no evidence of fault by the Council.

The complaint

1. Ms X complains that the Council will not reduce her council tax bill to reflect a lack of service.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. We investigate complaints of injustice caused by ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’. I have used the word ‘fault’ to refer to these. We cannot question whether a council’s decision is right or wrong simply because the complainant disagrees with it. We must consider whether there was fault in the way the decision was reached. (Local Government Act 1974, section 34(3), as amended)

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How I considered this complaint

3. I have considered the comments of the complainant and the Council and the complainant has commented on the draft decision.

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What I found

4. Ms X bought a property in December 2019 and says she contacted the Council several times to pass this information to them.
5. She says that she could not move into the property until July 2020. She says that, during this time, she was unable to access the services provided by the Council for the property.
6. The Council says that they do not provide a council tax reduction or exemption for empty properties.
7. Council tax is not a contract for services and Ms X is legally obliged to pay the council tax for which she has been held liable. The Council did not act with fault in failing to provide a discount or exemption where such reductions do not apply.

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Final decision

8. I do not intend to investigate this complaint because there is no evidence of fault by the Council.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman