Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council (20 008 440)
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: Mr X complains that the Council erred in obtaining a council tax banding for his property. We will not investigate this complaint because the matter has been remedied by the Council.
The complaint
- Mr X complains that the Council erred in obtaining a council tax banding for his property.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
- We investigate complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’. In this statement, I have used the word ‘fault’ to refer to these. We provide a free service, but must use public money carefully. We may decide not to start or continue with an investigation if we are satisfied with the actions a council has taken or proposes to take. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(7), as amended)
How I considered this complaint
- I have considered the comments of the complainant and the Council and the complainant has commented on the draft decision.
What I found
- Mr X bought a property in 2018 and notified the Council. The Council notified the Valuation Office Agency for a council tax banding decision. The Council provided the wrong house number to the Valuation Office Agency and the house was listed as Band C.
- The Council later asked the Valuation Office Agency to band a neighbouring property. The Valuation Office Agency advised that this had already been banded at which point the Council realised their error. They asked the Valuation Office Agency for a banding for Mr X’s property with the correct address. The Valuation Office Agency listed it as band D.
- The Council then advised Mr X that he had not paid enough council tax for the past two years.
- The Council apologised and offered a longer period in which to pay the extra council tax.
- If there had been no fault by the Council Mr X would have had to pay the increased council tax at the start. The injustice caused to Mr X is therefore the budgeting problem caused by a late demand.
- The Council offered Mr X the opportunity to spread the extra payment into the 2021/2 year. I consider that the apology and opportunity to spread the extra payments over a longer period to be a reasonable settlement of the complaint.
Final decision
- I do not intend to investigate this complaint because the matter has been remedied by the Council.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman