Summary: Mr X complained the Council: was wrong to send him reminders to pay his council tax bills, as he was making payments as agreed; did not properly consider his request to write off arrears; and did not promptly action his request to apply for council tax support.
 

Finding

The Ombudsman upheld the complaint and found fault causing injutice.

Recommendations

To remedy the injustice identified we recommend the Council carry out the following actions:

• provide Mr X with a written apology;
• pay Mr X £300 for distress and uncertainty;
• reconsider Mr X’s request to write off his arrears and write to him with reasons for its decision with reference to its Recovery Policy;
• invite Mr X to apply for discretionary relief, making clear any evidence he should provide to support an application and informing him of the criteria against which it will consider his application;
• publish a council tax discretionary relief policy on the Council’s website. This should include the process for considering a request, criteria for assessing a request and notice of the right to appeal the Council’s decision to the Valuation Tribunal;
• provide training or guidance to relevant staff to ensure they inform customers of any opportunities to apply for benefits, discounts or relief and they consider such requests in line with relevant policies; and
• remind staff of the need to provide clear information to customers about any payment plans at the outset, including how or when they will end, details of any review and warning of any further recovery action.

Ombudsman satisfied with Council's response: 11 November 2021.

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