Cheshire West & Chester Council (21 000 131)
Category : Benefits and tax > Council tax
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 13 May 2021
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We cannot investigate Mr X’s complaint about an annexe at his house being banded for council tax as this is not a decision of the Council.
The complaint
- Mr X complains an annexe at his property has recently been classed as a separate dwelling and charged council tax.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
- We cannot investigate a complaint where the body complained about is not responsible for the issue being raised. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(1), as amended)
How I considered this complaint
- I have considered what Mr X said in his complaint.
What I found
- Mr X complains an annexe at his property has recently been classed as a separate dwelling and charged council tax. The Council has advised Mr X to address this matter with the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), the body that made this decision.
Analysis
- The decision that the annexe at Mr X’s property is liable for council tax is not made by the Council but by the VOA. The Council is not therefore responsible for the matter Mr X complains about. We have no remit over decisions of the VOA.
- For these reasons, we cannot investigate.
Final decision
- We cannot investigate as the council tax decision Mr X complains about was not made by the Council.
Investigator’s decision on behalf of the Ombudsman
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman