Summary: Ms X complains about the way the Council sought a council tax payment. We will not investigate this complaint because there is insufficient injustice remaining to warrant investigation.

The complaint

1. Ms X complains about the way the Council sought a council tax payment.

Back to top

The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. The Ombudsman investigates complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’, which we call ‘fault’. We must also consider whether any fault has had an adverse impact on the person making the complaint, which we call ‘injustice’. We provide a free service, but must use public money carefully. We do not start or may decide not to continue with an investigation if we decide:

• there is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating, or
• any fault has not caused injustice to the person who complained, or
• any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement.

(Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6))

Back to top

How I considered this complaint

3. I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
5. I considered the complainant’s comments on my draft decision.

Back to top

My assessment

6. Ms X says that she received a new council tax bill in February 2021 following a change of circumstances. That bill was reduced to £152 following application of a single occupation allowance, and further reduced to £54.
7. Ms X complains about the way the issues surrounding this were communicated to her as she says some were not received and others were rude and abrupt.
8. The Council acknowledges that some of the emails could have been written in a more empathetic style.
9. Whilst I appreciate the stress felt by Ms X I am not persuaded that, as there was no financial loss, the injustice claimed is sufficient to warrant investigation.

Back to top

Final decision

10. I do not intend to investigate this complaint because there is insufficient injustice to warrant investigation.

Back to top

Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman