Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s pursuit of council tax arrears. This is because the complaint does not meet the tests in our Assessment Code on how we decide which complaints to investigate. The Council has told the Ombudsman it will be writing off the balance owed and so we could not achieve anything more.

The complaint

1. Mr X complains the Council is pursuing a council tax debt from over 20 years ago. He says the Council cannot provide information about the debt and wants it cancelled.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. We investigate complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’, which we call ‘fault’. We must also consider whether any fault has had an adverse effect on the person making the complaint, which we call ‘injustice’. We provide a free service, but must use public money carefully. We may decide not to start an investigation if the tests set out in our Assessment Code are not met. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended)

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How I considered this complaint

3. I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. The Council told the Ombudsman that because of the age of the debt it would be cancelling it. The Council would write to Mr X to confirm this.
6. There is nothing further we could achieve and so we will not investigate.

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Final decision

7. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because there is nothing more we could achieve.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman