Summary: Mr X complains about the Council’s handling of his council tax payments. We will not investigate the complaint because it is unlikely we can add to the investigation already carried out by the Council and an investigation is unlikely to lead to a different outcome.

The complaint

1. The complainant, who I refer to as Mr X, complains about the Council’s handling of his council tax payments and its poor responses to his queries and complaints. He says this has caused stress and anxiety.

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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 Mr X and the Council.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
5. I gave Mr X the opportunity to comment on my draft decision and considered what he said.

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My assessment

6. Mr X has council tax arrears and was paying off his debt from previous years and his current year’s liability by direct debit. When changes were made to Mr X’s council tax support, and the Council awaited income information, direct debit payments were not collected and matters surrounding Mr X’s payments became confused.
7. Mr X made a complaint to the Council and it provided detailed responses in an attempt to address Mr X’s concerns. It acknowledged that it could have been clearer about revised payment arrangements when it sent a bill in May 2021 and it apologised that initially it had given him incorrect information about how two balances are paid by direct debit. It found no fault in how it had processed his council tax support claim or the administration of his account, but it invited him to make contact if he had any further queries.
8. I do not consider an investigation by the Ombudsman would be likely to add to the Council’s own investigation or that a different outcome would result.
9. In responding to my draft decision Mr X says the Council increased his debt and that his accounts do not match those of the Council. If Mr X has details of payments he has made which do not match the Council’s breakdown then he can give this evidence to the Council. Mr X says he contacted the Council’s office three times in December 2020 and January 2021 but that matters were not resolved at that time. However, the Council’s offer to address any further queries he has was made when it responded to his complaint later in 2021. It is open to him to contact the Council if he seeks further clarification.
10. Mr X also says he is entitled to council tax support but that he has not applied for it because he has no confidence in the Council. This is his choice.

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Final decision

11. We will not investigate this complaint. This is because it is unlikely we can add to the investigation already carried out by the Council or that an investigation would lead to a different outcome.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman