Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s handling of a council tax account. This is because the remaining injustice to the complainant is not sufficient to warrant our involvement and we cannot achieve the outcome he seeks.

The complaint

1. Mr X complains he has spent over four hours in communication with the Council about a council tax bill it issued to him for his rental property. Mr X complains the Council delayed and failed to respond to his contacts about this. The Council has offered Mr X £50 in recognition of the time and trouble he spent. Mr X is dissatisfied with this and seeks a payment of at least £800.

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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 any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement, or we cannot achieve the outcome someone wants (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6))

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How I considered this complaint

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

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My assessment

5. Mr X was put to some time and trouble in dealing with this matter, but from our perspective, this does not represent an injustice to a degree that would warrant our further involvement or us recommending a financial remedy from the Council. The Council has offered Mr X £50 and we cannot add to this or achieve the higher amount that Mr X seeks.

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Final decision

6. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because we cannot achieve the outcome he seeks.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman