Summary: Mr X complains that the Council has not provided him with a detailed breakdown of his council tax bill. The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint because there is no evidence of fault and the Ombudsman cannot investigate a matter which has been appealed to a Valuation Tribunal.

The complaint

1. Mr X complains that the Council has not provided him with a detailed breakdown of his council tax bill.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. We investigate complaints of injustice caused by ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’. I have used the word ‘fault’ to refer to these. We cannot question whether an organisation’s decision is right or wrong simply because the complainant disagrees with it. We must consider whether there was fault in the way the decision was reached. (Local Government Act 1974, section 34(3), as amended)
3. The law says we cannot normally investigate a complaint when someone can appeal to a tribunal. However, we may decide to investigate if we consider it would be unreasonable to expect the person to appeal. (Local Government Act 1974, section 26(6)(a), as amended)
4. We cannot investigate a complaint if someone has appealed to a tribunal. (Local Government Act 1974, section 26(6)(a), as amended)

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How I considered this complaint

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

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My assessment

8. Mr X says that he has appealed his council tax support to a Valuation Tribunal. However, he says that the Council have not provided him with the detailed council tax bill he requested.
9. The Ombudsman cannot investigate a complaint which has been appealed to a Valuation Tribunal. I note the Council has assisted him with seeing his council tax bill online. They have also agreed to post him the bill if this is unsuccessful.
10. I am satisfied that the Council has provided him with the information he sought. In the absence of evidence of administrative fault, the Ombudsman would not investigate this complaint.

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Final decision

11. I do not intend to investigate this complaint because there is no evidence of fault and he appealed to a tribunal.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman