Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s handling of a council tax account as any injustice caused to Mr X is not sufficient to warrant our involvement.

The complaint

1. Mr X complains the Council overbilled him for council tax and this caused him anxiety.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. The Local Government Act 1974 sets out our powers but also imposes restrictions on what we can investigate.
3. We investigate 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 continue an investigation if we decide any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended)

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How I considered this complaint

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

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Background

6. Mr X has a rental property and informed the Council his property was untenanted for a period of 12 days. Mr X complains, that despite this, the Council sent him a council tax bill for the remainder of the year. Mr X said he could not afford to pay this and was caused anxiety by this.
7. The Council has explained to Mr X that this bill was generated as it did not have the details of the new tenants. It has explained to Mr X that its officer ought to have asked Mr X for these details and it has apologised to him for this and thanked him as his complaint has identified a training need.
8. The Council issued Mr X with a revised bill after it had set up the account for the new tenants. This was soon after Mr X had received the initial bill and before the first instalment date of that bill.

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My assessment

9. The Council explained to Mr X why the bill was generated, apologised and the matter was resolved before Mr X had to pay an instalment. While I recognise Mr X remains upset at what took place, from our perspective there is insufficient remaining injustice caused to him to warrant our further involvement. For this reason, we will not investigate.

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Final decision

10. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because there is insufficient remaining injustice caused to him.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman