Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint that the Council will not award a single person council tax discount to Mr X. This is because this matter has been considered by the Valuation Tribunal and is therefore now no longer within our legal remit.

The complaint

1. Mr X complains about the Council's decision not to award him a single person council tax discount.

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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 cannot investigate a complaint if someone has appealed to a tribunal about the same matter. (Local Government Act 1974, section 26(6)(a), 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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My assessment

6. We are not empowered to deal with appeals about council tax or to determine if someone is eligible for a council tax discount or not. This is the role of the independent government agency called the Valuation Tribunal Service (VTS). Mr X has already appealed about this matter to the VTS and therefore, as per paragraph three, we cannot investigate this complaint.

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Final decision

7. We cannot investigate Mr X’s complaint because he has appealed about this matter to the VTS and therefore it is no longer within our legal remit.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman