Somerset Council (23 016 235)
Category : Benefits and tax > Council tax
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 07 Mar 2024
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about council tax liability. This is because the Council has written the debt off and therefore further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.
The complaint
- Ms X complains that the Council pursued her for unpaid council tax despite her sending evidence that she was a student ad bankrupt for the period in question.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
- 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 further investigation would not lead to a different outcome. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))
How I considered this complaint
- I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council.
- I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
- Ms X complained to the Council that it was pursuing her for unpaid council tax. Ms X provided the Council with evidence which she said proved she was a student for the period in question and that she was declared bankrupt in 2022 and that any unpaid council tax was subject to the bankruptcy order.
- The Council has accepted the evidence that Ms X provided that shows the period in question is covered by a bankruptcy order and has agreed to write off the debt. Any money paid by Ms X has been transferred to her current council tax account and she has been told how she can receive a credit. The Council has apologised to Ms X for not doing this sooner. I will not investigate Ms X’s complaint because doing so would not achieve a different outcome.
Final decision
- We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint because doing so would not lead to a different outcome.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman