Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about alleged rudeness by a Council officer as the injustice would not warrant investigation.

The complaint

1. Mr X complains that a Council officer was rude to him when he spoke on the telephone about a Council tax debt.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. 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:

• there is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating, or
• any fault has not caused injustice to the person who complained, or
• any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement.

(Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))

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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 says that, when he telephoned the Council to discuss payment of Council tax, the officer was rude to him.
6. The Council says the call was recorded and does not accept that the officer was rude and is satisfied that the officer checked that he was receiving Council tax support. The Council accepts that it would be better had Mr X been advised of alternative payment methods.
7. We will normally only investigate a complaint where the complainant has suffered serious loss, harm or distress as a direct result of faults or failures by an organisation.
8. I appreciate that Mr X would have felt stressed but I am not persuaded that the alleged rudeness is sufficient injustice to warrant investigation.

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Final decision

9. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because there is insufficient injustice to warrant investigation.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman