Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough Council (24 015 783)
Category : Benefits and tax > Council tax
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 20 Mar 2025
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about Council tax liability. This is because the complainant has a right of appeal to a Valuation Tribunal.
The complaint
- Mr X says he was not aware he should have been paying the full rate of council tax and had been paying the reduced rate from April to November 2024. He says the Council only sent him an amended bill for the full rate of Council tax in November and feels it should have informed him he needed to pay the full rate at an earlier point. Mr X says this has caused him stress and financial strain. He wants the Council to waive the bill.
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:
- there is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating
(Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))
- The law says we cannot normally investigate a complaint when someone has a right of appeal, reference or review to a tribunal about the same matter. However, we may decide to investigate if we consider it would be unreasonable to expect the person to use this right. (Local Government Act 1974, section 26(6)(a), as amended)
- The Valuation Tribunal deals with appeals against decisions on council tax liability and council tax support or reduction.
How I considered this complaint
- I considered information provided by the complainant.
- I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
- If Mr X wishes to challenge council tax liability, he has the right to appeal to the Valuation Tribunal, which deals with appeals against decisions on council tax liability and council tax support or reduction.
Final decision
- We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because he has the right of appeal to a Valuation Tribunal.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman