London Borough of Hillingdon (25 003 548)
Category : Benefits and tax > Council tax
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 21 Aug 2025
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about council tax. This is because there is not enough evidence of fault to justify an investigation.
The complaint
- Miss X complains the Council is seeking payment of a council tax bill two years after she paid a final bill. She says this caused her stress and frustration.
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)).
How I considered this complaint
- I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council. I also considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
- Miss X complained the Council advised her about the final council tax bill for her late mother’s property. She paid this, but now years later the Council sent another bill. She said the Council had told her this was an error. She asked for an explanation and whether it had acted to prevent it occurring again.
- The Council explained the bill was for a seven week period after the grant of probate exemption ended. After this the Council put the account in Miss X and a relative’s name. The Council had sent a bill to executors in August 2023 and sent further bills, but they were not paid. The Council did not accept it was penalising Miss X for its own mistake. But it agreed it could have reviewed related accounts before it advised Miss X of the final bill. It said it would take this as a learning point for the council tax team.
- I consider the Council sent the correct bill as required by legislation and this was not paid. The Council accepts it could have cross checked related accounts when Miss X enquired, and it has taken appropriate action to prevent reoccurrence. However, there is not enough evidence of fault here to warrant an investigation by the Ombudsman.
Final decision
- We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint because there is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigation.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman