Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about a change in council tax instalments. This is because we could not add to the Council’s investigation, and it has already taken satisfactory action.

The complaint

1. Ms X complained the Council changed a council tax instalment in error. This caused her financial difficulty. She says the Council should refund the payment and write off the instalment.

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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:

• we could not add to any previous investigation by the organization. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))
• we are satisfied with the actions an organisation has taken or proposes to take. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(7), as amended).

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How I considered this complaint

3. I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council. I also considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

4. In March 2025 Ms X called the Council to query her council tax and to ask for a copy of a bill. She had to call several times as the Council’s system was down. The Council then sent a revised bill changing an instalment payment date from March 2025 to April 2025.
5. In April 2025 Ms X complained to the Council about the changed the instalment date. She said she had not received the revised bill and was not expecting the direct debit of £105 paid in April. She said this caused her financial difficulty.
6. In its responses to Ms X’s complaint the Council said it had issued a new bill in March changing the payment date in error. It should have sent a copy bill instead. It had apologised for this, but it did not agree to write off the instalment. However, it said it had discussed this with her and it:
• offered to refund the payment and spread the cost over 10 months
• explained she could seek a refund within 24 hours of her direct debit via her bank.
7. Ms X had declined the Council’s offers to arrange a refund and then add the amount to new instalments. She wanted the Council to write off the £105 instalment.
8. I consider that an investigation by the Ombudsman would not add to the Council’s investigation, and its apology and proposal to refund and rearrange the payment is a satisfactory action.

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Final decision

9. We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint because it will not add to the Council’s investigation and we are satisfied with the Council’s actions.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman