Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s handling of Ms X’s council tax account. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault to justify an investigation.

The complaint

1. Ms X complains the Council has unfairly pursued her for council tax and she is unable to afford the instalments it has set. She says the Council did not send her warnings or a summons. She says this is causing her stress and hardship.

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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. (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 and the Council. I also considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

4. Ms X complained to the Council in 2025 that it threatened her with enforcement agents due to council tax arrears. She said she did not even know the account had been sent to court to consider as she had not received a summons or warning. She said she could not afford the amounts the Council was demanding.
5. The Council replied it had sent Ms X a reminder in November 2023 and a summons in February 2024. It gave details of the summons. Ms X had returned a direct debit form in February 2024, and so the Council considered she was aware of the situation with her arrears. It had sent Ms X an income and expenditure form and agreed a payment arrangement. It advised Ms X about claiming council tax support and a discretionary relief, but she had not applied.
6. I will not start an investigation because it is not possible to evidence that letters were not received by Ms X. I do not consider there is sufficient evidence of fault by the Council to warrant an investigation by the Ombudsman.

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Final decision

7. We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint because there is insufficient evidence of fault to justify an investigation.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman