Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about a council tax bill sent in error. This is because the Council has already provided a suitable remedy and we cannot achieve the outcome Mr X wants.

The complaint

1. Mr X complains the Council sent him a council tax bill in error and this caused him and his wife significant distress. He requests compensation of £850.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. We investigate complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’. In this statement, I have used the word fault to refer to these. We provide a free service but must use public money carefully. We may decide not to start or continue with an investigation if we are satisfied with the actions an organisation has taken or proposes to take. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(7), as amended)
3. 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:

• any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement, or
• we cannot achieve the outcome someone wants, or

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

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How I considered this complaint

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

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My assessment

5. In 2025 the Council sent Mr X a council tax bill dated October 2023. The bill stated it was an opening bill and over £700 was due.
6. Mr X says he was very distressed by the bill as he knew he had paid. He says his wife was also distressed and this caused significant arguments at a time when his wife was vulnerable.
7. Mr X called the Council the next day and it confirmed the bill was a copy which it had issued in error.
8. Mr X complained to the Council that the impact of the bill was very severe at a very difficult time. He said the Council should pay compensation of £850.
9. The Council responded and explained the bill was an error. It had been printed in error following Mr X’s call a few days earlier where he had requested evidence he was up to date with his council tax. The Council reassured Mr X he was up to date and that there was nothing to pay. The Council recognised it caused Mr X anxiety and distress. It sincerely apologised for this. However it did not agree it should pay the financial compensation that Mr X had requested.
10. The Council recognised it was at fault. It has provided an explanation and an apology. We consider the Council has taken satisfactory action to remedy the injustice and we cannot achieve the outcome Mr X wants.

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Final decision

11. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because the Council has already taken satisfactory action and we cannot achieve the outcome Mr X wants.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman