Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s failure to collect Miss X’s council tax payments. This is because an investigation would be unlikely to find fault with the Council’s actions.

The complaint

1. Miss X complained the Council failed to collect payments in line with an agreed payment plan causing her stress and inconvenience.

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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 Miss X and the Council.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. Miss X attempted to set up a payment plan to clear outstanding council tax arrears on her account in early 2025.
6. She complained to the Council when it failed to collect her agreed instalment and later collected the outstanding balance in one lump sum.
7. The Council explained the payment plan failed because there were two council tax accounts in Miss X’s name due to her providing conflicting information about when she was moving out. The Council explained that when there is no payment plan on an account, its systems automatically take the full outstanding balance. The Council gave Miss X information on how to set up another payment plan.
8. Miss X remains unhappy with the Council and wants us to find it at fault. The Council has explained why the payment plan failed and given Miss X information about how she can set up another payment plan. The Council has responded to this matter in the way we would expect. An investigation would be unlikely to result in finding fault with the Council’s actions.

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Final decision

9. We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint because an investigation would be unlikely to find fault with the Council’s actions.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman