Summary: We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint about the Council’s handling of her council tax debt. This is because there is not enough evidence of fault. We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint about poor communication because any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement.

The complaint

1. Miss X complains about the Council’s handling of her council tax debt. She also complains that during a telephone conversation a member of staff was rude and threatening.

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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, or
• any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement.

(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.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. Miss X complains the Council refused to provide a copy of the court order and unfairly set up an attachment of earnings. She says this will cause financial hardship due to previously unpaid debts.
6. The Council said Miss X had the opportunity to go to court. It said it is not required to provide a copy of the liability order. It said it had set up a payment plan in line with national regulations. It also offered to set this at a fixed amount (so it would not go up to include any overtime) if Miss X provided it with income and expenditure information.
7. I will not investigate Miss X’s complaint about how it handled her council tax debt because there is not enough evidence of fault to justify an investigation. The Council has acted in line with the law.
8. Miss X has complained that during a telephone conversation a member of staff was rude and threatening. The Council disagreed with Miss X. There is no recording of the call. We will not normally investigate a complaint where the alleged loss or injustice is not a serious or significant matter. I consider any injustice is not significant enough to justify an investigation by the Ombudsman.

Final decision

9. We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint because there is not enough evidence of fault or significant injustice.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman