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

The complaint

1. Ms X complains the Council failed to communicate with her properly regarding her council tax. She says it has not explained why it has taken recovery action and added court and enforcement agent fees.

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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 regarding the matters in paragraph 1.
5. The Council replied explaining the formal notices, text messages and emails it sent. It said it had used a credit from the previous year to reduce instalments. However, Ms X had not paid the required instalments despite reminders. This had led to a summons in January 2025. The Council then passed the account to its enforcement agent. The agent added enforcement fees as Ms X did not respond. As a gesture of goodwill, the Council said it would remove the enforcement stage agent fees of £235 if Ms X made payment of £720 for the arrears.
6. There is not enough evidence of fault by the Council to warrant investigation because it has sent the required statutory notices as well as communicating by text and email. The Council progressed recovery action because Ms X did not make the payments.

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Final decision

7. We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint because there is not enough evidence of fault by the Council to warrant investigation.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman