North Yorkshire Council (25 017 025)
Category : Benefits and tax > Council tax
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 03 Mar 2026
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s delay in setting up Mr X’s council tax account. This is because Mr X has experienced insignificant injustice to warrant an investigation.
The complaint
- Mr X complained the Council excessively delayed setting up his account and did not make reasonable adjustments for his disability.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
- 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 any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))
How I considered this complaint
- I considered information provided by Mr X and the Council.
- I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
- Mr X complained the Council delayed setting up his council tax account and providing a credit refund for several months. He also said the Council failed to consider his disability in its management of his account.
- The Council explained it was overhauling its systems and this led to a delay in setting up his account. The Council apologised for the inconvenience he experienced due to this.
- Mr X wants us to find the Council at fault. Mr X has not been put to financial loss due to this matter and the Council has provided a reasonable experience for the delay, which is what we would expect it to do. There is no evidence of the Council failing to make reasonable adjustments for Mr X’s disability. The Ombudsman will not investigate complaints where the injustice suffered is not significant.
Final decision
- We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because he experienced insignificant injustice to warrant an investigation.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman