Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council incorrectly closing his council tax account because there is insufficient injustice to justify investigating.

The complaint

1. Mr X complains that the Council incorrectly closed his council tax account. When the error was corrected two months later, the instalments he had to pay were higher as there were fewer months left in the year.

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

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My assessment

5. The Council closed Mr X’s council tax account in error. Mr X informed the Council of the error and the Council corrected the error within two months. The Council apologised to Mr X and arranged for Mr X to pay back the money over an extended period with lower instalments.
6. Mr X did not suffer any financial loss or significant injustice as a direct result of the Council’s error. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because there is insufficient injustice to justify investigating.

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Final decision

7. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council incorrectly closing his council tax account because there is insufficient injustice to justify investigating.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman