Summary: We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint about council tax reductions and discounts. Miss X can appeal to the Valuation Tribunal and it is reasonable to expect her to do so.

The complaint

1. Miss X complains her council tax bills for the years between 2022 and 2024 are wrong because the Council did not apply the correct discounts and reductions.
2. She said she has incurred court costs and arrears because of the Council’s mistakes. Miss X would like the Council to recalculate her council tax bills from 2022 onwards.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

3. The Local Government Act 1974 sets out our powers but also imposes restrictions on what we can investigate.
4. The law says we cannot normally investigate a complaint when someone has a right of appeal, reference or review to a tribunal about the same matter. However, we may decide to investigate if we consider it would be unreasonable to expect the person to use this right. (Local Government Act 1974, section 26(6)(a), as amended)
5. The Valuation Tribunal deals with appeals against decisions on council tax liability and council tax support or reduction.

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How I considered this complaint

6. I considered information provided by Miss X and the Council.
7. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

8. We will not investigate Miss X complaint because she can appeal to the Valuation Tribunal.
9. It is reasonable to expect her to appeal because the tribunal is the correct body to consider disputes about council tax discounts and reductions.

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Final decision

10. We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint because she can appeal to the tribunal and it is reasonable to expect her to do so.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman