Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council handling of Mr X’s council tax account prior to the Valuation Office banding his property. This is because there is no significant injustice to warrant investigation.

The complaint

1. Mr X complains about the Council’s handling of his council tax account prior to banding. He says the Council stopped his direct debits, asked him to make payments using a reference it would not give him, and said it sent letters which he did not receive. He asked the Council to write off four months of council tax due.

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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, or
• we cannot achieve the outcome someone wants, (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. Mr X complained to the Council regarding the matters in paragraph 1.
5. The Council replied it had not received the Valuation Office Agency’s banding. It said the VOA’s delays were outside its control. The Council apologised that it had not offered an estimated banding, as it should have done when Mr X’s liability changed on moving. It said it had sent him a letter in August with a reference number estimating his band was C. It could not legally collect by direct debit or take recovery action. The Council said Mr X could apply for a discretionary reduction if he was in financial hardship.
6. In its final response the Council noted Mr X’s write off request. However, it said Mr X could have made payments and he was aware that he would be liable for council tax from June. It noted Mr X said he did not receive its letter in August. But it said it had also advised him in October that he would receive a large backdated bill. It said it could discuss an affordable payment plan when it received the banding, but it would not write off the outstanding council tax.
7. We will not investigate this complaint because the injustice is not significant enough to warrant our involvement. The Council apologised that it did not offer an estimated banding, but Mr X was aware he was liable from June 2025 and should set aside money or budget for the backdated bill that it would send when the valuation band was received. We would not seek the write off or reduction in the council tax that Mr X requests.

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Final decision

8. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because the injustice due to the Council’s fault is not significant enough to warrant investigation.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman