Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the customer service Mr X received from a council employee. This is because an investigation would be unlikely to result in a different outcome.

The complaint

1. Mr X complained a Council employee was unprofessional and provided incorrect information during a phone call. He also complained about the Council’s complaint response and failure to provide a copy of the call.

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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:

• we could not add to any previous investigation by the organisation, or
• further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.

(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. Mr X complained the Council employee he spoke with when he contacted it to change his council tax details was unprofessional and gave him incorrect customer service. He said he felt he had been discriminated against and he wanted a copy of the call recording along with compensation and an apology.
6. In the Council’s final response, it partially upheld his complaint and apologised. The Council provided a copy of the call recording but did not agree compensation was warranted.
7. Mr X wants us to find the Council at fault. The Ombudsman does not level punitive measures against local authorities. In this case, the Council has admitted fault, apologised and provided information Mr X asked for. There is no evidence of discrimination in the Council’s actions. The Council has provided a proportionate remedy for the injustice he suffered which in line with what we would expect. An investigation would therefore be unlikely to result in a different outcome for Mr X.

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Final decision

8. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because an investigation would be unlikely to result in a different outcome.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman