Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council dealt with Ms X’s council tax because any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement.

The complaint

1. Ms X complains the Council closed her council tax account in error, without telling her, and then sent her a payment demand reminder. Ms X says this caused her confusion, stress and damage to her reputation.

Back to top

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))

Back to top

How I considered this complaint

3. I considered information provided by the complainant.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

Back to top

My assessment

5. Our role is to consider complaints where the person bringing the complaint has suffered significant personal injustice as a direct result of the actions or inactions of the Council. This means we will normally only investigate a complaint where the complainant has suffered serious loss, harm, or distress as a direct result of faults or failures. We will not normally investigate a complaint where the alleged loss or injustice is not a serious or significant matter.
6. Whilst I acknowledge Ms X may have been inconvenienced by having to contact the Council several times to discuss the closure of her council tax account, this does not disadvantage her significantly enough to justify us investigating. It was also surprising and frustrating to receive a reminder for council tax Ms X thought she had already paid. Ms X also reports it caused her embarrassment as the people she lived had entrusted her with paying the council tax. However, those are not significant enough injustices to warrant the Ombudsman devoting time and public money to pursuing the complaint either.

Back to top

Final decision

7. We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint because any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement.

Back to top

Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman