Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about the handling of her council tax account. A further investigation by us is unlikely to achieve anything worthwhile.

The complaint

1. Ms X complains the Council issued multiple council tax bills after she informed the Council her child had started university. She says the bills led to her direct debit getting cancelled.
2. Ms X also complains the Council’s actions caused her to go into arrears and she had to spread her instalments over twelve months instead of ten months.
3. She says the Council should amend its billing system in relation to university enrolment and accept all enrolment certificates.

Back to top

The Ombudsman’s role and powers

4. 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 there is no worthwhile outcome achievable by our investigation. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))

Back to top

How I considered this complaint

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

Back to top

My assessment

7. We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint because a further investigation is unlikely to achieve anything worthwhile.
8. The Council has already apologised and accepted that it should not have asked Ms X for further information once it became aware her son was a university student.
9. The Council also acknowledged Ms X’s frustration about receiving multiple bills and her direct debit getting cancelled. However, it also explained that is must issue a new bill each time the payment changes. While I understand this may frustrate Mrs X, the Council must notify her when her monthly council tax payments change.
10. We also note the Council said Ms X can pay her council tax bill over ten instalments this financial year.

Back to top

Final decision

11. We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint because a further investigation is unlikely to achieve anything worthwhile.

Back to top

Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman