Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s handling of Ms X’s council tax. This is because there is not enough evidence of fault by the Council to justify investigation.

The complaint

1. Ms X complains the Council failed to contact her about council tax charge of £12 after she left her former address. It then added £142 enforcement fees. She says the Council should have emailed her regarding the balance due and this would have avoided the extra fees.

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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 there is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating (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. 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 that:
• Statutory documents such as bills, reminders, summons and enforcement notices must be issued by post unless the charge payer opted for ebilling.
• Ms X had not chosen ebilling.
• Ms X had not provided a forwarding address when she ended her liability and cancelled her direct debit. It therefore sent notices by post.
• It had traced Ms X’s new address and sent a notice to her in July 2025, but she had not paid or contacted the Council. It then passed the account to its agent.
• While not required by law, it could have attempted to email her which would have prevented the added costs.
• However, it did not agree to refund or remove the fees because the Council had issued the notices correctly and had followed the required procedure.

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Final decision

6. We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint because there is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigation.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman