Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about council tax recovery action. This is because there is not enough evidence of fault by the Council to justify our involvement.

The complaint

1. Mr X complains the Council failed to send him a bar code to enable him to make council tax payments for his previous and current address. He said the Council agreed to a single arrangement to pay which covered all the council tax due. This led to arrears and the Council then unfairly issued a summons.

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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 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 made a new payment arrangement in November 2025 covering the 2022 and 2024 council tax years for Mr X’s previous address. The arrangement did not include 2025. Mr X stated he would pay by standing order. It did not send a barcoded bill for Mr X’s previous address as he did not ask for this.
6. The Council said it sent a barcoded bill to Mr X in December 2025 for his new address. It noted Mr X may not have received this, but did not consider this was due to a fault on its part. It said there may be an issue with postal delivery. It sent a new barcoded bill by email in January 2026 and also hand delivered a paper copy. As no payments were received, the Council sent a reminder for Mr X’s current address and then a summons.
7. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because there is not enough evidence of fault by the Council to warrant investigation. The Council agreed a payment arrangement, but Mr X did not pay by standing order as he had stated. The Council sent a barcoded bill which Mr X says he did not receive but this does not appear to be due to a fault on the Council’s part.

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Final decision

8. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because there is not enough evidence of fault to warrant investigation.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman