Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s initial handling of X’s council tax account, or its decision on whether X is entitled to single person’s discount. Part of X’s complaint is late and there are no good reasons to consider it now. Additionally, there is no evidence the Council has considered a complaint about a decision on single person discount and so we will not consider a complaint about that matter until it has done so.

The complaint

1. X complained about the Council’s initial handling of their council tax account, in particular, who it had registered against their account, how it interacted with him in a telephone call. X was also unhappy because the Council summonsed them to court for nonpayment and then withdrew that summons.
2. X said the Council’s actions caused them distress and wants it to determine their entitlement to single person discount.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

3. We cannot investigate late complaints unless we decide there are good reasons. Late complaints are when someone takes more than 12 months to complain to us about something a council has done. (Local Government Act 1974, sections 26B and 34D, as amended)
4. The law says we cannot normally investigate a complaint unless we are satisfied the organisation knows about the complaint and has had an opportunity to investigate and reply. However, we may decide to investigate if we consider it would be unreasonable to notify the organisation of the complaint and give it an opportunity to investigate and reply. (Local Government Act 1974, section 26(5), section 34(B)6)

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How I considered this complaint

5. I considered information provided by the complainant and I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

6. X was unhappy with the initial handling of their council tax account after they moved to a property in February 2025. They said this resulted in a telephone call with the Council, during which they alleged the Council was potentially discriminatory. X was also unhappy the Council summonsed them to court over a nonpayment of their council tax bill. X complained to the Council about these issues in June 2025.
7. We will not investigate this part of X’s complaint because the matters they are unhappy with all occurred more than 12 months before X complained to us in late June 2026.
8. X wants the Council to determine their single persons discount entitlement. I will not consider this part of X’s complaint. During the complaints correspondence the Council explained there had been some discrepancies with the information X had provided and it needed more information from them to decide.
9. It is open to X to provide that information and then if unhappy with the Council’s decision, they can make a new complaint about that decision. In considering the law I have referred to at paragraph four, I have not seen any evidence the Council has considered a new complaint about that decision.

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Final decision

10. We will not investigate X’s complaint because part of it is late and otherwise the Council will need to consider a new complaint about its decision.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman