Blackburn with Darwen Council (26 009 243)
Category : Benefits and tax > Council tax
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 09 Jul 2026
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We cannot investigate X’s complaint about a liability order hearing. The law prevents us from investigating the start of court proceedings or what happened during those proceedings.
The complaint
- X complains that hearings for a liability order for unpaid council tax were delayed without X being properly informed meaning they missed work. X also says the Council failed to send X a copy of the courts order.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
- 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))
- We cannot investigate a complaint about the start of court action or what happened in court. (Local Government Act 1974, Schedule 5/5A, paragraph 1/3, as amended)
How I considered this complaint
- I considered information provided by the complainant.
- I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
- I cannot investigate X’s complaint about the Council’s decision to seek a liability order or that hearings were delayed without proper communication to X. This is because the law prevents us from investigating the start of court proceedings or what happened during those proceedings.
- I will not investigate X’s complaint that the Council failed to provide a copy of the court order. The Council told X that the order was made for more than one person so contains third party information along side X’s details. It has fully justified and explained its reasoning to X and therefore it is unlikely we would find fault with the Council.
Final decision
- We cannot investigate X’s complaint because w prevents us from investigating the start of court proceedings or what happened during those proceedings.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman