Summary: Ms B complains about the Council’s handling of a business rates debt and its decision to start bankruptcy proceedings against her.

Finding

Fault found causing injustice and recommendations made.

Recommendations

We recommend the Council should:

• apply to annul the bankruptcy and pay the court and trustee costs to do this;
• make a financial payment of £3,000 to Ms B to reflect the distress she suffered because of the Council’s decision to start bankruptcy proceedings;
• make a financial payment of £400 to Ms B to reflect the distress she suffered because of the Council’s breaches of the Data Protection Act; and
• write and send a letter to Ms B saying if it intends to recover the debt, the amount it is seeking to recover and how it is going to do this.

The Council may offset the payments against the debt Ms B owes the Council.
 

Ombudsman satisfied with Council's response: 23 January 2020.

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