Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the application of empty property relief. It is unlikely we would find fault.

The complaint

1. Mr X says the Council failed to apply business rates’ empty property relief.

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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 Mr X and the Council.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. Mr X is the landlord to property Y. The Council applied empty property relief for three months to property Y for February to April 2022. Mr X says the tenants left property Y in April 2025 and Mr X discovered a bill for unpaid business rates. Mr X asked the Council to apply another three months of empty property relief. The Council refused. Mr X says the Council has not provided him with evidence it has ever granted three months empty property relief.
6. The three months relief starts from when the property becomes empty. The Council has provided us with evidence that it applied all three months, and Y has not since been reoccupied. It is unlikely we would find fault.

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Final decision

7. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because it is unlikely we would find fault.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman