A weekly update on benefits and taxation decisions

Please note: our decisions are published six weeks after they are issued to councils, care providers and the person who has made the complaint. The cases below reflect the caselaw and guidance available at the time of issue and the individual circumstances of each case.

Thurrock Council (22 018 065)

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about a business rates bill as the complaint is made late to us and there are not good reasons to investigate now.

Dacorum Borough Council (23 000 969)

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint the amount of business rates payable for his business premises as this is based on a rateable value set by the Valuation Office Agency, rather than any decision by the Council. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council’s actions to recover the rates as there is not enough evidence of fault.

London Borough of Haringey (23 001 050)

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s handling of Mr X’s applications for two business grants. This is because the complaint has been made late to us and there is no evidence to suggest Mr X could not have complained to us sooner.

London Borough of Croydon (21 012 716)

Summary: Mr X complains about the Council pursuing council tax for two properties for which his company owns the freehold. The Council has agreed to increase its remedy.

Medway Council (21 015 095)

Summary: Mr B complains the Council did not properly consider his request to write off council tax debt when he cannot afford to pay. He says the Council did not properly consider his circumstances and the impact on his mental health or make reasonable adjustments. Mr B also says the Council wrongly declined his application for a test and trace payment. We do not find fault in how the Council considered Mr B’s test and trace application. However, we find fault in how the Council considered reasonable adjustments for Mr B.

West Northamptonshire Council (23 000 329)

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint that the Council’s enforcement agents are wrongly pursuing him for payment of its fees after he settled his debt with the Council in full. This is because there is not enough evidence of fault in the actions taken on the Council’s behalf.

North Somerset Council (23 000 599)

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about an overpayment of council tax as we cannot achieve the outcome the complainant asks for and there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council to warrant our involvement.

London Borough of Croydon (23 000 720)

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the amount of business rates payable for his business premises. This is because the Council is not responsible for setting the rateable value. The Council has billed Mr X correctly based on the rateable value set by the Valuation Office Agency and this is not fault.

Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council (23 000 255)

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about housing benefit. That is because the Council’s decision is appealable to tribunal.

Buckinghamshire Council (23 000 488)

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about matters related to court action about Mr X’s council tax. This is mainly because the law prevents us investigating complaints about such court action.

London Borough of Brent (23 000 644)

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about Council tax exemptions because there is no evidence of fault, there was a right of appeal to a tribunal and the matter is out of time.

London Borough of Harrow (22 014 169)

Summary: We have ended our investigation into Miss X’s complaint about how the Council handled her council tax bills and the time it took to apply a reduction. The Council has admitted fault and offered Miss X £250 to remedy this injustice. No worthwhile outcome can be achieved by further investigation.

West Berkshire Council (22 015 585)

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about Ms X being unable to set up her self-service online portal account to manage her council tax. This is because the Council is still actively working on resolving the issue Ms X has with registering her account and it is reasonable for her to continue to engage with the Council.

North Yorkshire Council (23 000 135)

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint that the Council wrongly advised him that he did not have to pay business rates for his premises. This is because the Council’s advice did not cause Mr X significant injustice.

London Borough of Lambeth (23 000 431)

Summary: We will not investigate this late complaint about council tax and housing benefit. There is not a good reason for the five-year delay in complaining to the Ombudsman.

London Borough of Croydon (23 000 809)

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about council tax and housing benefit arrears. Both decisions were appealable via tribunal and there is not a good reason for the Ombudsman to consider the complaint instead.

Folkestone & Hythe District Council (23 000 974)

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s refusal to award Mr X discretionary housing payments. This is because we are unlikely to find evidence of fault.

Redditch Borough Council (23 001 012)

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about payments the complainant said she made in error for council tax and rent. This is because we are unlikely to find evidence of fault.

Dorset Council (23 001 192)

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about council tax recovery because the injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement and further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.

London Borough of Lambeth (22 005 457)

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council because it is unlikely further investigation would lead to a different outcome and we are satisfied with the actions the Council has taken.

London Borough of Camden (22 011 782)

Summary: Miss X complained the Council closed her council tax account in error which led to a build-up of debt. The Council was at fault for closing the account and for failing to consider using its discretion to reduce Miss X’s council tax bill. The Council has agreed to pay Miss X £150 in recognition of the distress caused and offer Miss X the opportunity to apply for a discretionary reduction to reduce the council tax owed.

Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead Council (22 017 127)

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about recovery collection taken on his daughter Ms Y’s council tax account. This is because we would be unlikely to find fault with the Council’s actions.

Slough Borough Council (23 000 076)

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council not telling Mr X his council tax account number. He says this led to him paying his council tax to the wrong account number. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault. In addition, there is no ongoing significant injustice.