A weekly update on benefits and taxation decisions

Bristol City Council (18 011 917)

Summary: The complainant says the Council failed to properly consider her disability and need for reasonable adjustments in communicating with her. The complainant says the Council wrongly issued a court summons adding costs to her council tax account. The Council says it followed proper procedures and therefore will not refund the court costs. The Ombudsman finds the Council at fault and the Council accepts the recommended remedy.

Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council (19 001 714)

Summary: Mr X complains that the Council acted unfairly against him when he appealed to a Valuation Tribunal. The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint because he has appealed to a Valuation Tribunal.

Durham County Council (19 001 817)

Summary: Mr X, a landlord, complains that the Council allocated a payment of council tax to a different property and refused a refund. The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint because there is no evidence of fault by the Council causing injustice.

Birmingham City Council (19 001 881)

Summary: Miss X complained about the Council’s recovery of an overpayment of housing benefit from 2018. The Ombudsman should not investigate this complaint. This is because it was reasonable for Miss X to appeal against the benefit decision and her appeal is currently being considered.

Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council (18 018 880)

Summary: Mrs A complains the Council wrongly involved enforcement agents to recover council tax when she was not liable for a rented property. She says this caused stress and financial difficulty. The Ombudsman’s decision is that the Council has provided an appropriate remedy for its faults.

London Borough of Bexley (19 001 443)

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint about the complainant’s council tax band. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council and because the complainant could have appealed to the Valuation Tribunal.

Havant Borough Council (19 001 585)

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate this housing benefit complaint because the complainant can appeal to the tribunal.

London Borough of Merton (19 001 997)

Summary: Mr X complains that the Council disconnected electricity to his property. He also complains about the Council’s decision to hold him liable for council tax on a property. The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint because this is out of time and he appealed against the Valuation Tribunal decision to a tribunal.

Chichester District Council (19 000 197)

Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint about the Council’s handling of housing benefit and council tax reduction overpayments. This is because Mrs D has appealed to the Valuation Tribunal.

Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council (19 001 188)

Summary: The Ombudsman cannot investigate this complaint about the complainant’s claim for housing benefit. The complainant has appealed to a tribunal against the Council’s decision he was ineligible.

London Borough of Ealing (19 001 450)

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint about entitlement to the 25% single person council tax discount. This is because the complainant could have appealed to the Valuation Tribunal. He will not investigate the housing benefit part of the complaint because the complainant can use her review and appeal rights.

Salford City Council (19 001 686)

Summary: Mr X complained about the Council giving him misleading information about a council tax discount in 2017. The Ombudsman should not exercise his discretion to investigate this complaint. This is because the complaint was received outside the normal 12-month period for considering complaints. It was reasonable for Mr X to appeal any decision on council tax discount to the Valuation Tribunal.

London Borough of Lambeth (19 001 597)

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint about council tax arrears because there is insufficient evidence of injustice.

Bristol City Council (18 010 261)

Summary: Mr X and Ms Y complains the Council was at fault in how it created a joint Council Tax account and pursued them for a debt. The Ombudsman has found no evidence of fault in the way the Council considered these matters.

Warrington Council (18 018 151)

Summary: Miss B complained about the actions of the Council in recovering a housing benefit overpayment by an attachment of earnings. She says this is causing her financial hardship and is unfair. We find no fault with the actions of the Council.

Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council (19 001 100)

Summary: The Ombudsman cannot investigate Mrs X’s complaint that her property should have been removed from the council tax list as it was uninhabitable. The Valuation Office Agency is the body which determines such matters and the Ombudsman has no legal remit to investigate its decisions.

London Borough of Haringey (19 001 516)

Summary: Mr B complains about the high level of Council Tax he is charged by the Council. The Ombudsman cannot not investigate the complaint because the matter falls outside our jurisdiction.

Daventry District Council (19 001 641)

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Mr B’s complaint about his council tax reduction claim. This is because his complaint is late and it was not unreasonable to expect him to use his right of appeal to the Valuation Tribunal.

Birmingham City Council (19 001 690)

Summary: Ms X complains that the Council has held her liable for council tax after she left a property. The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint because this could be appealed to a Valuation Tribunal.

London Borough of Barking & Dagenham (19 001 913)

Summary: Mr X complains about the Council’s enforcement action against him for unpaid council tax. The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint because the matter is out of time and there was a right of appeal to a Valuation Tribunal.