IRRV Alert - week ending 5th June 2020
News
Consultations
New benefits and taxation decisions
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A weekly update on benefits and taxation decisions |
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Please note: our decisions are published three months 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. Telford & Wrekin Council (19 011 271)
Summary: Mrs X complained about the Council’s decision to pay part of her housing benefit direct to her landlord in 2015, and to recover overpaid housing benefit in 2016. Mrs X said the Council refused her request for it to reconsider its overpayment decision. The Council was not at fault. It considered Mrs X’s request for reconsideration in line with the relevant regulations and decided her request was late. I have not investigated the Council’s decision to pay the landlord directly, or the circumstances around the overpayment as those matters are late. West Lindsey District Council (19 017 148)
Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint about a council tax exemption because the complainant can appeal to the Valuation Tribunal. In addition, there is insufficient evidence of injustice. Dacorum Borough Council (19 006 941)
Summary: Miss F complains the Council enforced a council tax debt to an address she had not given it. And, as a result, she incurred costs that were avoidable. The Ombudsman’s decision is the Council acted in good faith in using information a third party gave it. Miss F had not given it an alternative address. So we do not uphold the complaint. London Borough of Ealing (19 016 579)
Summary: The complaint is about the Council asking Mr B to pay business rates and court costs. The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint because the Council is no longer asking Mr B to pay anything. Further investigation would not achieve anything significant. Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council (19 016 711)
Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about the Council’s pursuit of unpaid business rates between 2016 and 2017. This is because the complaint is late and it is unlikely we would find fault by the Council. Fenland District Council (19 016 933)
Summary: Mr and Mrs B complain about the failure of the Council and its enforcement agents to notify Mr B that their outstanding council tax debt had not been paid by Mrs B. The Ombudsman will not investigate the complaint because there is no evidence of fault by the Council. Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council (19 008 701)
Summary: Mr B complains that the Council referred his council tax arrears to enforcement agents despite a payment arrangement having been agreed. The Ombudsman finds no fault on the Council’s part. It was entitled to refer the arrears to enforcement agents as Mr B did not keep up with the payment arrangement. Worthing Borough Council (19 017 392)
Summary: The Ombudsman cannot investigate Mr X’s complaint about a council tax bill for a property he owns. This is because Mr X has appealed to the Valuation Tribunal and so the complaint is outside our jurisdiction. East Suffolk Council (19 017 496)
Summary: Mr X complains about the way the Council has dealt with his Council tax liability. The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint because this is a matter for the Information Commissioner’s Office and the matter is settled.
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