A weekly update on benefits and taxation decisions

Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council (19 010 083)

Summary: We will not investigate Ms Q’s complaint that the Council is pursuing her for council tax she does not think she is liable to pay. This is because she may appeal to the Valuation Tribunal.

London Borough of Croydon (19 010 914)

Summary: Mrs X complains about the Council’s use of bailiffs to enforce her council tax arrears. The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint because there is no evidence of fault by the Council.

Birmingham City Council (19 010 951)

Summary: Mr X complains about the Council’s refusal to pay council tax support or a discretionary hardship payment. The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint because he could appeal against the decision not to award council tax support to a tribunal and there was no fault in the Council’s decision to refuse a discretionary hardship payment.

Leeds City Council (19 010 342)

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about her council tax bill. This is because it was not unreasonable to expect Ms X to use her right of appeal to the Valuation Tribunal.

Shropshire Council (19 009 573)

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint about the Council seeking to recover unpaid council tax from the complainant. The complainant had a right of appeal against any decision that she was liable to pay council tax. There is no evidence of fault in the Council taking recovery action.

Milton Keynes Council (19 010 401)

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Miss X’s complaint about her council tax bill. This is because it is not unreasonable to expect Miss X to use her right of appeal to the Valuation Tribunal.

Amber Valley Borough Council (19 001 388)

Summary: Mr X says the Council failed to take full account of his circumstances when he did not pay his council tax and unreasonably pursued court action and charged him the legal costs. The Council is not at fault.

Forest of Dean District Council (18 017 300)

Summary: Mrs J complains the Council took a large sum from her bank account for council tax payments without warning or her consent. She also complains the Council provided a poor level of customer service. There was fault when the Council did not arrange a payment plan. It has agreed to apologise to Mrs J and arrange a payment plan.

North Devon District Council (19 009 678)

Summary: Mrs X complains that the Council unreasonably took enforcement action against her for non payment of council tax. The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint because there is no evidence of fault by the Council.

London Borough of Haringey (19 009 850)

Summary: Ms X complains about the Council’s decision to recover an overpayment of housing benefit. The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint because she can appeal to a tribunal.

Telford & Wrekin Council (19 009 897)

Summary: Ms X complains that the Council failed to backdate her council tax support claim to 2017. The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint because she has appealed to a Valuation Tribunal.

Southend-on-Sea Borough Council (19 010 063)

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint about Discretionary Housing Payments because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council.

Liverpool City Council (19 010 269)

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the circumstances that led to him withholding some of his council tax. This is because there is not enough evidence of fault by the Council, and we cannot establish liability in claims involving damage to property. It is reasonable for Mr X to use the legal remedy available to him.

London Borough of Lambeth (19 010 367)

Summary: Mrs X complains about the Council’s threat of enforcement action for arrears of council tax. The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint because there is no evidence of fault by the Council.

Salford City Council (19 010 466)

Summary: Mr X complains about the Council’s decisions about liability for council tax and council tax support. The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint because he could appeal to a Valuation Tribunal.

Birmingham City Council (18 018 287)

Summary: Ms X complains the Council failed to deal with information she presented and failed to correctly calculate how much council tax she owed. During the course of this investigation, the Council recalculated Ms X’s entitlement to housing benefit and council tax support from April 2013 and Ms X has now used her right of appeal against the new determinations. The action taken by the Council is a suitable remedy for the complaint and the new rights of appeal used by Ms X mean any complaint about the amounts awarded fall outside the Ombudsman’s jurisdiction.

East Riding of Yorkshire Council (19 005 112)

Summary: Mrs X complains the Council unfairly refused to accept a payment offer she made for council tax arrears, and then started making deductions from her earnings. The Ombudsman has not found evidence of fault by the Council.

London Borough of Ealing (19 007 187)

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Miss B’s complaint about housing benefit and her council tax account. This is because the Council does not administer the universal credit housing costs process, it was not unreasonable to expect Miss B to pursue her right of appeal to the Valuation Tribunal and she could only challenge the liability order through the courts.

Birmingham City Council (19 009 572)

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint about council tax for an empty property. This is because the problem has been resolved.