Summary: Ms X complains about the way the Council dealt with her council tax payments. The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint because the matter has been remedied.

The complaint

1. Ms X complains about the way the Council dealt with her council tax payments.

Back to top

The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. We investigate complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’. In this statement, I have used the word ‘fault’ to refer to these. We provide a free service, but must use public money carefully. We may decide not to start or continue with an investigation if we are satisfied with the actions a council has taken or proposes to take. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(7), as amended)

Back to top

How I considered this complaint

3. I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
5. I considered the complainant’s comments on my draft decision.

Back to top

My assessment

6. Ms X says that the Council changed her council tax account and, as a result, she was summoned to court for non payment.
7. The Council says that they notified her of the need to change her account number on her council tax payments. They say that she continued to pay using the old reference number and, as her account accrued arrears, a summons was issued.
8. The Council says that they have now transferred the payments and the summons has been withdrawn.
9. I appreciate that Ms X was distressed by the summons but the matter has now been resolved in our view and so there would be no reason for carry out any investigate of the matter.

Back to top

Final decision

10. I do not intend to investigate this complaint because the matter has been remedied.

Back to top

Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman