Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about a council tax bill as there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council to warrant our further action.

The complaint

1. Ms X complains the Council has not provided her with information she has requested to understand a council tax bill it issued to her.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. We investigate complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’, which we call ‘fault’. We must also consider whether any fault has had an adverse impact on the person making the complaint, which we call ‘injustice’. We provide a free service, but must use public money carefully. We do not start or continue an investigation if we decide there is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))
3. We normally expect someone to refer the matter to the Information Commissioner if they have a complaint about data protection. However, we may decide to investigate if we think there are good reasons. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended)

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How I considered this complaint

4. I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council.
5. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

6. Ms X complained to the Council about a council tax bill it issued to her, questioning the period of liability and the Council's calculations. Ms X’s property was occupied by a tenant for part of the year and Ms X wanted to clarify how their payments impacted her liability. Ms X asked the Council to provide her with details of payments that had been made during this period so she could satisfy herself regarding her liability.
7. The Council has on several occasions provided a breakdown of how it calculated what Ms X owed for the period her property was empty in between tenants. Ms X has not provided any clear evidence of fault in regard to this or in the way the Council has administered the account. We will not therefore investigate.
8. If Ms X remains of the view that the Council has failed to provide information she is entitled to regarding the council tax at the property then this would be best dealt with by the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) as this is the UK's independent regulator in respect of data protection and access to information rights.

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Final decision

9. We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council to justify our further involvement.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman