Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s handling of the complainant’s council tax account. The complainant has confirmed the matter is now resolved.

The complaint

1. Mr X complains the Council wrongly sent him a threatening letter regarding an outstanding council tax balance, as it had failed to close his account correctly.

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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 an organisation has taken or proposes to take. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(7), as amended)

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How I considered this complaint

3. I considered information provided by Mr X and the Council, as well as the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

4. Around the same time as Mr X’s complaint submission to the Ombudsman, the Council wrote to him with an explanation of how his council tax account had been handled.
5. Mr X has confirmed the Council’s explanation resolves his complaint. We have therefore closed the case.

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Final decision

6. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because he has confirmed the matter is now resolved.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman