London Borough of Southwark (24 017 793)
Category : Benefits and tax > Council tax
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 03 Mar 2025
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint that the Council did not tell the complainant he had to pay council tax. This is because the Council has provided a satisfactory response.
The complaint
- The complainant, Mr X, complains the Council did not tell him in 2020 that he needed to pay council tax. The Council issued a large bill in 2024 which it started to collect through an Attachment of Earnings Order (AEO). Mr X says this caused financial stress and had a negative impact on his well-being. Mr X wants the Council to withdraw the AEO, apologise and reduce the arrears.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
- 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 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)
How I considered this complaint
- I considered information provided by Mr X and the Council. This includes the complaint correspondence and an update from the Council. I also considered our Assessment Code.
My assessment
- Mr X moved to Temporary Accommodation in 2020. He says the Council did not tell him he would need to pay council tax.
- In 2024 the Council found out Mr X had been living in the property since 2020. It issued a council tax bill from 2020; this included the council tax due for the current financial year.
- The Council obtained a liability order and assessed Mr X’s circumstances; it decided an AEO would be the best way to recover the arrears.
- Mr X continued to complain and report the impact of the AEO. The Council reviewed the case and decided to withdraw the AEO and cancel all the arrears (of about £4010). The Council awarded compensation of £500 for Mr X’s distress and time. The Council will use the £500 to reduce Mr X’s council tax for the current tax year.
- I will not start an investigation because the Council has provided a satisfactory response by waiving the arrears and reducing Mr X’s council tax for this year by £500. There is nothing more we would ask the Council to do.
Final decision
- We will not investigate this complaint because the Council has provided a satisfactory response.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman