Summary: Ms X complains the Council did not make reasonable adjustments for her disability. She says the Council did not act on information she gave, did not provide information she asked for and did not deal properly with her review request.

Summary: Ms B complains about the Council’s handling of her application for a Discretionary Housing Payment. The Ombudsman will not investigate the complaint because the Council has now reviewed its decision and an investigation is unlikely to add to the investigation already carried out by the Council or lead to a different outcome.

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Ms B’s complaint about the way the Council dealt with the recovery of housing benefit it says it had overpaid to her. This is because Ms B’s complaint about action the Council took more than 12 months ago is late and there are not good reasons for us to investigate now. It is unlikely we will find the Council to be at fault regarding the action it took in 2018.

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint that the Council stopped paying housing benefit to the complainant. This is because the Council has resumed payment and because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council.

Summary: Ms X complains that the Council wrongly sent her a bill for council tax for another person. The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint because the Council has apologised and this is a matter for the Information Commissioner.

Summary: Ms C says the Council did not consider her application for a discretionary housing payment fairly. The Council is at fault for a failure to explain its reasoning to Ms C. It has agreed to reconsider its decision, apologise and explain its decisions more clearly in future.

Summary: We will not investigate Mr Q’s complaint about the Council’s decisions regarding his applications for council tax support and a council tax reduction. This is because he had rights of appeal to the Valuation Tribunal.

Summary: Mrs X complained to the Council about the Housing Benefit overpayments it was asking her to repay. The Ombudsman should not investigate this complaint. This is because some of the repayments are from many years ago and would have had a right of appeal. There are not good enough reasons for the Ombudsman to exercise discretion to consider them. Additionally, it is unlikely an investigation would find fault or add anything to the Council’s own investigation.

Summary: the Ombudsman has stopped investigating Mr X’s complaint because it was made too late and he had a right of appeal to the Valuation Tribunal to challenge the Council’s decisions on his claim for a Council Tax Reduction.

Summary: Ms B says the Council failed to pay the correct housing benefit for 2 years leading to hardship and anxiety. The Ombudsman’s considers there was no fault by the Council in revising the claim after 2 years. However, there was fault by the Council because it did not fully correct the benefit due until January 2019. The Council has provided an appropriate remedy for this fault.

Summary: Miss X complained for Mr Y, and her mother Mrs Z, about the Council’s handling of their Council Tax account. The Ombudsman should not investigate this complaint. This is because the Council has used its discretion, where the regulations allow, not to recover the money it says Mr Y owed on the account.

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint about the way the Council handled the complainant’s council tax support and council tax. This is because it is unlikely an investigation would lead to a different outcome.

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint that the Council gave misleading information about council tax which led to the complainant receiving a summons and court costs. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council and because the court confirmed the costs.

Summary: Ms X complains the Council failed to collect council tax from her bank account causing avoidable arrears. We do not propose to uphold this complaint finding no fault in the Council’s actions.

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about Council delay in sending him a council tax bill. The Ombudsman cannot add to what the Council has already said or achieve the outcome Mr X wants. Mr X can appeal to the Valuation Tribunal if he considers he is entitled to any council tax discount.

Summary: Mr B complains about the Council’s handling of his council tax debt and the enforcement fee he has been charged. The Ombudsman will not investigate the complaint because there is no evidence of fault by the Council or injustice caused to Mr B sufficient to warrant an investigation.

Summary: Mr K complains the Council failed to assist him when he could not maintain his two properties. The Ombudsman does not consider there is fault by the Council in its recovery of council tax and business rates from Mr K.

Summary: Mr B complains that the Council gave him wrong information about his housing benefit entitlement and relying on this he moved to property he could not afford. The Council has acknowledged that it gave incorrect information. It should make a payment to Mr B to top up his housing benefit to the amount it advised, and a further amount of £150 in recognition of the time and trouble it put him to. The Council should also review its processes to make sure it gives clear and correct information.

Summary: Ms X complains about the way the Council dealt with her housing benefit claim when she moved house. The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint because the matter has been resolved and there is a right of appeal against any decision to recover housing benefit.

Summary: The Ombudsman cannot investigate this housing benefit complaint because the complainant appealed to the tribunal. The Ombudsman will not investigate the way the Council handled Mr X’s appeals because there is insufficient evidence of injustice.

Summary: The Ombudsman cannot investigate this complaint about housing benefit decisions the Council has made over the last three to four years. This is because the complainant has appealed to the tribunal and the law says the Ombudsman cannot investigate any matter that has been to the tribunal. In addition, the Ombudsman will not investigate anything that the complainant could take to the tribunal.

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s council tax support scheme. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council and because there are other organisations better placed to deal with the complaint.

Summary: Ms X complains that the Council has unfairly calculated her council tax support. The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint because she has appealed to a tribunal.

Summary: Mr X complains about the way the Council has dealt with his council tax payments. The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint because there is no evidence of fault by the Council.

Summary: Mr X complains that the Council did not deal properly with his housing benefit claim in 2003. The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint because the matter is out of time and there is no evidence of fault by the Council causing injustice.

Summary: Ms C complains that the Council wrongly obtained a Liability Order against her for unpaid council tax and failed to notify her of its actions. The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint because the matter has been remedied and Ms X has a right of appeal to a Valuation Tribunal if she disagrees with the Council’s view on her liability for council tax.

Summary: The Ombudsman cannot investigate Ms X’s complaint about the way the Council dealt with a Housing Benefit claim. This is because Ms X has appealed to the Tribunal and received a decision. The Ombudsman has no jurisdiction to consider the complaint.