Summary: We 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 the complainant could have appealed to the Valuation Tribunal.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s handling of the business grants available due to COVID-19. This is because there is not enough evidence of fault by the Council.

Summary: Mr X complained the Council wrongly refused his applications for COVID-19 grant funding causing him financial hardship. The Council did not explain to Mr X that he needed to provide evidence not only of trading but also the date he was in rateable occupation of the premises. We have made recommendations to remedy the injustice caused to Mr X by this fault.

Summary: Ms X complained the Council wrongly withheld COVID-19 business grants and then paid half to a person without any business rate liability. The information provided shows Council amended the business rate account to include joint rate payers and then split the grant equally between the two parties. There was no fault by the Council.

Summary: The Council was not at fault for refusing to pay Mr X a COVID-19 business grant during the second national lockdown.

Summary: We will not investigate this council tax complaint because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about liability for Council tax. This is because the complaint does not meet the tests in our Assessment Code on how we decide which complaints to investigate. There is right of appeal to a Valuation Tribunal.

Summary: Mr X complains about the way the Council communicated with him about a business rates matter. We will not investigate this complaint because there is no evidence of fault by the Council causing injustice.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about liability for council tax as there is a right of appeal to a Valuation Tribunal. Further, the matter has been remedied by the Council and is out of time.

Summary: Ms D complained on behalf of Ms E that the Council failed to make her aware she was liable for council tax when it placed her in temporary accommodation. We find the Council was at fault as it gave Ms E misleading information about whether she was liable for council tax. It also delayed and failed to appropriately respond to her complaint. The Council has agreed to our recommendations to address the injustice caused.

Summary: Mr X complained about the failure to provide a timely decision on his application for a discretionary grant. The Council failed to provide a decision explaining why the Phase Two application was refused. The Council also failed to used its general discretion to consider Mr X’s circumstances. This put Mr X to avoidable frustration and time and trouble in pursing the matter.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s recent decision to recover a housing benefit overpayment which arose in 2016. This is because the complaint does not meet the tests in our Assessment Code on how we decide which complaints to investigate. There is a right of appeal against the Council’s decision.

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council not reducing council tax on empty properties and charging a 100% premium when his property was empty two years. We cannot achieve what Mr X wants.

Summary: Mr X complained the Council took deductions from his Housing Benefit from October 2016 at the same time the Department of Work and Pension took deductions. Mr X also complained the Council incorrectly reduced his Housing Benefits from April 2019 to February 2020. The Mr X says the Council’s action caused his landlord to threaten repossession of his flat and caused him stress, anxiety and financial hardship. The Ombudsman found fault with the Council for taking deductions at the same time as the DWP. The Ombudsman also found fault with the Council incorrectly reducing Mr X’s housing benefits and for the delays in responding to Mr X’s complaints. The Council agreed to the Ombudsman’s recommendation to refund Mr X his overpayments of £828.24 and pay him £1,500 for the prolonged distress, anxiety and financial hardship caused.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council referred to Ms X in an internal email as the injustice caused to Ms X from this is not sufficient to warrant our involvement.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council not awarding more housing benefit, or a Discretionary Housing Payment, in 2018. This is because it is a late complaint and the complainant could have appealed to the tribunal.

Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint about the date from which the Council has charged council tax and its decision not to award a council tax exemption. This is because the complainant has appealed to the Valuation Tribunal.

Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint about a housing benefit overpayment because the complainant has appealed to the tribunal and the appeal is now concluded.