New benefits and taxation decisions

A weekly update on benefits and taxation decisions

Please note: our decisions are published six weeks after they are issued to councils, care providers and the person who has made the complaint. The cases below reflect the caselaw and guidance available at the time of issue and the individual circumstances of each case.

Tendring District Council (23 000 055)

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about Council tax payments because the matter has been remedied.

Birmingham City Council (23 012 066)

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about communicating with the Council about Council tax payments because the matter has been remedied.

South Oxfordshire District Council (23 013 913)

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about Council tax communication because there is no evidence of fault causing injustice.

Malvern Hills District Council (23 013 948)

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about Council tax liability and discounts because there is a right of appeal to a Valuation Tribunal and through the Valuation Office Agency.

London Borough of Brent (23 012 694)

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s decision to pursue Mr X for liability of an outstanding council tax. This is because Mr X has right of appeal to the Valuation Tribunal.

Buckinghamshire Council (23 011 816)

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about a wrongly delivered debt collection letter as there is insufficient remaining injustice caused to the complainant to justify our further involvement.

London Borough of Croydon (23 012 607)

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about council tax enforcement fees. There is not enough evidence of fault by the Council.

Charnwood Borough Council (23 009 748)

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s delays in ensuring the complainant’s (Mr X’s) properties were given council tax bands when he applied. The Council has accepted fault and provided a suitable remedy. Our investigation would be unlikely to achieve any further remedy.

Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council (23 010 719)

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about Council tax liability because they appealed to a Valuation Tribunal.

Trafford Council (23 012 336)

Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint about the Council’s recovery of unpaid business rates from 2021 and 2022. The debts were subject to legal proceedings in the Magistrates Court in 2021 and 2022 and are outside the Ombudsman’s jurisdiction.

Salford City Council (23 012 360)

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about payments of Council tax as the matter has been remedied.

West Northamptonshire Council (23 014 105)

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint that the Council has not made a payment to Mr X for travel expense and time and trouble as there is insufficient evidence of Council fault causing the injustice to Mr X.