The Ombudsman's final decision
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about Council tax banding because it is against a body out of jurisdiction and is also out of time.
The complaint
Ms X complains that the Valuation Office Agency wrongly banded her property for Council tax in 2004.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
We cannot investigate late complaints unless we decide there are good reasons. Late complaints are when someone takes more than 12 months to complain to us about something a council has done. (Local Government Act 1974, sections 26B and 34D, as amended) We investigate complaints about councils and certain other bodies. We cannot investigate the actions of bodies such as the Valuation Office Agency. (Local Government Act 1974, sections 25 and 34(1), as amended)
How I considered this complaint
I considered information provided by the complainant.
I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
Ms X says that her Council tax was wrongly assessed as Band F in 2004 by the Valuation Office Agency. The Valuation Office Agency is a body out of jurisdiction and so the Ombudsman cannot investigate this complaint. Further, the complaint is out of time.
Final decision
We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint because it is against a body out of jurisdiction and is out of time.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman