The Ombudsman's final decision
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about a Council tax premium because an appeal to a Valuation Tribunal has been used.
The complaint
Mr X complains about the Council’s decision to impose a Council tax premium on his property.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
The Valuation Tribunal deals with appeals against decisions on council tax liability and council tax support or reduction.
We cannot investigate a complaint if someone has appealed to a tribunal about the same matter. We also cannot investigate a complaint if in doing so we would overlap with the role of a tribunal to decide something which has been or could have been referred to it to resolve using its own powers. (Local Government Act 1974, section 26(6)(a), as amended)
How I considered this complaint
I considered information provided by the complainant.
I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
Mr X says that he appealed to a Valuation Tribunal about the decision to impose a Council tax premium on his property.
The Ombudsman cannot investigate a complaint where an appeal to a tribunal has been used. The complaint is therefore out of jurisdiction.
Final decision
We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because appealed to a Valuation Tribunal.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman