The Ombudsman's final decision
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s handling of a council tax direct debit. This is because there is not enough evidence of fault by the Council to warrant investigation.
The complaint
Ms X complains the Council did not advise her she needed to set up a new direct debit for council tax payments after the previous direct debit was cancelled. This led to recovery action by the Council and added costs.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
We investigate complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’, which we call ‘fault’. We must also consider whether any fault has had an adverse impact on the person making the complaint, which we call ‘injustice’. We provide a free service, but must use public money carefully. We do not start or continue an investigation if we decide there is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B)).
How I considered this complaint
I considered information provided by the complainant. I also considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
Ms X complained to the Council regarding the matters in paragraph 1.
The Council did not uphold Ms X’s complaint. It said that Ms X had cancelled her direct debit instruction twice. It had reactivated the first direct debit in June 2025 when Ms X called the Council.
It had received a further cancellation notice from Ms X’s bank in August 2025.
It cancelled the payment method and sent Ms X a new bill stating the payment method had changed.
it was the council tax payer’s responsibility to maintain their payments.
it could not reinstate a direct debit mandate without the payer’s authorisation.
Ms X had not contacted the Council after the direct debit cancellation to make a new arrangement, and it had not received payment of the full amount due. Therefore, it sent a final notice and then a summons.
We will not investigate this complaint because there is not enough evidence of fault by the Council to warrant investigation. The Council was not responsible for the cancellation of the direct debit and it notified of the change in payment method. The Council followed council tax regulations in progressing recovery after this.
Final decision
We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint because there is not enough evidence of fault by the Council to warrant investigation.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman