Ombudsman recommends compensation in council tax dispute

Slough Borough Council has been recommended by an ombudsman to pay £350 to local resident Mr X after taking him to court for unpaid council tax, despite having agreed to him paying by instalments.

The Slough Observer has reported the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman found the council caused Mr X ‘stress’ and ‘injustice’.

He had told the council in July 2022 about a change in circumstances, and the council made a refund.

But in May 2023 the council asked him to provide evidence of his and his wife’s pensions and savings to calculate any entitlement to benefits.

In July that year it told him he owed council tax for the previous year and asked for payment.

Mr X told Slough he could afford to repay it in monthly instalments of £30 and included a £30 cheque.

The council cashed the cheque but sent him a final reminder for the rest of the money and warned it would take him to court if he failed to pay.

A week later the council issued a court summons, only to cash another cheque from Mr X three days later.

He attended court where a council officer agreed to accept his offer of £30 a month and said the council would not seek a liability order. But later that day Slough told Mr X that a liability order had been issued.

Mr X complained and Slough withdrew the liability order, and later apologised for the confusion and for not writing to Mr X to confirm the summons and liability order were withdrawn.

The Ombudsman said: “Had the council responded to this offer, it is more likely than not it would have accepted it”, and said Slough should pay Mr X £250 for the stress caused and £100 for his time and trouble.

Slough Borough Council did not respond to requests for comment.

Mark Smulian