Finance and Taxation : Vale of Glamorgan Council

Miss L complained that the Vale of Glamorgan Council failed to acknowledge that she is entitled to a Council Tax reduction. Miss L further complained that the Council failed to communicate effectively with her, provided her with incorrect information, and did not respond to her concerns that had been raised continuously since 2020.

The Ombudsman concluded that there had been a significant delay in responding to Miss L’s concerns and that incorrect contact details were provided to her. She said this caused frustration and confusion to Miss L.

As an alternative to an investigation, the Ombudsman sought and gained the Councils agreement to provide Miss L with an apology for the delay and for providing her with incorrect contact details. It also agreed to issue Miss L with a time and trouble payment of £50, and to issue a detailed complaint response that explains what information the Council requires, what discounts have been applied to date, and any outstanding balances owed. Furthermore, the Council made assurances that improvements would be made to ensure that all relevant departments had up to date contact details to prevent further incidents. The Council agreed that it would action the above within 30working days