North Somerset Council has been compelled to apologise after mistakenly sending a woman a bill for three years of unpaid council tax without explanation.
The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman found the council at fault for inaccurately recording the property as vacant over a three-year period. Consequently, the resident, identified only as Mrs X, received a substantial council tax bill amounting to approximately £8,000. Following this, the council threatened legal action to recover the debt.
The council has since agreed to issue a formal apology and undertake a review of its debt recovery procedures. Despite this, Mrs X will still be required to settle the full amount owed.
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In an official decision released on 30 June, the ombudsman stated: “The council was at fault in allowing the council tax debt to reach the level it did before it billed Mrs X for the full amount. The bill distressed Mrs X. However, Mrs X is liable to pay the council tax. I cannot say she does not owe the council the full outstanding debt.”
Mrs X moved into the property in January 2022. The following month, the council wrote to her residence as part of a routine review of empty properties. Mrs X responded, informing the council that she had moved in. However, the council failed to update its records and continued to list the property as unoccupied.
In 2025, Mrs X, a first-time buyer unfamiliar with the council tax system, contacted the council to query her council tax bill. In response, the council sent her a backdated bill totaling roughly £8,000 for unpaid council tax.
While the council apologised for the unexpectedly high amount, it advised Mrs X to pay as much as she could. Mrs X revealed that she was unable to afford even the initial monthly payment. However, the council stated it could not establish a repayment plan since a court summons had already been issued.
The ombudsman criticised the council’s approach, highlighting the need for assessing an individual’s financial capacity before proceeding with legal action. As a result, the council has now committed to apologising to Mrs X and evaluating her family’s financial situation to arrange a suitable repayment plan. Furthermore, North Somerset Council will review its debt recovery policies to allow for setting up repayment agreements without necessitating court involvement first.
For context, the average annual council tax in North Somerset for a band D property is approximately £2,491. This figure can vary by up to £200 across different areas due to varying parish and town council precepts. In April, North Somerset Council received special government permission to increase its portion of the council tax by 8.99%, a measure intended to address rising social care costs amid reductions in government funding.