The council was found to have caused the woman's son “distress and uncertainty” after getting debt collectors involved.
The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman says the council caused the woman's son “distress and uncertainty”.Shropshire Council has apologised and reduced the amount owed after acknowledging it failed to update records of the man’s address and did not follow its own debt collection policy timescales.
The council found the direct debit had been cancelled in the June, and sent three invoices to the complainant for his mother’s outstanding fees. However the letters were sent to a previous address. In August 2021, the council instructed a debt enforcement agency and another letter was sent to the wrong address.He complained to the council, saying it was “distressing” to receive the call out of the blue.
The ombudsman said the council was at fault for not updating its records after it was informed of the son's change of address and dismissed claims that the pandemic was behind the delay, pointing out that the onset of the pandemic was 15 months after the woman’s death.
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