Leeds City Council

The complainant has requested details regarding a charity’s lease and business rates which the council took legal action against to recover unpaid debts. The council provided the majority of the information, however it said that it did not hold a copy of a lease which it said that the charity took out on the property to which the business rates apply. The complainant disbelieves that a copy of the lease is not held. The Commissioner’s decision is that on a balance of probabilities the council was correct to state that a copy of the lease was not held. The Commissioner does not require the council to take any steps.