The Ombudsman's final decision
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council issuing parking penalties even though Mr X had renewed his parking permit online. There is insufficient remaining injustice which would warrant an investigation.
The complaint
Mr X complained about the Council issuing him with three penalty notices for parking without a valid permit. He says he renewed his permit but the Council failed to update its records.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
The Ombudsman investigates complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’, which we call ‘fault’. We must also consider whether any fault has had an adverse impact on the person making the complaint, which we call ‘injustice’. We provide a free service but must use public money carefully. We do not start or may decide not to continue with an investigation if we decide: there is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating, or any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement.
(Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6))
How I considered this complaint
I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council.
I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
Mr X says he renewed his resident’s parking permit online in January 2022. In February he received three penalty notices for parking without a valid permit. On one occasion he explained to the Enforcement Officer writing a penalty that he had a valid permit but still received a ticket.
Mr X complained to the Council and it told him there had been a system error and that he should challenge the penalties. Mr X made representations in response to the penalties and the Council has cancelled them since his complaint to us. He says it has included an apology for issuing them in error.
Parking penalties carry a right of appeal to the independent London Tribunals. Mr X challenged the penalties at the representation stage which is prior to an appeal being submitted. The Council has accepted his challenges and cancelled the penalties. There is insufficient remaining injustice to warrant an investigation and the Council has apologised for its error.
Final decision
We will not investigate this complaint about the Council issuing parking penalties even though Mr X had renewed his parking permit online. There is insufficient remaining injustice which would warrant an investigation.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman