The Ombudsman's final decision
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s handling of Mr X’s challenge to a Parking Charge Notice. The complaint is late and there is no good reason to investigate it now.
The complaint
Mr X complains about the Council’s handling of his challenge to a Parking Charge Notice (PCN). He says the Council should not have cashed the cheque he sent it and it took too long to respond to his complaint.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
We cannot investigate late complaints unless we decide there are good reasons. Late complaints are when someone takes more than 12 months to complain to us about something a council has done. (Local Government Act 1974, sections 26B and 34D, as amended)
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 received a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) in February 2022. The Council rejected his appeal and directed him to the London Tribunals if he wished to continue to dispute the notice. Mr X continued to dispute the notice with the Council. In April 2022 he sent it a cheque which he says he did not agree it could bank. The Council banked the cheque. Mr X continued to dispute the issue with the Council before coming to the Ombudsman in 2024.
We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s actions in 2022. Mr X told the Council he was unhappy at the time. If he was dissatisfied with the Council’s response he could have approached us sooner. Any complaint about the Council’s actions at this time is late. There is no good reason to exercise discretion to investigate it now.
Final decision
We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because it is late and there is no good reason to investigate it now.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman