Local Government Ombudsman

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London Borough of Havering (05A17135 + 12 others)

Registry service                           Maladministration causing injustice

01 March 2007

The London Borough of Havering’s failure to renew a premises licence left 193 couples uncertain about whether they were married or not. A High Court case found that they were legally married but, recognising the distress of having doubt cast on the validity of their marriages, the Ombudsman has recommended compensation of £150 for each couple, a total of nearly £30,000.

Due to an oversight in renewing the approved premises licence for the Council-owned Langtons Wedding Rooms in Hornchurch, doubt was cast on the validity of the marriages of 193 couples who had ceremonies conducted between October 2004 and March 2005. “This meant that for some of these couples memories of their wedding day were anything but happy,” says the Ombudsman in his report. Thirteen couples complained to the Ombudsman about the Council’s failure to renew the licence. They said this caused them unnecessary distress and they were uncertain for some time as to their legal status.

The Council took legal advice which said that the marriages were valid, so decided that no action was required. “The Council’s reassurance that there was not a problem did not allay the fears and anxieties, as that assurance came from the body that had been trusted to marry them legally in the first place,” said the Ombudsman.

The Council reconsidered its position and decided to support a test case in the High Court, against the legal advice it had received. The Ombudsman found this was an appropriate response. In June 2006 the Court found that all the 193 couples were, and always had been, legally married.

The Ombudsman found the failure to renew the premises licence was wholly avoidable and was maladministration. The Council has already made procedural changes to ensure that premises licences are renewed on time. The Council has agreed to consider the Ombudsman’s recommendation that it should make a payment of £150 to each of the 193 couples.

Date Updated: 14/01/09