Summary: We will not investigate X’s complaint about that trading standards refused to investigate concerns about a business. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault that has caused X a significant enough injustice.

The complaint

1. X complains that the Authorities Trading Standards has refused to investigate X’s concerns about a business after X purchased a vehicle in 2023.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. We investigate 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 continue 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), as amended, section 34(B))

3. If there was no fault in how the organisation made its decision, we cannot question the outcome. (Local Government Act 1974, section 34(3), as amended)

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How I considered this complaint

4. I considered information provided by the complainant and the Authority.
5. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

6. I will not investigate X’s complaint because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Authority. Trading Standards considered X’s concerns but concluded that it would not start an investigation due to the time that had passed since X purchased the vehicle.
7. I am satisfied that the Authority considered relevant information before reaching that decision. In the absence of fault, we cannot question the merits of the Authorities decision.

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Final decision

8. We will not investigate X’s complaint because there is insufficient evidence of fault.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman