Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council’s decision to increase the rental charge for garages in its area. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault.

The complaint

1. Mr X complained the Council increased the cost of renting a garage in its area by approximately 90% in the financial year 2025.
2. Mr X said the matter caused him frustration.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

3. 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. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))

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How I considered this complaint

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

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My assessment

6. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint. In its complaint response the Council explained it conducted an evaluation and found it had been charging significantly below market rates compared with other councils for a similar service. It therefore took the matter to its financial planning committee and decided to increase its charges to be in line with other councils.
7. The Ombudsman is not an appeal body. This means we do not take a second look at a decision to decide if it was wrong. Instead, we look at the processes an organisation followed to make its decision. If we consider it followed those processes correctly, we cannot question whether the decision was right or wrong.
8. There is insufficient evidence of fault in how the Council made the decision, and so we will not investigate this complaint.

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Final decision

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

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman