Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the authority giving inaccurate information about travel pass cards in London. There is insufficient evidence of any significant injustice which would warrant an investigation.

The complaint

1. Mrs X complaint about a Transport for London advice centre giving her inaccurate information about travel passes in the capital. She says she was advised to purchase a Travelcard rather than an Oyster Card which resulted in her spending £28.40 more than if she had been advised to purchase the latter card.

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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 fault has not caused injustice to the person who complained, or
• any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement.

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How I considered this complaint

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

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My assessment

5. Mrs X says she contacted the authority from Heathrow airport when arriving in the country to enquire about travel cards for London centre. She says she was advised to buy a Travelcard which she did. She subsequently found that if she had been advised to buy an Oyster Card, she would have saved £28.40 from her journeys. She believes she was misled by the advisor and should be compensated.
6. Our role is to consider complaints where the person bringing the complaint has suffered significant personal injustice as a direct result of the actions or inactions of the organisation. This means we will normally only investigate a complaint where the complainant has suffered serious loss, harm, or distress as a direct result of faults or failures. We will not normally investigate a complaint where the alleged loss or injustice is not a serious or significant matter. In this case the amount which Mrs X says she spent does not meet the level which would warrant an investigation.

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Final decision

7. We will not investigate this complaint about the authority giving inaccurate information about travel pass cards in London. There is insufficient evidence of any significant injustice which would warrant an investigation.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman