Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about TfL’s management of his application to its now closed scrappage scheme. This is because the complaint concerns events that took place more than 12 months ago; there is no good reason to exercise discretion to investigate them now.

The complaint

1. Mr X complains TfL has improperly rejected his applications for a scrappage scheme.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. The Local Government Act 1974 sets out our powers but also imposes restrictions on what we can investigate.
3. 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 an authority has done. (Local Government Act 1974, sections 26B and 34D, as amended)

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How I considered this complaint

4. I considered information provided by Mr X and TfL.
5. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

6. Mr X applied to TfL’s scrappage scheme in 2023 and 2024. Each time TfL rejected the application stating that he had not supplied the required supporting documents.
7. Mr X complained that TfL was requesting unnecessary information.
   TfL maintained its decision and told Mr X the scheme was now closed.
8. Mr X wants us to find TfL at fault. The Ombudsman will not usually exercise discretion to investigate matters that took place more than 12 months before the complainant became aware of them. In this case it has been over a year since TfL rejected the last application; it would have been reasonable for Mr X to have referred the complaint to us sooner. There is no good reason to exercise discretion to investigate.

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Final decision

9. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because the complaint concerns events that took place more than 12 months ago; there is no good reason to exercise discretion to investigate them now.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman