Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the complainant’s request for information regarding a Penalty Charge Notice. This is because the Council has cancelled the fine.

The complaint

1. The complainant, whom I refer to as Mr X, complains the Council will not give him information about a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) which was issued to his friend. Mr X says he, and his friend, received PCNs linked to cloned number plates. Mr X wants information about his friend’s PCN so Mr X can challenge his own PCN.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. The Ombudsman investigates 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 an investigation if the problem has been resolved. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6))

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How I considered this complaint

3. I considered information provided by Mr X and the Council. This includes information from the Council that it has cancelled the PCN. I considered our Assessment Code.

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My assessment

4. Mr X complained the Council would not give him information about his friend’s PCN so he could challenge his PCN.
5. In response to my enquiries the Council said it had decided both PCNs were linked to cloned number plates so it had cancelled Mr X’s PCN. The Council confirmed Mr X had not paid any money for the PCN.

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Final decision

6. I will not investigate this complaint because the problem has been resolved. Mr X no longer needs any information because the Council has cancelled the PCN.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman