Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about a Parking Charge Notice. The Council has already refunded the money paid therefore there is no outstanding injustice significant enough to justify our involvement.

The complaint

1. Mr X complained the Council incorrectly issued him a Parking Charge Notice (PCN). He said he only realised there was an error on the PCN after he had paid the charge. He said it took four months for the Council to refund him and that he had to chase the repayment. He wants the Council to pay him compensation for wasting his time.

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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 or may decide not to continue with an investigation if we decide:
• any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement.

(Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6))

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How I considered this complaint

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

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My assessment

5. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint. The Council has already reimbursed the PCN, therefore there is no outstanding injustice significant enough to justify our involvement. In any event, further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.

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Final decision

6. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because there is no outstanding injustice significant enough to justify our involvement.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman