Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the enforcement of penalty charge notices which were sent to the complainant’s commercial premises for a person and vehicle he did not know. The Authority has taken satisfactory action to address the complaint.

The complaint

1. Mr X complains Transport for London (the Authority) and its enforcement agents failed to take appropriate action to stop hundreds of penalty charge notices (PCNs) and associated enforcement documents being sent to his commercial premises, which related to a person and vehicle he had no knowledge of.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. We can 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. So, we do not start an investigation if we decide:

• any injustice is not significant enough to justify our continued involvement, or
• we are satisfied with the action the authority has already taken in response to the complaint.

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

3. With regard to the first bullet point above, 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.

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How I considered this complaint

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

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My assessment

5. I appreciate it would have been very worrying for Mr X and the tenants of his commercial premises, when PCNs and enforcement documents were received, and when enforcement agents arrived. I also acknowledge he has spent time and effort on seeking to resolve the matter between February 2024 and 2025.
6. However, the Authority has already confirmed to Mr X that all the PCNs issued to his address for the vehicle have been cancelled, and all enforcement action has been stopped. In addition, it has apologised for any undue concern or inconvenience caused to Mr X or his tenants.
7. On balance, I am satisfied the apology and the cancellation of the PCNs/enforcement action, was a reasonable way to address the complaint. Any residual injustice to Mr X is not significant enough, from the Ombudsman’s perspective, to pursue the matter further in isolation.

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Final decision

8. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because the Authority has taken satisfactory action in response to the complaint, and there is not enough remaining injustice to justify our continued involvement.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman