Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about customer service relating to a parking penalty because there is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating. It is also not a good use of public resources to investigate how the Council dealt with Mr Y’s complaint.

The complaint

1. Mr Y complains that he received poor customer service from the Council after it had issued a parking penalty to him.

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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 effect 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 we decide the tests set out in our Assessment Code are not met. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A (6), as amended)

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How I considered this complaint

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

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My assessment

5. Mr Y has complained about the customer service he received from the Council.
6. However, we do not usually investigate complaints about customer service if we are not investigating any substantive issues.

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Final decision

7. We will not investigate Mr Y’s complaint because there is not enough evidence of fault, and we are not investigating the parking penalty.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman