Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about parking penalty charge notices (PCNs). This is because the Council has adequately put matters right and we would be unlikely to achieve significantly more.

The complaint

1. Ms X complains the Council wrongly issued two PCNs and wrongly took enforcement action. She says this caused stress, inconvenience and financial difficulty.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. We investigate complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’. In this statement, I have used the word fault to refer to these. We provide a free service but must use public money carefully. We may decide not to start or continue with an investigation if we are satisfied with the actions an organisation has taken or proposes to take. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(7), as amended)
3. We do not start or continue an investigation if we decide:

• we could not add to any previous investigation by the organisation, or
• further investigation would not lead to a different outcome. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))

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How I considered this complaint

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

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My assessment

6. The Council issued two PCNs to Ms X. The Council later agreed to reimburse the costs Ms X had paid relating to the PCNs, including the court and enforcement agency recovery costs.
7. Ms X complained to us the Council had not reimbursed her as agreed. Before we assessed the complaint, the Council refunded Ms X.

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Final decision

8. We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint because the Council has adequately put matters right and we would be unlikely to achieve significantly more.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman