Summary: We will not investigate this complaint into the Council’s refusal to issue a resident’s parking permit for Mr B’s property. This is because the complaint is late and there are no good reasons to exercise discretion to investigate.

The complaint

1. Mr B complains the Council refused to issue a resident’s parking permit for his property. In 2022, the Council agreed to issue permits to Mr B because it said it made mistakes which previously led to Mr B obtaining a permit.. The Council said this agreement would not apply to future owners of the property. Mr B says he has lost two house sales as the Council said buyers could not have a parking permit. He is complaining about the Council’s decision-making process.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. The Local Government Act 1974 sets out our powers but also imposes restrictions on what we can investigate.
3. We cannot investigate late complaints unless we decide there are good reasons. Late complaints are when someone takes more than 12 months to complain to us about something a Council has done. (Local Government Act 1974, sections 26B and 34D, as amended).

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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. Mr B has complained the Council will not issue permits to future residents of his property and says this will make it difficult to sell his home. However, I consider Mr B’s complaint about this matter late. A complaint is late if it has taken someone more than 12 months to complain to the Ombudsman. The Council told Mr B in 2022 that his property was designated as car free. It also made it clear at the time the offer to issue Mr B with a permit was not transferable to subsequent residents of the property. I see no good reason to exercise discretion to investigate this matter now as Mr B could have complained to the Ombudsman sooner.

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Final decision

7. We will not investigate Mr B’s complaint because it is late and there are no good reasons to exercise discretion.

Investigator’s decision on behalf of the Ombudsman

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman