Summary: We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint about the Council pursuing enforcement action in relation to Penalty Charge Notice it issued to her. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault, by the Council, to justify an investigation.

The complaint

1. Miss X complained the Council pursued enforcement action in relation to a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) she said she had paid. As a result, the fine increased and Miss X had to pay more money to the Enforcement Agency. Miss X said it caused her financial hardship. She wants the Council wants the Council to reimburse her with the additional money she paid to the Enforcement Agency.

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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 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 continue an investigation if we decide there is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))

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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. In April 2024, the Council issued Miss X a PCN because she had parked in a pay‑and‑display bay without clearly displaying a valid ticket or voucher. She paid the £120 balance in October.
6. In November, Miss X requested a chargeback on the £120 payment. As a result, the Council reopened the PCN and obtained a Order for Recovery, which increased the balance owed to £130.
7. In January 2025, the PCN was passed to enforcement agents. At that time, Miss X had two PCNs, each with an outstanding balance of £130. To make a payment, she needed to provide the correct PCN reference number, but she instead provided the reference number for the other PCN. As a result, her payment was allocated to that case, and enforcement on the disputed PCN continued until she cleared the balance in April.
8. In April, Miss X contacted the Council to dispute the enforcement fees. The Council replied and explained that a chargeback had occurred in November 2024 and that payment therefore remained outstanding.
9. We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint because the evidence shows the Council followed the correct process. Miss X requested a chargeback, which left the PCN unpaid; she then mistakenly paid the other PCN instead of the one in dispute, allowing enforcement to continue. There is therefore insufficient evidence of fault by the Council.

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Final decision

10. We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint because there is insufficient evidence of fault, by the Council, to justify investigating.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman