Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the complainant being denied the opportunity to pay a penalty charge at the discounted rate due to an administrative error by the Council. The Council has already taken satisfactory action to address the complaint.

The complaint

1. Mr X complains he was denied the opportunity to pay a penalty charge at the discounted rate because the Council sent the appeal rejection to the wrong email address.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. We can 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. So, we may decide not to start 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)

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How I considered this complaint

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

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My assessment

5. In response to our enquiries, the Council confirmed it has already refunded £80 of the £160 penalty charge Mr X had paid.
6. This is the outcome Mr X was seeking when he made his complaint to the Ombudsman, and is a satisfactory way to address the complaint.

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Final decision

7. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because the Council has already taken action which is a satisfactory way to address the complaint.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman