Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about a parking ticket. This is because there is insufficient remaining injustice caused to warrant our further involvement and an investigation is unlikely to achieve anything more than the Council has already provided.

The complaint

1. Mrs X complains the Council wrongly issued her with a penalty charge notice (PCN) for parking her car without a ticket. Mrs X says she could not get a ticket due to a faulty ticket machine. Mrs X wants compensation for the affect this matter has had on her mental health and the time it has taken her to deal with it.

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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 any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement or further investigation would not lead to a different outcome (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))
3. 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)

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How I considered this complaint

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

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My assessment

6. Mrs X successfully challenged a PCN issued to her by the Council for parking her car without a ticket. Mrs X immediately told the Council the ticket machine was broken and provided evidence in support of this. The Council accepted Mrs X’s evidence and cancelled the PCN the following day. The Council also refunded Mrs X the parking fee and provided her with an apology.
7. Mrs X has asked for further compensation from the Council for stress, the affect this has had on her existing mental health condition and the time it has taken her to deal with this matter. I am not persuaded there is enough significant personal injustice remaining to justify us investigating this matter further. The Council appears to have dealt with this matter promptly and provided Mrs X with a proportionate and reasonable remedy given the circumstances. We are unlikely to achieve anything more by investigating.

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Final decision

8. We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint because there is insufficient remaining injustice caused to warrant our further involvement and an investigation is unlikely to achieve anything more than the Council has already provided.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman