Manchester City Council (25 024 802)
Category : Transport and highways > Parking and other penalties
Decision : Upheld
Decision date : 18 May 2026
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We have decided not to investigate this complaint about the Council’s handling of a payment of a Penalty Charge Notice. The Council has upheld the complaint and has agreed to remedy the complainant’s injustice by apologising and refunding the charge. Further investigation by us would therefore not be proportionate.
The complaint
- Mr X complains the Council ignored his evidence showing he had paid a parking Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) at the discounted rate. He complains the Council incorrectly chased him for payment then increased the charge from £25 to £50 while threatening further enforcement action.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
- 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:
- further investigation would not lead to a different outcome, or
- there is no worthwhile outcome achievable by our investigation.
(Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))
How I considered this complaint
- I considered information provided by the complainant.
- I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
- The Council sent Mr X a PCN. Mr X paid the PCN at the discounted rate of £25 in October 2025. He complains the Council continued to chase him for non-payment and increased the fine to £50.
- Following Mr X’s complaint to the Council, it accepted fault in the handling of the payment. The Council apologised to Mr X and refunded him the £25 paid. It is my understanding that the Council cancelled the PCN when taking this action. These actions by the Council provide a suitable remedy for the complaint. Mr X has achieved the key outcomes he was seeking. Further investigation by us in unlikely to achieve anything more.
Final decision
- We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint. The Council has upheld the complaint and has agreed to remedy the complainant’s injustice by apologising and refunding the charge. Further investigation by us would therefore not be proportionate.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman