Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about parking permit charges. This is because there is not enough evidence of fault to warrant our involvement.

The complaint

1. Mr X complained the Council applied a surcharge to his car permit when his wife, Mrs Y, had already paid it. He said it is against its policy. He said the overcharge is unfair. He wants the Council to refund £65.

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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, or
• any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement.

(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. Mr X complained the Council wrongly applied a surcharge to his parking permit.

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Final decision

6. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because there is not enough evidence of fault to warrant our involvement.
7. In its complaint response the Council explained his permit expired in September 2025. Mrs Y’s permit then became he only active permit and therefore the primary household permit.
8. When Mr X later applied for a permit for a new vehicle, the Council treated this as a second household permit and applied the surcharge. It said when Mrs Y applied to renew her permit, it would not apply a surcharge. This is a satisfactory explanation and there is not enough evidence of fault to warrant the Ombudsman’s involvement.
9. In addition, our role is to consider complaints where the person bringing the complaint has suffered significant personal injustice as a direct result of the actions or inactions of the organisation. This means we will normally only investigate a complaint where the complainant has suffered serious loss, harm, or distress as a direct result of faults or failures. We will not normally investigate a complaint where the alleged loss or injustice is not a serious or significant matter.
10. We will not investigate this complaint because there is not enough evidence of fault to warrant our involvement.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman