London Borough of Lambeth (25 027 455)
Category : Transport and highways > Parking and other penalties
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 18 May 2026
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about the Council issuing her a Penalty Charge Notice for an alleged parking contravention. It would be reasonable to expect Ms X to appeal the Penalty Charge Notice.
The complaint
- Ms X said the Council prevented her from obtaining a resident parking permit outside her home and then unfairly issued her a parking charge notice (PCN). She said the Council refused to cancel the PCN following her complaint. Ms X said the matter caused her distress. She wants the Council to cancel the parking charge notice and to provide her with a financial remedy for the injustice caused.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
- The Local Government Act 1974 sets out our powers but also imposes limits on what we can investigate.
- We cannot normally investigate a complaint when someone has a right of appeal, reference or review to a tribunal about the same matter. However, we may decide to investigate if we consider it would be unreasonable to expect the person to use this right. If the person has already appealed we have no power to investigate. (Local Government Act 1974, section 26(6)(a), as amended)
- London Tribunals considers parking and moving traffic offence appeals for London, and the Traffic Penalty Tribunal for the rest of England.
How I considered this complaint
- I considered information from Ms X and the Council and the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
- In response to Ms X’s complaint, the Council informed Ms X it correctly issued the PCN because she did not complete the application for a resident parking permit which she had the option to do so and she did not pay for street parking either.
- We will not investigate this complaint as it would be reasonable for Ms X to appeal to tribunal. There is no evidence which indicates it would not be reasonable for Ms X to do so.
Final decision
- We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint because it would be reasonable for Ms X to appeal to tribunal.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman