London Borough of Haringey (25 031 978)
Category : Transport and highways > Parking and other penalties
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 19 May 2026
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about the Council’s decision not to refund what she believes is a duplicate payment for a Penalty Charge Notice from 2020. This is because we could not add to the response provided via the Council’s own investigation of the matter and there is no worthwhile outcome achievable via an investigation by us.
The complaint
- Ms X complains the Council has refused her request to refund what she believes is a duplicate payment for a PCN she paid in 2020. Ms X says she only recently became aware of the double payment after reviewing her bank statements.
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:
- we could not add to any previous investigation by the organisation, 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 from the complainant and the Council and the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
Final decision
- We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint. This is because an investigation by this office could not add to the response and explanation already provided by the Council.
- The complaint is historic. The Council explained that due to the significant passage of time since the payment, as well as a change to its payment systems, it no longer holds the relevant records. It cannot check, verify or meaningfully investigate the payment from 2020 now. As such it cannot reach a view as to whether the payment was a duplicate. This would also prevent an effective investigation of the matter by this office.
- There is no realistic prospect of us being able to carry out an investigation and reach a full and fair view on whether the payment was a duplicate or related to a separate PCN now. The Council has clearly explained this in its response to Ms X and there is nothing further we could add. As such, there is no worthwhile outcome achievable via a further investigation by this office.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman