London Borough of Croydon (26 000 662)
Category : Transport and highways > Parking and other penalties
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 14 Jul 2026
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about a Penalty Charge Notice for an alleged traffic contravention. It would be reasonable to expect Miss X to have used the statutory representations and appeals procedure.
The complaint
- Miss X says the Council has wrongly issued a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) for an alleged traffic contravention.
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)
How I considered this complaint
- I considered information from the complainant and the Council and the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
- The Council issued Miss X with a PCN for a traffic contravention.
- When a council issues a PCN the motorist has 28 days to pay the penalty charge or appeal; appeals at this stage are known as informal challenges. If the Council decides not to accept an informal challenge, the motorist can make formal representations against the PCN. If the council rejects the motorist’s formal representations the motorist may appeal to London Tribunals.
- If the motorist does not pay or make formal representations the council will issue a charge certificate, increasing the amount payable by 50%. It may then apply to the Traffic Enforcement Centre (TEC) to register the debt, before instructing enforcement agents bailiffs to recover it.
- Had Miss X wished to challenge the PCN it would have been reasonable for her to appeal under the statutory process set out above.
- The Council explained to Miss X in its complaint response that it had followed its processes correctly in registering Miss X’s debt at the TEC.
- We will not investigate this complaint because it would have been reasonable for Miss X to make formal representations and then appeal to the Tribunal.
Final decision
- We will not investigate this complaint because it would be reasonable for the complainant to use the representations and appeals procedure.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman