London Borough of Lambeth (26 003 057)
Category : Transport and highways > Parking and other penalties
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 13 Jul 2026
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the enforcement of a Penalty Charge Notice. It is reasonable to expect the complainant to apply to the Traffic Enforcement Centre to seek to regain their appeal rights, and then to appeal to a tribunal.
The complaint
- Mr and Mrs X say the Council failed to follow the correct procedure for a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) and denied them their right to appeal against it. They say they did not receive notification of the PCN until it was too late to challenge it and the matter has wrongly progressed through the enforcement procedure.
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 could take the matter to court or use 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 go to court or appeal. (Local Government Act 1974, sections 26(6)(a) and (c), as amended)
- London Tribunals considers parking and moving traffic offence appeals for London, and the Traffic Penalty Tribunal for the rest of England. The Traffic Enforcement Centre (TEC), part of the county court, considers applications to set the PCN process back where there has been procedural fault.
How I considered this complaint
- I considered information from Mr and Mrs X and the Council, and the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
Final decision
- Although this complaint is made by Mr and Mrs X, all statutory documents regarding the PCN are addressed to Mr X only as registered keeper of the car. On this basis only Mr X can take further action against the PCN.
- We will not investigate this complaint because it is reasonable to expect Mr X to apply to the Traffic Enforcement Centre to regain his appeal rights and may then appeal if the TEC agrees.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman