Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s handling of a parking charge notice and complaints process. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault, and in any event, further investigation would not lead to a different outcome. It is not proportionate to investigate the communication issues on its own.

The complaint

1. Ms X complains about the Council’s handling of a parking charge notice (PCN) and complaints process. She said despite payment the Council continued to start enforcement action and failed to properly investigate. Ms X also complains about unresolved data issues. She says this has caused prolonged stress and anxiety.
2. Ms X wants a full investigation, immediate cessation of all enforcement activity, compensation and service improvements.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

3. 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
• further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.

(Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))

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How I considered this complaint

4. I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council.
5. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

6. The Council issued Ms X with a PCN in early 2025. The notice explained how and where to pay. The Council later issued a charge certificate because it had not received payment. Ms X disputed this and said she had sent a cheque by post. She also said the enforcement process caused distress, asked for her vulnerabilities to be considered, and it had not provided a privacy notice explaining how it would process and share her personal data.
7. The Council said Ms X told it she sent the cheque to an incomplete address, although the PCN gave the full payment address. The Council withdrew the enforcement action and agreed to accept payment at the discounted rate. There is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council. We could not criticise it for not receiving a payment. Once the Council became aware of the issue, it took proportionate action. Further investigation would not achieve a different outcome.
8. There is also insufficient evidence of fault in how the Council handled Ms X’s concerns about her personal data. The PCN and later correspondence explained the Council may share information with third parties, including enforcement agents. Further investigation on this point is unlikely to find fault or achieve a different outcome.
9. While I understand Ms X is unhappy with how the Council handled her complaint, it is not a good use of public resources to look at the complaints or communication issues if we are not going to look at the substantive issue complained about. We will not therefore investigate this issue separately.

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Final decision

10. We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint because there is insufficient evidence of fault and in any event, further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman