Summary: We will not investigate this complaint that Council enforcement agents wrongly visited Mr X’s home as I am satisfied the financial payment the Council has offered to him provides a remedy for the injustice caused by its fault.

The complaint

1. Mr X complains Council enforcement agents (bailiffs) wrongly visited his home in relation to an unpaid penalty charge notice (PCN) he had no connection to. Mr X says this caused significant distress, anxiety, insomnia and disruption to both himself and his household and, he says, resulted in him taking time off work. Mr X is unhappy with the Council’s goodwill payment offer of £250.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. We investigate complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’. In this statement, I have used the word fault to refer to these. We provide a free service but must use public money carefully. We may decide not to start or continue with an investigation if we are satisfied with the actions an organisation has taken or proposes to take. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(7), as amended)

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How I considered this complaint

3. I considered information provided by the complainant.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. I recognise the impact the visit by bailiffs had on Mr X and his household and that he remains unhappy with the outcome of his complaint to the Council, but it has explained what went wrong, apologised and offered Mr X a goodwill payment of £250. We will not investigate as I am satisfied this is a satisfactory remedy for the injustice caused to Mr X and is broadly in line with our guidance on remedies.

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Final decision

6. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because I am satisfied the financial payment the Council has offered to him provides a remedy for the injustice caused by Council fault.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman