London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham (26 008 063)
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 a parking penalty charge notice as Mr X could have appealed it to London Tribunals.
The complaint
- Mr X complains the Council did not cancel a parking penalty charge notice (PCN) it issued to him despite him explaining the medical episode he had experienced which he says meant he had to stop driving and park up. Mr X says this has caused him distress and uncertainty, financial duress and time and trouble.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
- The Local Government Act 1974 sets out our powers but also imposes restrictions on what we can investigate.
- The law says 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. (Local Government Act 1974, section 26(6)(a), as amended)
How I considered this complaint
- I considered information provided by the complainant.
- I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
- Parliament has provided an appeal process by which Mr X could have asked an independent adjudicator at London Tribunals (the Tribunal) to consider his case against the PCN. As this is the procedure provided in law and as we are not an alternative appeal stage in this process, it is reasonable to expect Mr X to have gone to the Tribunal and we will not therefore investigate.
Final decision
- We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because he could have taken his case to the Tribunal.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman