Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council’s refusal to issue a pro-rata refund of his residents parking permit. The claimed injustice is not significant enough to warrant our involvement.

The complaint

1. Mr X complained the Council:
1. failed to provide a refund for the remaining three months of his resident parking permit when requested;
2. failed to consider his complaint robustly.
2. Mr X said the matter caused him frustration and time and trouble.

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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 effect 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 an investigation if we decide the tests set out in our Assessment Code are not met. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended)

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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

Parking permit refund

6. We will not investigate this complaint. Our role is to consider complaints where the person bringing the complaint has suffered significant personal injustice as a direct result of the actions or inactions of the organisation. This means we will normally only investigate a complaint where the complainant has suffered serious loss, harm, or distress as a direct result of faults or failures. We will not normally investigate a complaint where the alleged loss or injustice is not a serious or significant matter.
7. The Council refused Mr X’s request for a pro-rata refund of three months of his residents parking permit. The amount Mr X requested to be refunded is minimal. Therefore, the injustice claimed is not significant enough to warrant an investigation.

Complaints handling

8. It is not a good use of public resources to investigate complaints about complaint procedures if we decide not to investigate the substantive issue. Consequently, we will not investigate this complaint because the tests in our Assessment Code are not met.

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Final decision

9. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because the tests in our Assessment Code are not met.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman