London Borough of Haringey (25 008 271)
Category : Transport and highways > Traffic management
Decision : Upheld
Decision date : 24 Nov 2025
The Ombudsman's final decision:
The complaint
- Miss X applied to the Council for a disabled parking bay. The Council promised installation by February 2025 but delivered it four months late. Miss X says this caused her significant distress and financial hardship.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
- We investigate complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’. In this statement, I have used the word fault to refer to these. If we are satisfied with an organisation’s actions or proposed actions, we can complete our investigation and issue a decision statement. (Local Government Act 1974, section 30(1B) and s34H(1), as amended)
How I considered this complaint
- I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council.
- I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
- Miss X applied for a disabled parking bay in April 2024. The Council assessed the application in August 2024 and added the request to the Parking Team’s programme. In November 2024 the Council carried out statutory consultation for Miss X’s bay.
- In January 2025, Miss X complained to the Council about the delay and poor communication. The Council admitted there had been delays and its updates sporadic, but it advised Miss X it would install the bay by mid-February at the latest.
- In April 2025, the Council installed the bay markings and allocated a permit to Miss X’s nominated vehicle and the contractor installed the signpost. In mid-June 2025, the Council erected the sign plate, making the bay enforceable.
- This completion date was four months later than the mid-February deadline the Council promised Miss X. If we investigated this complaint, we would likely find the Council at fault because of this delay.
- We asked the Council to remedy the injustice caused by its actions by making a small payment of £200 to Miss X to resolve the complaint early.
Agreed Action
- The Council had agreed to resolve this complaint and will make the payment of £200 to Miss X within one month of this decision to put things right.
Final decision
- We upheld this complaint because the Council agreed to resolve it early by providing a proportionate remedy for the injustice caused to Miss X.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman