Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about Transport for London’s handling of a topographical assessment. Any outstanding injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement.

The complaint

1. Mrs X complained about Transport for London’s (TfL) handling of her topographical assessment. She said TfL did not book the assessment in with the assessment centre, therefore she was turned away on the day of her test. She also said its communication with her was poor.
2. Mrs X wants TfL to financially compensate her the cost of the test and her travel costs to the assessment centre. She also wants financial compensation to reflect the disruption TfLs actions had caused.

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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:
• further investigation would not lead to a different outcome, or

• any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement.

(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 Authority.
5. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

6. In its complaint response, TfL said Mrs X cancelled her first assessment. It said she then rebooked the assessments for a later date, but an error on its behalf meant it did not book the assessments in at the assessment centre. It apologised that she could not sit the tests and explained it was a mistake made by human error. It offered to rebook Mrs X’s test for her at a convenient time.
7. Although Mrs X is unhappy with the response and wants financial reimbursement, we will not investigate. TfL has upheld the complaint and apologised. Further investigation by the Ombudsman would not lead to a different outcome. Any outstanding injustice caused by the assessment and travel costs, is not significant enough to justify our involvement.

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Final decision

8. We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint because any outstanding injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman