Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the suitability of a corporate venue the Council provided for an event Miss X organised. We could not add anything to the Council’s investigation of the complaint and cannot achieve the outcome Miss X is seeking.

The complaint

1. Miss X said the Council provided a poor service when it hired her a corporate venue for a private event she hosted. She said the eventual arrangements, were not in line with expectations and her overall experience was poor. She said consequently, she has lost out financially and her reputation was affected.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. 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, we could not add to any previous investigation by the organisation, or we cannot achieve the outcome someone wants. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))

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How I considered this complaint

3. I considered information provided by Miss X and I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

4. Miss X hired a venue from the Council, to host a private event for other traders. She said on the day, not all the facilities were available, or otherwise in line with her expectations and she had to refund part of the fee she charged other traders.
5. During the complaints procedure the Council acknowledged the negative impact of Miss X’s experience and upheld her complaint. It also set out how it would do things differently, offered to facilitate another booking at a different venue, and made an offer to refund Miss X half her booking fee.
6. We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint. This is partly because we could not add anything else to the Council’s investigation of the complaint. It upheld the complaint, identified service improvements and has shown consideration of a remedy for Miss X’s injustice, and these actions are what we would expect to see from the Council.
7. In addition to the above, we could not achieve the outcome Miss X is seeking. She is unhappy with the offer of compensation the Council has made, but we cannot decide on compensation or financial liability for economic loss, given Miss X’s comments on the negative impact on her business. Miss X would have to pursue a claim through the courts, if she believes the Council’s offer is inadequate.

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Final decision

8. We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint because we could not add anything to the Council’s response and cannot achieve the outcome she is seeking.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman