London Borough of Hounslow (24 017 137)
Category : Transport and highways > Parking and other penalties
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 10 Feb 2025
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about a parking penalty charge notice as the Council has cancelled it.
The complaint
- Mr X complains about a parking penalty charge notice (PCN) the Council issued to him after his car was stolen. Mr X wants the Council to cancel the PCN.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
- 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 (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))
How I considered this complaint
- I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council.
- I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
- The Council has advised us that it is cancelling the PCN and that it will write to Mr X to confirm this. We cannot add to this, and this is the outcome Mr X sought, so we will not investigate.
Final decision
- We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about a PCN as it has been cancelled.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman