The Ombudsman's final decision
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about a Penalty Charge Noice because the Council has provided a satisfactory response.
The complaint
The complainant, Ms X, complains about a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) she was unaware of due to homelessness. She says she would have paid the £30 fine if she had been aware of it. However, the case escalated to bailiffs and the fine increased.
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. We provide a free service but must use public money carefully. We may decide not to start an investigation if we are satisfied with the actions an organisation has taken or proposes to take. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(7), as amended)
How I considered this complaint
I considered information provided by Ms X and the Council. This includes the complaint correspondence and an update from the Council. I also considered our Assessment Code.
My assessment
After Ms X complained to us, but before we had taken any action, the Council withdrew the case from the bailiffs and said it would close the case if Ms X paid £15, in addition to the £15 she had already paid. Ms X paid an additional £15 and the Council closed the case. The Council says it did this due to Ms X’s intent to pay and her vulnerability.
Final decision
We will not investigate this complaint because the Council provided a satisfactory response.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman