Mr F complained that Cardiff Council improperly issued him a warning notice for “illegal dumping” of waste outside his property, and that the warning and the Council’s response to his complaint contained incorrect information regarding his waste collection day. Mr F also complained about a lack of clarity around the correct colour for waste disposal bags.
The Ombudsman found that Mr F was improperly issued a warning because the Council incorrectly stated that his collection day was a day later than it is, which the Ombudsman said caused Mr F distress and frustration. The Ombudsman also found that the Council’s website did not specify the accepted colour of waste disposal bags, which she said caused Mr F confusion. The Ombudsman decided to settle the complaint without a formal investigation.
The Ombudsman sought and gained the Council’s agreement to, within 2 weeks, apologise to Mr F for the distress and inconvenience caused to him by the correspondence he received and the error regarding his waste collection date, provide assurances to Mr F that the incorrect correspondence would have no ongoing impact on him (should any future potential incidents of incorrect waste placement occur), and to offer him a redress payment of £50. The Council also agreed to update the guidance on its website to clarify the accepted colour of waste disposal bags within 8 weeks.