Post Office mishandled complaint from person who was sent wrong tax disc

Commissioner for Administration says a refund was "avoidably delayed"

It's been concluded that the Isle of Man Post Office mishandled a complaint.

The Tynwald Commissioner for Information said a refund had been "avoidably delayed" which evidenced maladministration.

After being sent an incorrect tax disc, the complainant used it to get new number plates made when importing a car to the Island.

It meant they drove for 11 months with incorrect registration plates; only realising when the following year's documents arrived.

They said this caused them inconvenience and stress.

After complaining to the Post Office, they had the £21.16 cost of getting new number plates made reimbursed, but the £5.50 spent to change insurance wasn't paid for more than four months.

Tynwald's Commissioner for Administration wrote: "This late paid sum is trivial, but it had been agreed and promised, and it remained unpaid for over four months."

The Commissioner found that the second refund was "avoidably delayed", evidencing maladministration.

Another complaint about "consequential loss" was found to have been appropriately conducted, and therefore didn't constitute maladministration.