"A person installed a security system and applied to a public authority for a rebate that the public authority was offering. The public authority declined the application on the basis that the installer was not appropriately licenced. The person had the installation inspected by another installer with the appropriate licence and reapplied for the rebate. The public authority again declined the application. The person complained to the Ombudsman.
The Ombudsman contacted the public authority to commence an investigation into the decision to decline the rebate application. The public authority reviewed the matter and decided that the original decision was correct under the rebate rules. However, the public authority considered that the decision to decline the application went against the spirit of the rebate scheme considering that the installer’s incorrect licence was out of the person’s control and the person had acted in good faith. Therefore, the public authority changed its decision, approved the rebate application and apologised for any frustration or anxiety the original decision may have caused."