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What is an ombudsman? [factsheet downloads in PDF format]
What is an ombudsman? [factsheet downloads in PDF format]
What is an ombudsman? [factsheet downloads in PDF format]
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417:2/15.02.08<br />
what <strong>is</strong> <strong>an</strong><br />
ombudsm<strong>an</strong>?<br />
‘Ombudsmen are<br />
<strong>in</strong>dependent <strong>an</strong>d offer a<br />
free service to consumers.’<br />
Most org<strong>an</strong><strong>is</strong>ations <strong>an</strong>d bus<strong>in</strong>esses<br />
have a system for deal<strong>in</strong>g with compla<strong>in</strong>ts.<br />
So, for example, if you’ve compla<strong>in</strong>ed to the<br />
person you’ve been deal<strong>in</strong>g with, but you’re still<br />
unhappy – you c<strong>an</strong> then contact someone<br />
more senior – maybe at the head office.<br />
But what if that still doesn’t solve the problem?<br />
You c<strong>an</strong> ask the org<strong>an</strong><strong>is</strong>ation or bus<strong>in</strong>ess<br />
concerned if it <strong>is</strong> covered by <strong>an</strong> <strong>in</strong>dependent<br />
scheme that looks <strong>in</strong>to <strong>an</strong>y compla<strong>in</strong>ts that<br />
are made about it.<br />
Ombudsmen are <strong>in</strong>dependent <strong>an</strong>d offer a<br />
free service to consumers.<br />
They help settle d<strong>is</strong>putes when the consumer:<br />
• has already compla<strong>in</strong>ed to a bus<strong>in</strong>ess<br />
or org<strong>an</strong><strong>is</strong>ation but<br />
• <strong>is</strong> not happy with the way the<br />
compla<strong>in</strong>t has been dealt with.<br />
Ombudsmen do not take sides – but will<br />
look carefully at what has happened. If they<br />
decide you were treated fairly, they will<br />
expla<strong>in</strong> why. But if they th<strong>in</strong>k the bus<strong>in</strong>ess or<br />
org<strong>an</strong><strong>is</strong>ation was <strong>in</strong> the wrong – <strong>an</strong>d you’ve<br />
lost out as a result – they will say what must<br />
happen to put th<strong>in</strong>gs right.<br />
www.f<strong>in</strong><strong>an</strong>cial-ombudsm<strong>an</strong>.org.uk<br />
For some types of compla<strong>in</strong>t you may be able<br />
to ask <strong>an</strong> ombudsm<strong>an</strong> to help.
‘Ombudsm<strong>an</strong>’ <strong>is</strong> a<br />
Swed<strong>is</strong>h word that me<strong>an</strong>s<br />
representative or agent<br />
of the people.<br />
‘Ombudsm<strong>an</strong>’ <strong>is</strong> a Swed<strong>is</strong>h word that me<strong>an</strong>s<br />
representative or agent of the people.<br />
Sweden had the first ombudsm<strong>an</strong> <strong>in</strong> 1809.<br />
Other countries kept the name as they<br />
gradually heard about the idea <strong>an</strong>d decided<br />
to set up similar arr<strong>an</strong>gements themselves.<br />
In the UK today there are several different<br />
k<strong>in</strong>ds of ombudsm<strong>an</strong> schemes – deal<strong>in</strong>g<br />
with different types of compla<strong>in</strong>t. They follow<br />
strict rules about the types of problem they<br />
c<strong>an</strong> help with – <strong>an</strong>d the powers they have to<br />
put th<strong>in</strong>gs right.<br />
Some of these ombudsmen schemes <strong>in</strong>clude:<br />
• the Parliamentary <strong>an</strong>d<br />
Health Service Ombudsm<strong>an</strong><br />
• the Local Government Ombudsm<strong>an</strong><br />
• the Scott<strong>is</strong>h Public Services<br />
Ombudsm<strong>an</strong>; <strong>an</strong>d<br />
• the F<strong>in</strong><strong>an</strong>cial Ombudsm<strong>an</strong> Service.<br />
The F<strong>in</strong><strong>an</strong>cial Ombudsm<strong>an</strong> Service <strong>is</strong> the<br />
largest ombudsm<strong>an</strong> scheme <strong>in</strong> the world.<br />
It deals with around 100,000 compla<strong>in</strong>ts<br />
every year about b<strong>an</strong>ks, build<strong>in</strong>g societies,<br />
<strong>in</strong>sur<strong>an</strong>ce comp<strong>an</strong>ies, f<strong>in</strong><strong>an</strong>cial adv<strong>is</strong>ers <strong>an</strong>d<br />
f<strong>in</strong><strong>an</strong>ce comp<strong>an</strong>ies.<br />
to f<strong>in</strong>d out more about<br />
the f<strong>in</strong><strong>an</strong>cial ombudsm<strong>an</strong><br />
service, v<strong>is</strong>it our website<br />
www.f<strong>in</strong><strong>an</strong>cial-ombudsm<strong>an</strong>.org.uk
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