Standards of service

What to expect from us when we deal with a dispute between a consumer and a participating company

 Our service standards

Ombudsman Services resolves individual disputes between participating companies and their customers. Wherever possible we aim to resolve complaints quickly and informally by achieving a resolution which is acceptable to both sides or, when necessary, after a formal investigation.

We are independent. This means we are not on the side of either the company or the customer. We know that sometimes the result can be disappointing for the side that doesn't hear the answer they want or get the resolution they had hoped for. Whatever the outcome of your case, we hope you will be satisfied with the level of service we provided.

We know that, as in any organisation, things can occasionally go wrong. Please tell us if you think the service we have provided is not up to scratch, so that we can put things right and learn from any mistakes.

Our service standards document is available to download at the bottom of this page. It tells you about the service standards we aim to meet and how to complain to us if you are unhappy with the service we have given you. If you require a printed version of the service standards please call us or request it by using the enquiry form. 

What to expect from us when we deal with a dispute between a consumer and a participating company

Our service standards

Ombudsman Services resolves individual disputes between participating companies and their customers. Wherever possible we aim to resolve complaints quickly and informally by achieving a resolution which is acceptable to both sides or, when necessary, after a formal investigation.

We are independent. This means we are not on the side of either the company or the customer. We know that sometimes the result can be disappointing for the side that doesn't hear the answer they want or get the resolution they had hoped for. Whatever the outcome of your case, we hope you will be satisfied with the level of service we provided.

We know that, as in any organisation, things can occasionally go wrong. Please tell us if you think the service we have provided is not up to scratch, so that we can put things right and learn from any mistakes.

Our service standards document is available to download at the bottom of this page. It tells you about the service standards we aim to meet and how to complain to us if you are unhappy with the service we have given you. If you require a printed version please call us or request it by using the enquiry form. 

Privacy policy

The Ombudsman Service Ltd (OS) is a Data Controller under the Data Protection Act 1998. This means that we are responsible for how and why your personal information is used.  

We are committed to respecting your privacy and to complying with the Data Protection Act and any other relevant privacy laws.  We have provided this Privacy Policy to help you understand how we collect, use and protect your personal information.

Our privacy policy is available to download at the bottom of this page. If you require a printed version please call us or request it by using the enquiry form. 

Unacceptable actions policy

Our service is independent, impartial and free. We believe that complainants have a right to be heard, understood and respected. We work hard to be open and accessible. Occasionally, the behaviour or actions of individuals using our service makes it very difficult for us to deal with their complaint.

In a small number of cases the actions become unacceptable because they involve abuse of our staff or our process. When this happens we have to take action to protect our staff. We consider the impact of the behaviour on our ability to do our work and provide a service to others. 

Our unacceptable actions policy is available to download at the bottom of this page. If you require a printed version please call us or request it by using the enquiry form.