Keenan and Riches’BUSINESS LAW

Chapter 3Resolving disputes

Complaint about

Estate agents

Central government

departments and

other public bodies

Local government

Financial services, e.g.

banks, building societies,

insurance companies,

financial advisers

National Health Service

(NHS)

Child Support Agency

Legal profession:

including solicitors,

barristers, licensed

conveyancers, legal

executives and patent

agents

Housing

Pensions

Judiciary

Ombudsman

Ombudsman for Estate

Agents (OEA)

Parliamentary

Commissioner for

Administration

Local Government

Ombudsman

Financial Ombudsman

Service

Health Service

Ombudsman

Independent Case

Examiner

Office of the Legal

Services Ombudsman

(OLSO)

Independent Housing

Ombudsman

Pensions Ombudsman

Judicial Appointments

and Conduct

Ombudsman

Comments

Deals with disputes between members of the public

who buy, sell or let property and the agents they deal

with, i.e. estate agents and letting agents. Under the

Consumers, Estate Agents and Redress Act 2007 all

estate agents are required to be a member of an

approved redress scheme.

The OEA can award compensation up to £25,000.

Deals with complaints from the public about

maladministration and obtaining access to official

information.

Complaints cannot be made direct and must be referred by

an MP.

The PCA can recommend a remedy but has no power to

enforce his/her rulings.

Deals with complaints about maladministration by local

authorities.

The ombudsman may make recommendations to resolve the

complaint, including making suggestions about remedies.

Deals with complaints about most financial services.

The ombudsman may make non-binding recommendations.

Covers complaints by or on behalf of patients about

unsatisfactory treatment or service by the NHS.

The ombudsman may ask the NHS to provide a suitable

remedy but this would not normally include compensation.

Deals with complaints about the Child Support Agency.

Deals with complaints about the way professional bodies

have handled a complaint. The OLSO can recommend that

the professional body reconsider its decision and /or pay

compensation. The OLSO can also formally criticise the

professional body and, in exceptional cases, make a binding

order of compensation.

Deals with disputes between landlords and tenants.

The ombudsman may recommend, e.g., that compensation

be paid or that repairs be carried out.

Investigates and deals with complaints and disputes about

the way occupational and personal pension schemes are run.

Created by the Constitutional Reform Act 2005, this

Ombudsman investigates complaints about the judicial

appointments process and the handling of matters involving

judicial conduct.

Figure 3.5Ombudsmen