Office of the Ombudsman: Who Qualifies and What You Get
Learn how to use the Office of the Ombudsman to resolve complaints regarding public service decisions through an independent investigation.
The Office of the Ombudsman provides an independent way to resolve complaints about decisions made by public bodies.
Who it's for
This service is intended for anyone who feels they have been treated unfairly or is unhappy with a decision made by a public service. If you feel a public body has failed to follow its own rules or has acted in a way that is unjust, you may be eligible to seek help through this office.
What you get
When you use this service, you receive an independent investigation into your complaint against a public body. The goal is to look into how the public body handled your specific situation to determine if the decision or action taken was correct, fair, or appropriate. This provides an extra layer of oversight outside of the organization you are complaining against.
What it costs you
It is entirely free to use this service. There are no application fees or investigation costs charged to the person making the complaint.
The catch to know
The most important thing to understand is that you cannot go straight to the Ombudsman with a problem. You must first exhaust the internal complaints process of the public body involved. This means you must follow the organization's own steps for resolving disputes and wait for them to provide a final response before the Ombudsman will consider your case.
How to apply
- Identify the public body responsible for the decision you are unhappy with.
- Follow that specific organization's official internal complaints procedure to lodge a formal complaint.
- Wait for the organization to complete its full review and provide you with a final decision.
- If you are still unhappy with how they handled your complaint, contact the Office of the Ombudsman to request an investigation.