How to complain about us
The Ombudsman aims to provide a first class ombudsman service for Wales. As part of that commitment he aims to:
- provide an accessible, simple and transparent process for looking into complaints about the service we give
- respond quickly to complaints; and
- apologise and provide any appropriate redress if we have given poor service.
How do I complain?
If you are unhappy with:
• a decision not to investigate your complaint, or
• a decision to discontinue our investigation of your complaint, or
• the outcome of our investigation
you should appeal to the Ombudsman either by writing to him directly or through the officer dealing with your case. A manager will consider how best to respond in a way that is open and transparent.
You can use this complaints procedure to complain about other things. For example you might wish to complain about undue delay in responding to correspondence; or that you feel that a member of staff has been rude or unhelpful; or that we have not done what we said we would.
Who do I complain to?
You should address your complaint to:
John Young
Complaints Manager
Public Services Ombudsman for Wales
1 Ffordd yr Hen Gae
Pencoed
CF35 5LJ
Email: john.young@ombudsman-wales.org.uk
Telephone: 01656 641150
What happens to my complaint?
The Complaints Manager will not in general deal with your complaint himself, unless it is about a request under the Freedom of Information Act. What he will do is arrange for an appropriate senior member of staff to look into your complaint. Once you have made a complaint to the Complaints Manager, he will send you an acknowledgement within two working days of receiving your letter or email. That acknowledgement will give the name and contact details of the person who will be responsible for responding to you. That person will not have been involved previously in the matter you are complaining about. They will give serious consideration to the issues you raise and will investigate as appropriate.
We aim to send a full reply to all complaints within 20 working days of the complaint arriving with us. If that is not possible, for example if the matters you raise require more detailed work, we will let you know.
Is there a time limit for complaining?
It can be difficult to look into matters which happened some time ago. In general, the Ombudsman expects you to make any complaint about his service reasonably soon after you become aware of the problem, and in any event within twelve months.
What if I am not satisfied with the response to my complaint about the Ombudsman’s service?
You should write again to the Complaints Manager stating that you wish to appeal to the Ombudsman. You should set out as clearly as possible why you are dissatisfied with the response which was made to your complaint. The Complaints Manager will acknowledge your appeal within 2 working days of receiving it. The Ombudsman will personally consider your appeal and will aim to send you a full reply within 20 working days. Again, if that is not possible, we will let you know.
The Ombudsman’s decision is final.
