The Property Ombudsman provides a free, impartial and independent service to resolve disputes between consumers and property businesses.
It was established in 1990 and has both mandatory (agents) and voluntary memberships (other property businesses and landlords) within the scheme. The Scheme is approved by the Government as an agent redress scheme, as an ADR provider by Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) and as an Ombudsman by the Ombudsman Association. The Ombudsman also produces codes of practice that are independently approved by CTSI.
The Rail Ombudsman is an independent, not-for-profit organisation. We offer a free, expert service to help sort out unresolved customer complaints about service providers within the rail industry. Our vision is to inspire customer confidence and to deliver our service fairly to ensure the right outcome in every case. We also support the rail industry to raise standards.
Considers complaints of maladministration or unfairness against the Canal and River Trust and the Avon Navigation Trust, once their internal complaints procedure has been completed. The Ombudsman cannot investigate complaints about personnel matters, or matters which have been, or are being, considered by a court. There is a time limit for bringing complaints.
The Adjudicator’s Office investigates complaints about HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), and we investigate complaints about how the Home Office have handled claims for compensation, and review decisions on entitlement to compensation, under the Windrush Compensation Scheme.
The Adjudicator’s Office looks into excessive delays, mistakes, discourtesy of staff, the use of discretion and poor or misleading advice, and will consider if the organisation has applied its rules, standards, guidance and codes of practice fairly and consistently. Our decisions are based on the factual evidence of the complaint or review request.
Applies the Advertising Codes and upholds standards in all media on behalf of consumers, business and society. The Codes (which cover TV, radio and non-broadcast including online claims and social media) are written by the Committee of Advertising Practice, part of the industry wing of the self-regulatory system. The broadcast side of the business is conducted in a co-regulatory partnership with the communications regulator Ofcom. The ASAs website has an online complaints form. It also deals with complaints referred by other agencies, including the Competition and Markets Authority. The ASA is recognised by the Government and Courts as the “established means” for dealing with misleading advertising under consumer protection legislation.
The BBRS is an industry funded not-for-profit resolution service. We help small and medium sized businesses resolve disputes with their bank for free. We charge the banks so everyone can use our service. We provide a framework for the customer and the bank to resolve their dispute. Both parties have their say through an online portal before we help the customer and the bank find a fair and reasonable resolution.
CEDR specialises in mediation and alternative dispute resolution. We are an independent non-profit organisation and a registered charity and our aim is to provide society with skills and solutions for effective dialogue, and to bring about sustainable change. To achieve this, we operate in four main ways: Promoting mediation through events, schemes and services; Providing dispute resolution for individuals, businesses and other organisations; Training mediators - to date, we've trained over 5,000 mediators worldwide; Offering consultancy to organisations to help prevent and resolve conflict.
The Commissioner for Public Appointments is the guardian of the processes used by Northern Ireland Executive Ministers to make public appointments on merit. The Commissioner’s role is as follows: To ensure that the best people get appointed to public bodies free of personal and political patronage; To regulate and monitor the policies and procedures of Ministers and their departments in making public appointments and audits those procedures; To investigate complaints from applicants for public appointments; To ensure that departments operate systems that allow every citizen who has skills and experience to contribute and who has the motivation and integrity to serve, to put herself/himself forward for appointment; To ensure that applicants are treated, throughout the public appointment process, in a manner that is fair, considerate, consistent, open and transparent; To promote good governance including diversity on our public boards.
The Immigration Advice Authority (IAA) regulates immigration advisers, ensuring they are fit and competent and act in the best interest of their clients.