The Effective Complaint
The who, what, when, where, why and how to complain effectively when things go wrong.
FINANCIAL OMBUDSMAN
You can complain to the financial Ombudsman if you are unhappy with the service provided by your bank, insurer or finance firm. Contact them via the website, or numbers below:
www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk
0800 023 4 567 - calls to this number are normally free for people ringing from a 鈥榝ixed line鈥� phone 鈥� but charges may apply if you call from a mobile phone
0300 123 9 123 - calls to this number are charged at the same rate as 01 or 02 numbers on mobile phone tariffs
Lines open Monday to Friday 鈥� 8am to 8pm and Saturday 鈥� 9am to 1pm.
NORTHERN IRELAND OMBUDSMAN
You can complain to the Ombudsman if you are unhappy with the service provided by a government department/agency or public body. Public bodies include all local councils, education and library boards, organisations providing Health and Social Care (HSC) Services in Northern Ireland and prison health care. Contact them via the website, or number below:
www.ni-ombudsman.org.uk
0800 34 34 24
CONSUMERLINE
Consumerline is a one stop shop offering free help and advice to Northern Ireland consumers, helping you avoid scams and dodgy deals, make a complaint and stay up to date with consumer law.
www.consumerline.org
0300 123 6262
THE CONSUMER COUNCIL
The Consumer Council鈥檚 job is to speak up for consumers and give them a voice, helping with complaints about buses, trains, planes, ferries, natural gas, electricity, coal and water.
www.consumercouncil.org.uk
0800 121 6022
ALTERNATIVES TO COURT IN NORTHERN IRELAND
If you have a dispute with, for example, your partner, neighbour, landlord, bank or a public body there are ways to sort it out without going to court. These alternatives are known as alternative dispute resolution or ADR, and include: conciliation, mediation, neutral evaluation, adjudication, arbitration, using ombudsmen and other regulatory bodies.
Independent advice can help you make an informed decision about which ADR method might suit best or whether to enter into an ADR process at all. You can get independent advice from various sources: a solicitor, an independent advice centre, Advice NI (Freephone: 0800 917 4607) or your local Citizens Advice office.
Hard copies of a booklet on this are available from your local library, or you can download a copy from the NI Direct website.
www.nidirect.gov.uk/resolving-a-dispute-alternatives-to-going-to-court
OFCOM
Ofcom is the communications regulator, and can offer advice on issues with the TV and radio sectors, fixed line telecoms, mobiles and postal services.
www.ofcom.org.uk
0300 123 3333 - Monday to Friday from 9.00am to 5.00pm.
PHONE PAY PLUS
PhonepayPlus is the organisation that regulates premium rate (or phone-paid) services in the UK. These are the premium rate goods and services that you can buy by charging the cost to your phone bill and pre-pay account, and generally begin with 09, 118, 0871, 0872 and 0873. Mobile text shortcode numbers - the five- and six-digit numbers that you can use to enter text competitions, give to charity via your mobile, download mobile games, etc. - are also considered premium rate. For instant information on a premium rate number, you can access a number checking service on the website.
www.phonepayplus.org.uk
Or call 0800 500 212 - Monday to Friday from 9.00am to 5.00pm.
THE OMBUDSMAN SERVICES
The Ombudsman Services provide dispute resolution for the communications, energy, property and copyright licensing industries.
www.ombudsman-services.org
To contact the Ombudsman, call the following numbers in relation to each sector Monday to Friday from 9.00am to 5.00pm:
Communications: 0330 440 1614
Energy companies: 0330 440 1624
Property Company: 0330 440 1634
Copyright licensing company: 0330 440 1601
Textphone: 0330 440 1600
TELEPHONE PREFERENCE SERVICE
The Telephone Preference Service (TPS) is a free service. It is the official central opt out register on which you can record your preference not to receive unsolicited sales or marketing calls.
www.tpsonline.org.uk
0845 070 0707
AND IF ALL ELSE FAILS鈥�
You can always call or email On Your Behalf:
Call the listener line: 02890 338 314
Email: oyb@bbc.co.uk
