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Making a Complaint 2 of 2 |
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| The
Gateway to Services in the UK |
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Given here are notes on complaining
about: Government Services
Local Authority Services
Independent Housing
Aids and Equipment
Government Services: If you or your affairs are dealt with unsatisfactorily by civil servants they should be challenged. Hopefully, cause for complaint is becoming increasingly rare, but there are some grounds for concern that in certain places services to the public are so inadequate that dissatisfaction is almost inevitable. In the ordinary way, complaints about the actions of a government department or agency should first be taken up with the agency or department concerned at a suitably high level, and best in writing with a copy saved for reference. Sometimes you may want to seek the help of a local organisation , e.g. your Citizens’ Advice Bureau or Coalition for Disabled People, which can support your complaint. If the matter is really serious, you may find it necessary to take legal advice or to seek the help of your MP, either in writing (keeping a copy) or at one of his/her local ’surgeries’.
In the most serious cases - where it is claimed that injustice has been sustained through maladministration - your MP can be asked to refer your complaint to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration, Church House, Great Smith Street, London SW1P 3BW (helpline: 0207 276 2130; Fax: 0207 276 2135). The Commissioner can also investigate complaints against departments’ own grievance procedures and complaints that they have refused access to information to which the public was entitled.
The Scope of the Commissioners powers excludes the investigation of certain matters - for instance, complaints which have already been taken to a tribunal or a court of law, or which involve local authorities, the police, nationalised industries, or the Post Office. Nor can the Commissioner accept a complaint direct from a member of the public. It must be referred through an MP, and include a statement that the complaint consents to the matter being put to the Commissioner. Further details are given in a leaflet available from the Great Smith Street address above or your local Citizens’ Advice Bureau
Local Authority Services: In practice, the level and standard of assistance available to disabled people vary considerably from place to place. Some Authorities appear to lack a dynamic commitment to the needs of disabled people, while all find economic restraints a considerable problem. Where both these drawbacks apply, the results can be disastrous. It is essential therefore, that, together with their carers, disabled people are aware of their rights to services and are persistent and forceful in pressing for necessary help. In particular, they should be aware of section 4 of the Disabled Persons (Services, Consultation and Representation) Act 1986 and be prepared to exercise the right which it confers. If that fails, or there is an unjustified delay, it may be necessary to turn to the complaints procedures. If local authorities - or, indeed, local authority officials - are slow and unconcerned, then they need to be made to jump. For to long disabled people, generally, have been passive and grateful for small mercies.
Complaints against local authorities should first be raised with the department concerned or with the chief executive of the authority. If you are not satisfied with the response, you can send your complaint in writing to the Local Government Ombudsman, or ask a councillor to send it for you. You should, however, remember that the Ombudsman can investigate complaints only in the following circumstances:
The complaint has previously been brought to the attention of the authority, and the authority has had reasonable time to reply
Personal injustice has been caused as a result of administrative fault, e.g. unjustifiable delay, bias, incompetence, neglect etc.
A free booklet, Complaints
about the Council? How to complain
to the Local Government Ombudsman, is available
in English,
Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu, Chinese, Greek, Turkish
And Vietnamese. Your local council, library, or CAB may have
copies or you can obtain them direct
from one of the Local Government Ombudsman at the following addresses:
England: Greater London, Kent, Surrey, East and West Sussex: Local Government Ombudsman, 21 Queen Anne’s Gate, London SW1H 9BU (Tel: 0207 915 3210; Fax: 0207 233 0396)
England: the South West, the West, the South, East Anglia and most of Central England:
Local Government Ombudsman, The Oaks, Westwood Way, Westwood Business Park, Coventry CV4 8JB (Tel: 02476 695999 Fax: 02476 695902)
England: the East Midlands and the North of England: Local Government Ombudsman, Beverley House, 17 Shipton Road, York YO3 6FZ (Tel: 01904 663200 Fax: 01904 663269)
There are separate organisations and arrangements in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, where you can contact the following addresses:
Wales: Commission for Local Administration in Wales, Derwen House, Court Road, Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan CF31 1BN (Tel: 01656 661325).
Scotland: Commission for Local Administration in Scotland, 23 Walker Street, Edinburgh EH3 7HX (Tel: 0131 225 5300).
Northern Ireland: Commissioner for Complaints in Northern Ireland, Progressive House, 33 Wellington Place, Belfast BT1 6HN (Tel: 02890 233821).
Independent Housing:
Independent Housing Ombudsman (IHO)
Norman House, 105-109 Strand London WC2R 0AA
Tel: 0207 836 3630, 0345 125973 cost of a local call
Fax: 0207 836 3900
The Housing Ombudsman scheme is free to users. It will consider complaints against registered social landlords and other members of the IHO scheme by people receiving a direct service from them. It produces a series of free leaflets and other publications for landlords, complainants and their advisers.
The leaflet How can the Ombudsman help me? Is available in English, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu, Greek, Turkish, Chinese, Vietnamese and Arabic. There is also an audio cassette which explains the service orally in English for those with sight or reading difficulties. People with speech or hearing problems can contact the scheme through Typetalk.
In addition to resolving complaints, the Ombudsman is able to identify deficiencies in service delivery and to help to improve the quality of service provided by registered social landlords and other members of the IHO scheme.
Scotland has a separate Housing Association Ombudsman at 2 Bedford Road, Edinburgh EH4 3BL
Aids and Equipment: Your consumer rights are protected in law in respect of aids, equipment and related services as for any goods and services. This is a complex area, but you can readily obtain advice and help. Contact either your local Trading Standards Department (in some areas called the Consumer Protection Department) which is a service run by your local authority, or your local Citizens Advice Bureau. In addition, a number of concise, authoritative free leaflets are available from:
Office of Fair Trading, Field House, 15-25 Bream’s
Buildings, London EC4A 1PR
(consumer information line: 0345 224499 - cost of a local call)
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