OMBUDSMAN SERVICES
There are a wide range
of organisations and services available to assist in
handling consumer disputes, from government agencies
to industry associations.
OMBUDSMAN SERVICES -
An ombudsman is a person who has been appointed to
look into complaints about an organisation. Using an
ombudsman is a way of trying to resolve a complaint
without going to court.
You should complain to
the ombudsman only if you have given the relevant
organisation an opportunity to comment on the
complaint and resolve any problems.
|
THE OMBUDSMAN'S SERVICES ARE FREE |
The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman - TIO
For small
business and residential consumers with unresolved
complaints about their telephone or internet
services.
The Insurance Ombudsman
Service - IOS
If
you have a dispute with a insurance company then IOS
may be able to help you resolve it.
Banking and Financial Services Ombudsman - BFSO
A dispute
resolution service dealing with disputes that
individuals and small business have with their
financial service providers.
The Commonwealth
Ombudsman assists the Australian community
- Consider and investigate complaints about
Australian Government departments and agencies. The
Commonwealth Ombudsman is also the Defence Force
Ombudsman, the Immigration Ombudsman, the Law
Enforcement Ombudsman, the Postal Industry Ombudsman
and the Taxation Ombudsman.
How to complain to the ombudsman
The
procedure for starting the investigation
by the ombudsman depends on which
ombudsman the complaint is being made
to. Most of the offices of the ombudsmen
provide an application form for making a
complaint
However,
you do not need to use an application
form. You can contact them with the
following information:
- the
name and address of the person making
the complaint
- the
name and address of the organisation the
complaint is being made about
-
details of what the complaint is about,
that is, what did the organisation do
wrong or fail to do
- what
personal injustice, financial loss or
hardship was suffered
- what
the organisation should do to put the
situation right
-
details of how the complaint has been
followed up before you contacted the
ombudsman
- the
date when you first identified the event
you are complaining about.
Copies of
any paperwork relevant to the complaint
should also be sent.
|
In Australia there are
over 1600 private, community and government
organisations that offer consumer and business
complaint-handling services, including industry
associations, businesses, government agencies and
independent mediation services.
On Australian
Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) web site
you can find them searching through
Consumer & business directory.
The Consumer
and Business Directory
provides a
one-stop shop of links and contacts for consumers
and small business. It is a database of contact
details of organisations that provide assistance or
advice to consumers and small business.
Office of Fair Trading
Office of Fair Trading
promotes the existence of a fair and ethical
marketplace within the community and works to assist
consumers in resolving a wide range of issues. You
can obtain information about your rights when
shopping, renting, buying or servicing motor
vehicles etc. It also advises traders on fair and
ethical practice, registers businesses and promotes
co-operatives, provides occupational licensing and
maintains product safety and standards; providing
access to information, advice and education on fair
trading matters for business and consumers; ...
Australian Competition
and Consumer Commission
(ACCC)
ACCC
is the Commonwealth Government agency responsible
for administering legislation concerning fair trade
practices, prices surveillance, competition and
consumer protection.
|
Small claim Tribunal (court)
are courts of limited jurisdiction that
may resolv disputes between consumers
and suppliers of goods and services. The
cost of lodging a claim depends on the
amount of your claim. The claim limit is
different - QLD $7.500, ACT $10.000, ...
Read More on
ACCC's
web site.
Small
claims courts can be found in Australia,
Canada, Ireland, Israel, New Zealand,
South Africa, Hong Kong, UK and the USA. |
AAT -
Small Taxation Claims Tribunal and the
Administrative Appeals Tribunal help
The Small Taxation
Claims Tribunal (STCT) is a Tribunal set up within
the Taxation Division of the Administrative Appeals
Tribunal (AAT).
An application to the
STCT must be made within 60 days of receiving a copy
of the decision from the Tax Office.
The STCT provides
informal and inexpensive review of small taxation
disputes. The STCT can review:
-
All objection
decisions by the Commissioner of Taxation where
the amount of tax in dispute is less than
$5,000.
-
Decisions of the
Tax Office refusing a request for an extension
of time within which to make a taxation
objection; and/or
-
Objection decisions
by the Commissioner of Taxation refusing an
individual taxpayer's request to be released
from paying an amount of tax (regardless of the
amount involved).
READ MORE ON AAT SITE
The Financial
Industry Complaints Service - FICS
National service that was established to provide
free advice and assistance to consumers to help them
in resolving complaints relating to members of the
financial services industry, including life
insurance, pooled superannuation trusts, funds
management, financial advice, stock broking,
investment advice and sales of financial or
investment products. There is no charge to consumers
for any service provided by FICS in handling
complaints. FICS - an external dispute resolution (EDR)
scheme
|
Product Recalls Australia Web site |
|
The site enhances
consumer safety by providing current
product recall information based on
notifications provided to the Minister
for Competition Policy and Consumer
Affairs.
The main
pages of
Product
Recalls Australia Web site
|
European Ombudsman
SOON!
What sort of complaint
can the European Ombudsman deal with
The European Ombudsman
can investigate maladministration in the activities
of the European community institutions and bodies.
These bodies include the European Commission, the
Council of the European Union and the Court of
Justice.
