Ombudsman Services

A new single complaints service for renters and homeowners in England is to be launched, in a step forward for MoneySavingExpert.com's campaign for reform – but there's still more to be done.

Rail passengers now have an official body they can take unresolved complaints to after the first-ever Rail Ombudsman launched today. 

It is "crucial" that firms are part of and co-operate with an ombudsman in their sector, MoneySavingExpert.com founder Martin Lewis has told a group of MPs today. Martin and MSE senior policy and campaigns officer Will Barnes gave evidence to members of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Consumer Protection this morning, and highlighted three key reforms that politicians need to implement to improve the ombudsmen system. They said to the group - which included MPs Yvonne Fovargue, Patricia Gibson and Carolyn Harris - that all companies in a sector should have to co-operate with an ombudsman before it can be called an ombudsman, and that consumers should no longer have to wait eight weeks after raising a complaint to take their issue to the ombudsman. Martin added that ombudsmen should work together to create a portal that consumers can go to with their complaints, to make it easier for consumers to know who to contact. Yvonne Fovargue, Labour MP for Makerfield and chair of the APPG on Consumer Protection responded by admitting that ombudsman reform "does drop to the bottom of the parliamentary agenda" and said the group would produce a further report and would try to "raise awareness among parliamentarians". Last year, MoneySavingExpert.com presented a groundbreaking report called 'Sharper Teeth' on the need for ombudsman reform to MPs - read the full report here.

The rail industry has appointed the ‘Dispute Resolution Ombudsman’ - which currently acts as the ombudsman in the furniture industry - to rule on complaints from passengers.

Scores of customers of Toto Energy have vented their anger over its 'hopeless service' with many reporting serious failings by the small energy supplier.

Consumers experienced 173 million issues with products and services in 2017 but less than one in three (27%) of these were reported to companies, according to new figures released by the complaints body Ombudsman Services.

Ombudsman Services is to stop taking property complaints after claiming it can only offer a "broken solution to a broken market".

A MoneySaver has won an apology, refund and compensation from mobile phone firm O2 after it told him calls from the US would cost 0.99p per minute but actually charged him 99p. Other customers may also have been given wrong info – if you've roamed abroad with O2, here's what to check.

MoneySavingExpert.com is calling on the Government to overhaul the "farcical" ombudsman complaints system, in a damning report which reveals some consumers feel escalating concerns is a "complete waste of time".