Record complaints for Ombudsman

THE Warrington Ombudsman Services received more complaints last year than ever before, according to their annual report.
More than 19,000 complaints were resolved last year, and energy complaints rose by a third, with problems over billing being the most common cause of complaint.
A 27% increase in property complaints has been driven by consumer concerns over valuations and surveys.
Ombudsman Services, now in its tenth year of operation and based in Stockton Heath, Warrington, deals with consumer complaints for the communications, energy, property and copyright licensing sectors locally and regionally.
The report also reveals that the service received more than 122,000 new contacts, 490 a day, from consumers needing help with a complaint.
Speaking at the House of Lords, Chief Ombudsman Lewis Shand-Smith says: “We have streamlined processes, introducing new ways of working and investing in cutting-edge technology to speed up the time it takes to respond to consumer complaints. There’s more work coming through and over 90% of complaints are resolved within six weeks.
“This is an exciting time in consumer affairs: awareness of consumer rights is high, and both the UK government and the EU want to strengthen consumer redress. Our model of dispute resolution, which is independent, free to the consumer and at low cost to the industry is in demand.”
Ombudsman Services are based in the Victorian Brew House in Stockton Heath.
The annual report in full can be accessed via their website here.