They said this… · Complaints & ombudsmen

“An ombudsman cannot consider the law at all”

Generally incorrect

Many ombudsman schemes are required or expected to have regard to law, regulation and good practice while applying their own fair-and-reasonable/remit tests.

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Why this answer

What actually matters

  • They are not courts and do not necessarily apply judicial procedure or remedies.
  • The scheme’s terms of reference determine the exact test.
  • A legal rule can still be highly relevant to what a fair outcome requires.

What you could say

Keep the response tied to the actual rule.

Evidence

What to have beside you

  • Original complaint with numbered issues
  • Final response or decision
  • Chronology and evidence index
  • A comparison showing which issues were answered, partly answered or omitted

If they still refuse

Move the dispute forward.

  1. Separate disagreement with an outcome from a factual/process error in how it was reached.
  2. Check the scheme’s jurisdiction, time limits and internal review/challenge route before escalating.
  3. Do not assume a regulator and an ombudsman perform the same function.

Read the full rules

Go deeper before escalating.

Primary guideRead the detailed ConsumerWise guidance.Failure-to-answer analysisRead the full guide.Challenging a decisionRead the full guide.How ombudsmen workRead the full guide.