What Does the Ombudsman Actually Do?
When a complaint against a local council cannot be resolved directly, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) steps in as an independent referee. Their job is to investigate whether the council acted fairly, followed proper procedures and treated you reasonably.
The ombudsman service is free to use and exists to hold public bodies accountable. It aims to provide an impartial review when you have exhausted the council's own complaints process. The ombudsman can recommend remedies such as apologies, service changes and, in some cases, financial compensation, though these outcomes are never guaranteed.
The LGSCO cannot force councils to comply with recommendations. While most councils do follow them voluntarily, largely due to reputational concerns and public accountability expectations, there is no legal requirement to do so. This is one area where the system has faced criticism.
Tell us what went wrong and find out which ombudsman or regulator can help, whether it is worth escalating, and exactly how to take your complaint further.
Try our Which Ombudsman Do I Need? free, here on this site →Why Some People Question the System
Not everyone has confidence in how ombudsman services operate. Over the years, campaign groups have raised concerns about perceived bias and inconsistent handling of complaints.
One such group, the Local Government Ombudsman Watch, was established to highlight what it saw as problems within the system. The group has argued that the ombudsman can appear too closely aligned with the councils it is meant to scrutinise, and dismissive towards complainants.
These are not isolated voices. The LGSCO's customer satisfaction surveys have historically shown significant levels of dissatisfaction among complainants. While some dissatisfaction is inevitable when people do not get the outcome they hoped for, consistently low approval ratings do raise questions about how the service is perceived by those who use it.
Critics point to several recurring issues:
- Complaints being dismissed in ways that feel inadequately explained, even though the LGSCO does provide reasoning for decisions
- Decisions that appear to favour the council's version of events
- Few avenues for challenging an ombudsman's decision, though a formal review process exists for procedural errors or new evidence
- A lack of transparency in how conclusions are reached
Your situation may be slightly different. ask a question below ↓ and our editorial team will reply with our advice.
The Other Side of the Argument
The LGSCO handles thousands of cases each year. Many complaints are resolved informally or result in findings against councils. The service does secure meaningful outcomes for many people, including compensation payments and changes to council practices.
The ombudsman publishes decision summaries and annual reports, which provide some insight into how cases are handled. These are available on the LGSCO website for anyone who wants to review them.
Another factor is that not every complaint will succeed. The ombudsman looks at whether the council followed proper procedures, not whether the complainant agrees with the decision itself. A council can make a decision you dislike without it being maladministration.
This distinction frustrates many people, but it reflects how the system is designed to work. It is also worth noting that other ombudsman services exist in the UK, such as the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, each covering different types of public body complaints.
What to Do If You Are Not Satisfied
If you disagree with the ombudsman's decision, your options are limited. The LGSCO's rulings cannot be appealed in the traditional sense. However, you can request a review if you believe there was a procedural error or if new evidence has emerged that was not previously available.
In rare cases, it may be possible to seek a judicial review through the courts, though this is expensive and will only succeed if the ombudsman acted unlawfully or irrationally. Legal advice would be essential before taking this route.
You can also contact your local MP, who may be able to raise concerns on your behalf or refer your case back to the ombudsman with additional questions.
For official information about how the ombudsman service works, including how to make a complaint, visit the LGSCO website directly. GOV.UK also provides general guidance on complaining about public services.
The ombudsman system is not perfect, and legitimate concerns about accountability and transparency remain. Whether it will work for your complaint may depend on your expectations and the specific circumstances of your case.
The LA were guilty of serious neglect and fabricating evidence in the CoP but the Social Worker was removed from the case when I brought evidence to the Courts attention. My Father died before the Court could investigate.
LGO told me to wait for the LA to carry out a independent review and only then could they investigate.
I had reams of evidence against the LA.
After the sham Independent Review, I went back to the LGO who now refused to investigate saying it had already been looked at and closed.
I advised the LGO that they told me to come back after the independent investigation by LA but they said it was too late now.
They ignored all the evidence of maladministration and neglect leading to my Fathers death.
They failed to agree the issues they would investigate;
They failed to investigate what they originally decided to look at;
They failed to push the LA for missing evidence;
They failed to disclose any of the evidence that they relied on in their decision;
They determined one issue, when the key evidence was not provided.
It appears that the LA knew that the complaint would be buried.
Litigation lawyers told me that I had to follow the published complaints procedure before they could act and not the complaints procedure has take so long the lawyers are saying im ougt of time to take legal action.
My experience tells me that the system is completely corrupt and they can basically say and do what they want to us without any accountability.
Suffered this for nearly 5 years
There was no kitchen plan and I proved it
The council lied
I was given a slight upgrade, 2 gloss doors, handles, worktop, I didn't claim for a damaged floor
Where the oven was going was a cupboard
Council argued for a year there was a plan
All the time my kitchen things were on the lounge floor, I had to pick up things to cook.
After a year I was told they would re-do the kitchen BUT take away what they had given me.
They refused to add to my kitchen
Shafted by a solicitor who pressured me to settle
He took 3/4 of my compensation
Gave it to me over 5 months
Not enough to buy the cheapest kitchen.
Now the council are holding me to ransom over a radiator.
NO faith in the government Ombudsman or Anyone
I've booked my tickets through tripmonster and since then, they have contacted me twice saying the airline has changed my tickets and in order to confirm the changes, I need to pay them more money. The total cost of the tickets have now exceeded the cost of what the airline charge directly.
I have tried contacting tripmonster on multiple occasions through phone, however, their wait time is over 2 hours and they disconnect the call after. They only deal with emails and do not answer queries except for asking to make a payment. I have contacted the airline who confirm my tickets are booked and I dont need to do anything, however, tripmonster insist I need to pay them more money.
I need help. I dont know what else to do.
Plz assist.
I re complained to the Ombudsman to say the council has failed in the last year to change the situation with a derelict property.
They gave my complaint back to Colin Oxley who referred me to a letter he sent me last year. So back to the same excuse. I said the situation is still the same and The council has not achieved anything.
They don't care they are hiding behind process and PO Box numbers and backing each other up or costing you thousands for an attempt at Justice.
I am now seeking to complain in other ways.
i was. I did not hit my son growing up. We talked things over. I wanted him to learn reasoning and logic and discipline. My son is a Black Boy with a Useless father who paid for his upkeep but no presence or influence. Fast forward Social Services took me to court to take my son aged 12 completely or i have shared care. 7 years later my son amassed 40 Criminal Convictions and currently in jail for 15 years. Now if the Police investigated their charge they wouldve seen the scratches in my sons legs came from the Bushes he was hiding in. They said I did it with a belt. I love my son and would not hit him Viciously as they made out I did. I complained to IPCC about this but as Usual they declined my appeal that they were right and I was Wrong. The Police and Social Services F**** up my Childs life based on a discipline incident. NOT Abuse. They moved him 31 times in 5 years!!!! Which normal person can cope with that? much less a child. I needed help and No One offered me any only insults and Parenting Classes....I complained to the Social Services last year and they did not respond I have now gone to the Ombudsman awaiting their response. I am not happy with the presumptuous lying police (another incident they came to my home assaulted me and then they all lied and made me out to be a crazy screaming woman 2018 I work with Elderly now who love me The think they can do right & no wrong Social Services of Hammersmith and Fulham. I'm putting this out there "for the Rest of My Life I will make noise what you have done to me and mine" Until They accept Li
Fancy taking your noise pollution/ commercial business in a residential area/ Antisocial behaviour/ Trading without a license/ Breaching Planning regulation - ridden issues and complaints to this Facebook page ?
I've had enough of my local Council working for the millionaires, and had enough of the LGO taking liberties !
Come on, of we don't make noise on an independent platform - we will be never be heard, and that's what most councils want, for us to go away and die in a corner somewhere !
If you fancy letting off some steam and giving the Golden middle finger salute to your abusers sat at senior level of your Council then be my guest and send me a message on FB. Let's see what we can do. I'm not sticking around for this LGO rubbish.
Based on my dealings with the LGO, I believe you may be experiencing a culture problem in your organisation. Throughout my dealings with the LGO, I’ve felt a ‘fobbing-off’ attitude from your officers. I found the writing in your decisions to be an inaccurate and biased reflection of my complaint. I believe your officers have picked and chosen what to include in the decision write-up so as not to raise eyebrows when the decision is published on your website. I was left in shock that an organisation which is supposed to be about fairness can be so unfair and biased.
Why not at least leave an explanation?
Will you also delete this (which I have copied) also?
After lengthy email and phone discussions with Licensing, and being told that "various departments ha e visited sute", I was eventually told, "Notice has been served". THAT was in July 2018!
LBC' s Head of Planning then became involved along with a local councillor. After much discussion, scores and scores of emails; formal online complaints on LBC's web site and complaints to the LGO, I was told in September 2019 that "Notice has been served" AGAIN!.
That notice is due to expire on 17th December, which, I believe means the yard should close. I have little to no faith this will happen.
Throughout this whole process, I have been complaining about the knock-on effects of this business, like wrecks being parked, some without tax, some on double yellow lines, on streets all over this ward.
I discovered that the end user for these activities is Euro Parts, a multi-million pound business with a huge warehouse here in Luton!
I have sent dozens of photos along with my complaints over the last 18 months - vehicles, including the several car transporters being used, parked on double yellow lines; vehicles with exposed engine compartments with sharp ragged metal edges. All Luton Borough have done is sent staff around advising them of my complaints and pointing out how to lower their profile.
Local Governments were totally exposed to corruption in the 60's and are well overdue for a repeat.
WHY would a council allow, indeed assist, a multi-million pound company to operate a car breakers yard in a densely populated residential area, without planning permission or licence? And why does DEFRA allow them to operate without a waste disposal licence after their initial response that they would take action against them?
And why, after all this time has the LGO allowed it to go on?
My councillor stopped responding to me in July so I informed them I would withhold council tax payments till normal service was resumed. I made an official complaint about this too but heard nothing from them.
I have now £850 in a seperate online account waiting to be released when I get some satisfaction but, as yet, can't see where this will end up.
From where I stand these people are all in it together. They control the ombudsman, police, local press my MP, who is an "old buddy" of my tongue tied councillor, and magistrates! What chance do the paying public have!!!?
They're all CORRUPT and it STINKS!
All of this hurts and affects your wellbeing because you have none else to turn to or you get remarks from people who think you should just let it go.
I don't know what this site permits in terms of contact - I can't even see how some posts here seem to have been made as replies.
After those 8 months, we ended up in court ultimately losing my children to forced adoption.
18 months later, Judicial proceedings concluded I complain to the statutory authorities about that assessment not being provided. I have to give them their ‘due process’.
The Local Authority Complaints team not investigating because it’s ‘been discussed in court’.
So, I escalate my complaint to the Ombudsman. The Ombudsman as we all know are there to investigate failings by the Local Authority. They are not going to investigate because, you guessed it, ‘discussed in court’.
At no point has the Local Authority been held to account for not providing this assessment. As a consequence of not doing so, a family has been torn apart.
I should point out, it’s fair to say we had a lot of support from the local authority, but because the assessment wasn’t done, insufficient to meet relevant needs and other routes prior to one as draconian as shredding a family to pieces.
It appears, similar to other comments, the Ombudsman has assessed the complaint and found a way to back out of punishing those they should be holding to account.
So, once again but at additional cost, time and emotional expense I’m escalating the matter to a high court for a judicial review.
Shut the LGO down, no one get a fair outcome, nothing in the final response is accurate. To add insult to injury, their final response includes inaccuracies about how I felt and what I thought. It is the covering letter that contains more detail on my real complaint but of course, this will never be seen by anyone but me! How disgusting is this system that allows and aids unlawful behaviours and stamps on the people it should be protecting. I feel angry and betrayed by a system that is hard to challenge.
I'm making notes for an article on this matter, something to polish enough for publication in a printed national newspaper, and am thinking it might be good to pool experiences. I don't know if I can leave contact email here so I will just send this for now and see if there's interest. I've looked at the Transparency International website though and will be sending them my details in the hope that it can be among others' ripples. As far as I'm concerned the LGO and the housing ombudsman, identical in their practices, should be shut down immediately - nothing justifies their current existence. Public money being spent on stitching us up is an outrage. Imagine working for them too, a pathetic and shabby existence.
This whole situation was caused by the failings of the local council to thoroughly investigate an extremely serious wrongdoing by 2 members of their staff.
Update as and when!
I have just endured the LGO' complaint procedure.
A NIGHTMARE ??????.
Patiently went through the delays , apparently a substantial backlog of complaints about councils, as my complaint was.
Gave them information that was one hundred percent truthful and correct.
Now been informed they not even going to consider my complaint for investigation.
Honestly thought I was going to have a heart attack. I am now at stage where I have challenged their second draft and have been given till 27th September to seek advice ( the first time limit was shorter, till I said it wasn't enough time. I am in my 70's and have health problems so you can imagine the pressure and stress I am experiencing.
I seriously think whatever information they receive from myself they have already decided to deny my very serious complaint .
However whilst we recommended the strengthening of accountability; the Local Government Ombudsman, in whatever label best suits them, fail to grasp even the basic concept in Human Rights (article 6) and or misfeasance of public office. I lodged my complaint with the trepidation that the Ombudsman always appears to be weighted towards those one complains about; and in my complaint this was borne out. Lying to the court was acceptable. Lying in a sworn statement did not turn an eye. Clear case of maladministration, failing to respond to letters over 6 months was equally weighted in favour of the Council. The caseworker was of such low accord, he even did not understand the law surrounding the rating system.
Frankly it is hardly surprising one comes across the arrogance of some (not all) council officials. They are truly untouchable in my area. The disgrace is that it frankly is not worth the effort in the time it takes even keeping matters succinct leads to a lack of understanding of the law let alone any remedies. It is time to review the service of the Ombudsman as a blatant unlawful activity is fully supported by the Ombudsman. Of course a Judicial Review will produce (if successful) an Order for the Ombudsman to reconsider the compliant; and often you get the same decision in a slightly different format. Like many of the banks the local authorities are free to mistreat the public as clearly those whose task it is to address the wrongdoing are either too lazy to read the papers and investigate the compliant as they look to take the easier route of (we do not uphold your complaint) rejecting a complaint.
Lambeth Children's Social Services were in breach of complying with sec17 Children Act 89 . I am convinced the Local government ombudsmen service have colluded and advised Lambeth Children's Social Services how to block my complaint from following due process according to Lambeth's complaints procedures.
This really is not a free and fair society for all regardless of class, gender , disability , political persuasion and race.
DOES ANYONE know what I can say to this investigator to get her to wake up and ask questions that are objective and will bring clarity and light to the LPA's gross incompetence???
The LGO is corrupt headed by Michael King and his cronies. To prove this the LGO are using ‘precedent decisiobs’ To respond to people’s individual complaints - I say this as from reading a recent complaint in July 2019 a citizen of the United Kingdom stated that he received a response from Michael King “ How can he allow any member of the Ombudsman staff to respond - We will not investigate the council as it is unlikely we will find any evidence of fault” WHICH IS THE RESPONSE I RECEVEd - please let us all convene in protest of the corruption and the injustice delivered by the LGO who lie about serving the public but are only in power to protect and cradle the mistakes made by Councils and Local Authorities.. the LGO know you cannot SUE the Council because the Governenent has made them Immune to dish out shoddy services and not be held accountable. Please respond and I will revisit this webpage in one month
I mentioned her weight loss several times as I visited her twice a week and was always told that she was fine, they had no worries.
She suffered a serious fall in her room and the Care home refused my mother's Legal rights and did not inform me, despite living just 20 minutes drive away. They were adamant that they did call me but I didn't answer my phone.
My mother's suffered a soft tissue injury. She fell over a the floor strip in her room between the ensuite and her bedroom.
The Care home admitted it was their fault and promised to remove it.
The following morning she fell over again sustaining a fractured hip.
The paramedics declared the room unsafe and put in a Care concern. The paramedics told the manager that her room was unsuitable for a Dementia resident.
I have sent the Emas report which clearly stated that the Manager admitted to failing the patient and that the floor strip was a trip hazard. She had no use of a call bell which the Manager admitted to and was addressing.
All this evidence was sent to the LGO and they have refused to accept it.
The Discharge Note from the first fall states, " soft tissue injury" the LGO insist that she had a UTI, there is no evidence to support this only claims from the owner of the Care home.
She fell at the side of the bed yet the LGO have stated that the Care Provider said she fell at the end of her bed. They say it's erelevant where she fell.
They refuse to include the paramedics report or the NHS Mental Health report even though it was sent to them.
These are the most corrupt people that I have ever come across and my mother died as a result of the treatment that she received at this Care home. Her health deteriorated and she was traumatised. Her wishes and rights were refused and they failed in their duty of care to her, she was self funding and paid almost £600 per week to this care home for her care.
She was seriously underweight, left in pain after her first fall for two days before they decided to contact me, despite her having a Lasting Power Of Attorney in place. Her treatment was a breach against her human rights and she was caused an injustice. The LGO have closed her case. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
The simple answer is NO. Until consumer advocates such as this one/Money Saving Expert/CAB/Shelter/Resolver/Age UK et al, speak out, and repeatedly speak out about the utterly failings of these so-called watchdogs;-nothing will change.
Ombudsmen/Regulators/Safeguarding are not simply failing, they have become Facilitators rather than Regulators,-as one senior medical professional referred to them in a public forum. As they currently exist they have become ratifiers for those they are created to investigate.
I would rather see all these dysfunctional 'Ombudsmen' disbanded rather than adding to the misery and stress of those who approach them to act as an independent body.
It was vital to have watchdogs. Today they are just that: 'dogs' who sit and watch.
Default on multiple services and goods have increased dramatically; simply because providors can get away with what ever they want to do; and they know it.
I am bitter and angry at this, but am far more angry at the silence of those who should be lobbying hard to change this now totally corrupted situation.
Shame on them.
I have been writing directly to the LGO Michael king and his cronies but after sending him a twenty plus page report pointing out all the errors made by Cheshire East Council Planning department s Michael King without giving any professional acknowledgement and direction to next steps I instead received a reply from the exact assessor whom had deliberately closed my case - this abrupt action with the wording ‘do not contact this office again’ forced me to contact my MP George Osborn (who was categorically rubbish and a failure to his responsibility) I had to write to several MPs including the then Minister Sajid Javid Housing and Communitues Secretary but he and his associate MP Atol Sharma were only prepared to answer my case via an MP so via MP Ester McVey I got my complaint to Sajid Javid who responded he could not get involved thus I must write to Michael King LGO which I did .. it is very clear we are dealing with a SPIDERS WEB their will be no justice forthcoming to any member of the public because the system is rigged and fully designed to do nothing when the council gets it wrong and have caused maximum Malpractice (in my case £1.6million pounds worth of malpractice!)
(1) The council advise you to make a formal complaint - which gets registered
(2) The manager of the planning department (who was charged with corruption on another matter / see Cheshire East pollution and tampering to which on TV he apologised) - This manager Fobbed me off and told me to take it up with the LGO
(3) The LGO took down my report and did nothing .. several months later when I enquirer for an update they apologised for back log
(4) my case is read by an LGO who makes a STUPID and ILLOGICAL assumption and closes the file and states ‘ do not contact the LGO again with a strapline ‘if you are not happy with the decision you may start a Judicial Review!)
(5) unaware of costs of judicial review I turn to MPs - MPs waste of time though MP Eater McVey did a brilliant job
The council system is designed to allow the Councils to make catastrophic errors but yet not be held accountable for the suffering their poor errors of judgement cause the public - the councils are aware of this liberty known they are immune and that with the permission and full support of the UK Government and the corrupt and bias LGO know full well that the ‘idiots public citizens’ (that’s you and me) that pay rates and employ the services of the councils to serve us ... will receive NO JUSTICE
If the head of LGO is a Liar (to his testimony written in the newspapers that he understands the need for justice for the public rant rant rant) his assessors follow him - their are never bad students only bad teachers and I blame the head of the LGO Michael King of ever member of the public that has written on this message board and the ones that are yet to write on it
The LGO is in my opinion corrupt, unfit for purpose and totally biased towards councils. It is there as a back up to councils and not for resolving residents complaints and councils know this when they do not answer complaints and recommend you place your complaint to the LGO.
Several of my complaints have all ended up the same way. Not one endorsement! Residents are being openly ripped off by councils, abused, denied their Rights, and deprived of services whilst their captive charges Council Tax spirals out of control with increases several times that of inflation and services being the worst ever whilst the fat cats at the top just laugh at you.
The LGO should scrapped and replaced by a totally independent body controlled by Council Tax Payers and a Government Officer so that some form of sense and sensibility can be maintained instead of the continual ‘computer says no’ response that dominates this organisation. Evidence and statements are available for proof.
Any case links that are published for me to review?
The complaint concerned my Local Council RDC about their enactment of the one sided Tree Preservation Orders. As my family has protected characteristics under the EQA 2010, RDC accepted in a decision notice when we tried to fell the tree that reasonable adjustments were available in the form of a charity helping collecting tree debris from a large 100-150 year Chestnut tree. The help did not materialise and we lodged this with the Council who refused to comment further. The matter was sent to the LGO who in turn it appears have done very little if nothing investigating this aspect. Instead they commented solely on our decision not to appeal.
There has been no mention of the EQA 2010, the policies forming PCPs under the Act and hey ho, it's business as usual for the Council.
The LGO & any Ombudsman in this Country would be an absolute joke if the implications were not so serious. They are assisting in the decline of faith in Councils and government and I certainly would like to see them disbanded. This problem is now so serious and the corruption so evident, I have no faith in our governments, or way of life which the UN commented as having become mean-spirited.
Hopefully the LGO will see through the councils lies and deception.
1. he could not see I had suffered loss / hardship / injustice
2 comm council are generaly part time, and don't have same resources as larger
bodies.
This of course is common in most comm council.
how could he know the council's capacity without an investigation ?
I asked council for complaints procedure, but it did not have one, and took 5 months to establish one when a model for councils is easily available on internet.
It decided and recorded in official meeting minutes to pay an individual £500 with public money (breaching financial regulations it adopted 6 months earlier) it was told from outside the council this was unlawful. recorded in minutes that expert said there was no evidence of wrong doing because a cheque was not written, but after FOI request council can not provide any evidence of the expert's alledged opinion. Expert stated he had no record of responding on the issue Ombud said I had not suffered because of this decision to use £500 of public money.
10 years ealier the council lost sums to fraud by clerk because councillors were singing blank cheques. Case made headlines.
Recorded in minutes it had failed to resolve my complaint using steps 1 and 2 when emails confirm I had not reached step 2.
council relased my personal data on website, and breached 2 of my FOI requests t
If I report someone polluting a river to the environment authority, or someone vandalising public property to the Police, I will not have to justify personal loss / hardship or injustice before they take action
useless - will never use Ombud again.
I wrote to dwp asking for new assessment for pip during 2015 as i was at this time claiming dla high mobility and low care once my new claim was assessed and i was refered to capita walsall assessment centre for face to face assessment during 2016 i wasnt given any points and went to citizens to do mandatory the decision refusing to change there decision to except me for pip i went back to citizens whom refered me to welfare rights whom did nothing apart from do a statement for appeal to tribunal she did not speak or advise me on anything i had assessment and report from adult social worker which was fabricated in parts during 2016 my appeal at tribunal was postponed for medical reports to be sent to tribunal which they paid for and requested them from my gp surgery my second and appeal date to hear my appeal i explained how ill my daughter in law was as she had previously given birth which caused her health issues and i also explained that my partner and me as support was assessed as potential carer and support giver for our grandson if it was that neither parents could look after there son i also explained what i have to do as at the time my partner worked nights and i was doing short walks with my dog while my partner was sleeping and some times doing bits in my garden which during 2016 my next door neighbour and her daughter was recording me and our conversations which once it came out as i reported them both my neighbour esculated this with other neighbours and people passing by and her boyfriend and his family began recording me standing by there back gates with there phones listening to our family conversations which were private i thought that i won my tribunal and was awarded pip but recently discovered it was set up to look that way as we had been going through family court and complaining through council complaints procedure which closed as we got to ombusman no solicitiors i have contacted say they cant help me im passed from one to another and also law society and civil legal advice s I mething fishy going on an noone ive spoke to appears to know or are unwilling to say although i am having to go through this all again as i discovered i have never been on pip and told it is a new claim i sent in earlier this year all this has caused me to appear dishonest and i aint had a clue what was going on i discovered this recording dwp about my new pip claim and tomlin order and also i found that dwp has caused which hunt in usa against benfit claimants and on birmingham law centre and looking through my pip records from tribunal in 2016 i went to citizens and asked about why i have detention in legal custody on my tribunal records during 2016 but told by an agent at citizens that she disn5 know about it yet i discovered she was/had worked in walsall service centre and was in wolverhampton cab to investigate me and others on benefits as i have seen many pe
Reading your coment i have had problems with council complaints procedure and case closed once it got to lgo seems to me it is a common problem and those involved should be exposed legally but i wonder if it will ever happen and the worry and fear of exposing anyone what could happen doing so.
The LGO is aware
What is it that stops the media looking into the failures of the LGO and publicising the public's concerns?.
I will begin my story with documented criticism of my Local Council from :
A High Court Judge
"I have found some witnesses evasive, some untruthful in their evidence and some both of these things"
"negligent management permeates this case"
" I am unable to accept the witness statement it does not square with the documents"
Information Commisioner
"The commissioner would be very concerned to see another case where the quality of its response is so poor"
" The commissioner considers this a contradiction of the Council's own guidance on how it will conduct these procedures"
Independent Investigator
"Thus in summary my finding are that the complaints process itself was weak and remains so"
"This doubtless created an impression of a Council in some disarray"
All of which the LGO are fully aware of, not only did they fail to take action on my complaint they ignored at least 10 requests for a personal interview despite the fact I was willing to travel to them and I even offered to pay for the officers time.
Over the coming weeks I will provide examples of some serious maladministration including.
Fraudulent documents
Amending the Constitution for personal advantage
Bullying
Falsifying statistics
Manipulating Council procedure and policies to prevent being exposed
Wasting Millions of pounds
Misleading affidavit
Misleading a High Court Judge
£20,000 on a rigged reports
The list goes on.
Yet again the LGO were fully aware of all this and still no real investigation.
In a letter from the LGO its states "The Ombudsman has the statutory authority to exercise his discretion to decide when and whether to initiate, discontinue or complete an investigation"
What will it take to get the LGO to listen and take action.
Foot note: I submitted my complaint to the LGO after 5 months my case was passed to a second LGO assessor due to the long term illness of the first within 2 weeks I was sent the interim decision letter which was not in my favour. I responded by requesting an extension of the time limit to respond which the LGO procedures allow. Within the week my submission was rejected without any reference to my extension request despite it being the first line of my response, when I complained the LGO supported the assessor.
We are confident that when we pursue this matter legally that we would be in a favourable position.
In the meantime I advise we all work together and expose this fraudulent corrupt organisation at the expense of tax payers money
Son in Low Secure Unit even though last three Responsible Clinicians have stated he has No degree of mental illness. Sent there by despicable forensic psychiatrist whose report on him was obsolete before it was even published. She didn't even have the decency to turn down our request for a 2nd assessment when he made quick and dramatic recovery from alternative therapy. She simply ignored us, so off he went to somewhere described as totally "inappropriate" for him by his own Consultant Psychiatrist, who tried to discharge him and was stopped by the Local so-called "care" team, who frightened him into going against his own professional judgement.
My husband is the only member of our family who is able to visit our son and keep his spirits up. Each trip which he makes most weeks is a round trip of 550 miles for him. Our son is very grateful and has offered to pay his fuel expenses which he does. However, Low Secure Unit regulations regarding patients use of their mobile phone means the patient is intimidated into breaching Data Protection Act by handing over all contact details to the authority and no doubt the police if required, my son has NO POLICE RECORD AT ALL, so he refused to divulge that information. Therefore, no access to his phone and he was unable to receive a security text from his bank to make on-line payments to his father. So he gave his father his bank card to enable him to take money out for petrol (and his own phone expenses when keeping in touch via skype and the Ward's payphone).
Hospital refer this scenario to social services. Unknown social worker unexpectedly turns up at hospital, shows no ID, and with a forensic CPN, gets my son in a room behind closed doors to discuss my husband having his bank card.
My son explains why, also explains that he is very grateful to his father for visiting and keeping his spirits up, also explains that we have joint Power of Attorney over him. Not long after, I get an email as nearest relative from this social worker, They are carrying out a Safeguarding Investigation and my husband is the target. She refuses to go any further and refuses to enlighten me, wishing to speak on the phone which is problematic for me as I work as a live-in Carer in a remote location 24/7.
I ask her to put things in writing to my home address for my consideration and response. She refuses. Smell a rat, anyone? My son complains in writing about this social worker and how she has clearly ignored what info he gave to her - no response. He complained to the Local Govt Ombudsman, no response. I went through the Council's complaints process, they were not budging. Local
It is time consuming and hard work to find the truth and do the right thing and it was easy for LGO to brush aside the complaint as soon as possible. If LGO assessors cannot do their job right, then why they are there in the first place, and get paid by tax payers? I was advised by the assessor's line manager that I could go for a Judicial Review, if I am not happy with their decision, and at no stage I was told about their complaint procedure. I understand that most of LGO assessors are ex-council emplyees so they are on the side of council. Why making a complaint against LGO is so difficult?
2.01) LGO Watch was founded in 2003 by Gary Powell and Public Service Ombudsman Watchers in 2006 by Trevor R Nunn. LGO Watch was originally set up as a campaigning website whilst Public Service Ombudsman Watchers was set up to expose Public Service Ombudsmen to public scrutiny. They were merged in 2009 but due to other commitments the original objective of LGO Watch was changed to one of helping others campaign rather than initiating and coordinating campaigns ourselves.
I am a landlord and I have spoken to the following organisations on their behalf: the energy ombudsmen, consumer citizens advice & trading standards. All off them ,without exception, said they could not help as we are not receiving electricity from a main supplier but from a sub-meter. It was recommended we contact a solicitor but it’s difficult to find one who specialises in this complicated matter.
I then spoke to a number of local councillors, informing them that the tenant was desperate and asked for help. This resulted in a threat of me being served with an Emergency Prohibition Order within 24 hours. Had the tenants agreed to this they would been vacated the following day and moved into emergency council accommodation in a different city.
It’s really unfair that these organisations will not or cannot intervene. What a waste of money and time contacting them
I report the problems to their own special anti social team or my housing officer only for them to be logged and quietly buried.
I thought about the housing ombudsman but it seems like this will be a waste of time too. Housing associations are a national scandal.
I wonder if this is all deliberate government policy - to make social housing as uncomfortable as possible so as to make private renting more attractive...
UK local councils can get away with corruptions and they are not accountable for their maladministration. I feel like I am living in a third world country.
Sadly it's pointless complaining to the bias LGO and you can see how Councils get away with some much corruption given that those who are supposed to oversee them are equally corrupt.
The result is peoples compliants being ignored and incidents such as the Grenfell Fire Disaster occurring along with biased public inquires.
The LGO just demonstrates how corrupt and disgusting this country really is.
I'd like to say I'm shocked to realise that if LGO advises an LA should investigate and the LA refuses then the LGO is happy to make do with what it has. But I've slowly realised over the past 2 years that if LAs refuse to look into anything then there will be no information to review and our Local Authorities can get away with what they like.
I didn't realise LGO had no legal qualifications (just looked at the Job Description). My eyes have opened to the reality of the society we are really living in. Micky Mouse state?
Mick King the actual Local Government Ombudsman used to work at Northumberland County Council.
Northumbria Police have just launched an investgation in to the finances and governance of Northumberland County Council according to media reports.
So that speaks volumes.
I note pages of criteria which have to be met before LGO will investigate - not either/or criteria but also/and criteria. Pages and pages.
Complaint is against Stockport MBC planning and an unsafe grant of planning permission. Record of such complaints (as shown on LGO website) is 0/13 where 0 is the legitimate needs of the people and 13 the jack boot of the fascist state as wielded by the LGO. So I have little chance of LGO finding in my favour. I do have positive things to say about ombudsmen - I used FOS once and was awarded £122,000. Rock n' roll.
But I now understand why the lying Stockport MBC were goading me to use LGO. Stockport MBC, through online record, can lie with impunity, because LGO have always supported them. And within minutes I found LGO on-line decision that was clearly officious, high-handed, arrogant and wrong. But I suspect if I take the lot of them to court I would lose because Judiciary are all part of the same cabal.
My argument is that the people have reasonable expectation for planning applications to be determined correctly, according to planning guidelines, rules, and procedures, which obviously alter from time to time.
I reckoned that I had got Stockport MBC banged to rights - until I read all the sad stories on here about the LGO.
I wonder if anyone can advise how long it is likely to take LGO to contact me with an indication as to whether LGO will investigate or not?
Still at least I don't live near or work in Coventry.
Not even response from them. Inquest January.
I'm told to complain to LGO Ombusman. After reading people comments on here, I don't know what to do now.
It has become as cheapened as any councils' it investigates.
In my case the same councillor on a different subject reared his head and managed to completely put the same bias back in to a situation
They seem to use one example to say something is incorrect and the same example to say it is correct
There is no hope of winning against the council even in law
For there ombudsman to say that they r responsible to the general public not to waste their funds when if the council kept to there own regulations in my case a simple letter would have been the only cost
I am convinced that all this is cut backs by whichever government and council officials are there simply to say a BIG no to everything
We submitted a complaint to South Lanarkshire Council about this manager and our complaint was passed to that same manager for investigation????? the outcome? well yet another thing they refuse to acknowledge.
We asked for a new assessment to assess our sons needs and so far this has been refused on the grounds that they feel there is no need for another assessment.
so why did i say Labour was bullying my son? well here it goes:
We approached the Scottish government for help and they replied that ministers cannot intervene on council decisions, so that despite the law breaking and bullying they would not help. we approached our local council representatives from Labour SNP and Conservatives for help and advice: SNP are trying their best but insist they cannot intervene in education decisions: Labour said they would look into it then did not reply and have since refused to answer any further contact: Conservatives just ignored us without even a reply.
So at this point we had John Swinneys department and Nicola Sturgeons' secretary state they cannot get involved as ministers cannot intervene in council decisions REMEMBER THIS POINT!!!!
When the CSP was refused we received an undated letter stating why, so far no reason for bashing Labour HOWEVER!!!!!!!!!
We received an email showing South Lanarkshire Council and Labour had breached the Councillors code of conduct sections 3.4 inclusive and 3.5.5 and had broken data protection act 1998 by sending an email regarding their CSP decision to an unintended 3rd party. The email was sent asking a high ranking elected Labour official to approve the CSP refusal and had a copy of the letter we received for this individual to approve before it was sent to us??????
Now we had been told previously that NO MINISTERS OR ELECTED OFFICIALS can get involved yet the council are asking the a Labour party elected official to approve an education decision????????????????
When we contacted South Lanarkshire Council and they have stated that the individual involved should not have been asked and it was an admin error?????? So the head of South Lanarkshire Council admin mistakenly sent an email to this individuals secretary on a first name basis and asked asked for this individual in person/name by accident???????
I contacted Labour for an explanation and they refuse to give me one stating i would need to contact the individual myself but i already did and he states no such email was sent.
So South Lanarkshire Council have broken 5 laws and Labour have broken the Councillors code of conduct and the complaint process will take roughly another 3-4 months to draw a conclusion conveniently after the local elections, i refuse to wait that long and will start a campaign to show the country how Labour are willing to flaunt the laws and regulations.
despite all this public standards commission say there is no evidence to conduct an investigation
My 9 year old autistic son was able to walk out of school un-noticed on 6th May 2016 and was found approx 1.7 miles away by a member of the public, this was only the start of our nightmare.
South Lanarkshire refuse to investigate and we have a response to show that they feel the situation did not justify a full investigation and a joke report that looks like it was written by a primary school child was all we would receive and the excuse for what happened? playground monitor bent down to tie another kids shoe??? really???
This report does not even come close to being accurate and is full of obvious lies that show no intention of even looking into what happened as they cannot even get the basic facts right like what time the school called the police, the police report for 6th May states a time that is 17 minutes off the time this joke report states and South Lanarkshire Council 100% ignore this in any correspondence avoiding the subject whenever they can. Further to this the school did not even bother to call either of his parents and left a message with a 15 year old girl (his big sister), yet another topic avoided in all correspondence.
We have been asking for a risk assessment on that school since 2014 after our son had twice stated he was out the school grounds, so far this is also being ignored.
We asked for a CSP in January 2016, the normal process is a response in 16 weeks or 24 weeks in extenuating circumstances yet it took South Lanarkshire Council 1 year to give us an answer, which they refused to do (and more about Labour corruption on this will follow).
We asked for a subject access request FOI request which again was 6 weeks over legal guidelines .
Part of this FOI shows an email from Educational psychology to the education department stating that they had safety and security concerns about that school because our son was not the first child to get out and the education department are well aware of this.
We submitted a placing request for a grant funded school and this was refused on the grounds of expense yet after months of bullying and our son having no school we had no choice but to accept a place within South Lanarkshire Council but this placement would include an extra teacher and support teacher for that class???? is this cheaper than the fees for the school????
The other school require South Lanarkshire Council to do an assessment which South Lanarkshire Council outright refuse to complete and because of this we are unable to proceed to to a tribunal so more bullying on the part of South Lanarkshire Council.
We submitted a
I have 2 campaigns/petitions and a facebook group set up but no one doesn't seem to be joining in spite of me sharing the names of them on here. What I've noticed; some people talk and moan about the system but not prepared to do anything positive about it. I tried posting the direct links on here but the admin don't seem to accept links.
{{{The Local Government Ombudsman's final decision on Council and HMO landlord. They are all really one (government) organisation with different names. And the LGO is not an independent organisation as claimed... They are the council's Lawyer. I'm very disappointed with all 3 outcomes after 16 months of agony, stress, anxiety, high blood pressure, mild stroke and hospitalised, all because the council forced this HMO situation upon me. Is as if they have put a loaded gun to my head! The whole system is stacked against the ordinary people and there is no justice for us! They can do as they choose and get away with it, because they know we're helpless against them!
I'm told the only option left for me now, is to challenge their decision through the judicial review in the High Court.
The LGO 'final' decision wasn't any different from their 'draft' decision...in spite of all my evidence I submitted in support of my complaint; they were ignored because investigator already made her mind up with her draft decision to defend and support the council}}}
I would have posted the final decision and my comments & defence on here, but this page doesn't allow long posts. So, anyone wants to read it will have to join my campaigns/petitions or facebook group. I've been doing everything over the last 16 months to get justice and also expose the council/s and LGO for what they are...
Thank you!
Exactly vjhv, they sent me the customer satisfaction form while I was still waiting for a final decision from the investigator. I informed them (inc. the investigator) "I won't fill the form and comment until I've had a response to the final decision is made." After about 2 weeks or so...I didn't get any response whatsoever. Because I knew the investigator had no intention to consider my comments and evidence, (going on previous actions...and contrary the promises...), I decided I had enough...waiting in vain, so I filled the CS form, obviously with the lowest scores and comments and criticised the LGO/investigator in it too. Then form I contacted investigator again with... (posted below, 3-Feb-17 @ 2:06 PM). Up to date 12/02/2017 no acknowledgement/reply.
These are (I assume) ordinary people that were part of the public (like you and me) that we put into power; but when they get there, it seems they turn into rats. And it's all has to do with 'MONEY' and nothing about morality! These people/organisations build one's hope up and then destroy it! Is this part of what is known as the human race; and money & corruptions would always be in place?
My local council is Stevenage Borough council. They lied and covered up evidence of the severity of noise of 5 fire doors and 1 extra main entrance door from (their) HMO landlord's house. They had no proof of their lies...but still, the LGO agreed and supported them; where I have vital concrete proof to support my complaint, but, they weren't interested and dismissed them. It was as though I didn't make a complaint and didn't matter. Well now I know, I don't matter to them, where their HMO tenants do.
Now after 15 months, fighting aginst a system that's corrupt and no one to fight in my corner, I understand the only option left is to take the council to court. But there again that in itself is expensive - about £60 p/h to hire a lawyer, and there is no legal aid, and the council will still be protected. So it doesn't matter whichever way we turn it is impossible to win the council because they are the law and regulations - that they can break and use to justify their own means and use them in their favour.
The Councillor and MP were useless and didn't care either. So we can cry out as much as we want; "something ought to be done about the council and LGO," but it's falling on deaf ears because there aren't anyone listening - unless you have bags of money to take them to court. And even that's not 100% certain we'll win; because the whole system is corrupt and designed to benefit the elite!
Correspondance:
ME
15 December 2016, you informed me: “I am on annual leave from this afternoon until 4 January so my response will be sent on my return.”
ME...
I waited...and no contact from you. Then I contacted you again, 2 January 2017, informing you: “I forgot was to attach pictures of houses... Mine and HMO neighbour's house is exactly like the black house. And the white house is what the council have renovated and brought up to environmental standard - (sound proofing and stud walling etc). So, the white house used to be like the black house before the renovation that would have made it soundproof and eco-friendly.”
INVESTIGATOR...
03 January 2017, you responded: “Thank you for your email of 2 January, receipt of which I confirm. I will have regard to this email alongside your earlier comments. I will write to you again shortly.”
ME...
13 January 2017, I replied to you: “I'm just following up regarding the outcome of your final decision.”
INVESTIGATOR...
16 January 2017, you responded: “Thank you for your two emails sent of 13 January. I will be writing to you this week addressing the comments you have raised in response to my decision on your complaint. I am sorry I have not done so sooner however I have had a number of matters to address on my return to work. I have set aside a day later this week to consider your comments fully.”
ME…
18 January 2017, I contacted you again:
“Thanks for that...”
“I've obtained the following information (from a person in a similar situation as me) for you to consider in support of my case/decision:”
HMO regulations state that the only outside factor an HMO Committee must consider is potential noise disturbance due to "design flaws" in the building. Also look at article 8 of the human rights act. Local authorities have to take positive steps to protect you from noise.
ME...
26 January 2017, I didn’t get a reply, so sent the following: “I suspect you have no intention to consider your draft decision.”
“This draft decision answer has been going on for much too long while I'm still suffering! It seems to me I'm not important as the councils and their HMO landlord and you are not bothered, and already made your mind up in your draft decision.” And I suspect you're ignoring it, still in support and sticking up for the council, in spite of all my comments and evidence; where the council haven't submitted to you any hard evidence to their denials.”
“You disregarded the importance of my complaint is appalling and you should be investigated!” If I don't get a positive reaction from you within the next week, I'll be starting legal proceeding against the council, and see if I can do the same against you/the LGO for the willful, biased way you've handled my complaint against the council and the disregard you had for me in the process of your "so-called" investigation.”
“Confirm receipt
the fact that I was refused to speak at a council committee meeting in public speaking time when no one else wanted to use the time was open to interpretation given the issue was part of the committees remit but not on that particular agenda by the LGO, but they refused to recognise the fact that having registered to speak two weeks in advance I was not told at any stage I would not be allowed to speak and was left siting in the meeting unapproached for one and a half hours, with other items brought forward on the agenda before public speaking time, waiting and expecting to speak only to be refused when public speaking time eventually was offered with no apology from the LA committee chair about my having been not informed and left to wait. It was a deliberate act from what I have heard subsequently. the LGO paid that treatment no attention whatsoever in judging against my complaint.
The LGO has in the past spoken in favour of LA Scrutiny examining planning issues and when I discovered recently in trying to have a planning matter reviewed by Scrutiny at my LA that was refused on the basis the Localism Bill no longer allows planning matters to be reviewed in by the LA at Scrutiny (or it seems anywhere else). When I pressed the matter asking my LA simply if it had read the material that had been submitted to it they refused to even confirm that, never mind failing to deal with several key questions that needed answering over their dealing with a particular planning issue, and on closing their book on the issue told me if I persisted in pressing these questions they would consider me to be becoming 'vexatious'. I wrote to the LGO to point out how disappointing this lack of engagement by an LA with a needed review of a planning issue was and suggesting how disappointed they must be given their past support for planning issues in meriting review by an LA Scrutiny. Response? The LGO refused to respond to my missive; even to the minimal point of simply thanking me for contacting them about this. Worse than useless.
As a community campaigner of many years standing what I am seeing now from Government, LAs and their pet poodle organisations such as the LGO in a concerted move to restrict public and community engagement in their decision making process at all levels. These are indeed dark times for UK democracy. Day to day our lives ever more fall under the heavy hand of elective dictatorship. The LGO as it now operates constitutes one of the fingers on that hand. Localism and its operative tentacles in this context is far more a barrier to public engagement in local government decision making processes than a conduit to enable it.
Exodus 23:1
"For the price of promotion
And justice to sell
May the judged be their judges when they rot down in hell"
The council department which are at fault were allowed to investigate themselves at stage one and two of their sham of a complaints procedure, then we go to the LGO. Everything I have read is coming true, the LG O are truly useless and corrupt and are insisting the council are not at fault, despite overwhelming evidence. I have won a review from the LGO and now they look as though they are going to stick with their original decision without even justifying why. Apparently, according to my MPs office, they cannot do this, so I will have them justify it, which they cannot!
I am truly shocked at how blatantly biased and disgraceful they are,but I do get the impression that they do not want an official complaint, which I will surely soon be making.
In a nutshell, in my case, the council planning officer deliberately nodded through a fraudulent planning application which should not have been determined. The LGO went to great lengths, including a phone call to persuade me that there was no fault. Luckily, they put their findings in a letter and most of the points they made, to not investigate, were false and I proved it. At the moment, I am waiting for them to come back to me with a justification. That will be interesting! The name of the Inspector is Paul Lewis and he has stemmed determined, from the offset, that he will not investigate this case. I even had a sportsmanship bet with my MP about this and I think I have won. He has been particularly dismissive and contemptuous, and does not seem even to read what I send in.
I am not surprised about what I have just read about the LGO and something needs to be done. I will certainly take this up with my MP, but please get back to me so I can join up with your organisation too.
Thanks,
Nick Dixon
,
And even though Halifax agreed to pay me back money for further advances that had been lengthened without my knowledge .. Ombudsman said it didn't have to. Can you get your breath
So Halifax are not going to pay me back now because ombudsman said .
The ombudsman also said that they did not believe at time of sale that me and my husband had told Halifax we were in debt management plan.
Ombudsman say that credit checks would not necessarily flag this up. He said he had thought long and hard and decided we had not told Halifax this. He had my case on Friday 7 th March. Decision received by post not upheld 10th Match. Complete joke..
Ombudsman need to be investigated. There are so many people who believe they are going to get a fair hearing when in some cases depending on the bank they won't .Customers are just going through the motions and wasting their time.
Ombudsman are siding with the banks whenever they can .
Having worked in Legal Industry for 14 years in Australia, a British Citizen, I am recently shocked, appalled at recent decision making of the Legal Ombudsman in England, which results in the question as above "Can one Trust the Legal Ombudsman" regards plea of assistance, and or with a complaint.
What does one do under the following circumstances...
1.
Legal Ombudsman informs there are no documents of evidence that they have viewed that indicated a Law Firm oversaw a Probate Case, after which based their decision making on these wrongful assumptions, stating they could not accept or assist in complaint raised, directing one to go to the Executrix to make the complaint, by the way who was deceased and known to be deceased by the Legal Ombudsman. Indicates Legal Ombudsman doe not view all evidence facts presented 100% correctly or with professional care.
2.
On informing Ombudsman their wrongful assumption, i.e.discrepancy, error was in place, raising awareness one had provided a document of proof evidence. Although Legal Ombudsman acknowledged on raising this awareness document of proof was in their possession and Law firm acted on the Probate,finally, Legal Ombudsman, then stated, Yes, there was a document, acknowledged stated in writing, Yes, they had viewed the Document, and Yes, the Law Firm did oversee the probate i.e. reversed their advices previously, yet informed, they STILL CONTINUED with their first decision making not to assist my complaint. On asking for explanation my request which was not unwarranted due to circumstances was ignored.
3.
One meets all requirements of criterias and rules regards time frames to place complaint, yet Legal Ombudsman states one does not meet time frames. On one asking the Legal Ombudsman to elaborate and explain which of the three requirements they feel one does not meet, for peace of mind, this request, is ignored.
6.
What happens when the Legal Ombudsman stand and views of what is reasonable and not reasonable, what may be unreasonable may be a wrongful personal opinion in their decision making,especially if there are extraordinary circumstances in place regards this area, that are ignored and not given consideration.
5.
Finally, months later, still fighting and pleas for review, based on unfair decison making and lack of explanations, regards decison making, is appalling and unbelievable to experience, a staff member at Legal Ombudsman, overseeing please for review, quotes case closed, yet also raises to one a reminder that one has not to forget, regards plea for review not accepted, "The Legal Ombudsman, could not see any document of proof of evidence, to allow acceptance of complaint", this shows how frightening the internal system is, that a staff member has not fully investigated viewed all documents, under their responsibility professional care regards
bloody cheek of them i say
Another Surveyor for the courts attention had been done and the Surveyor had forget to inspect my loft for defects and instructions were already given to the Solicitor to tell him what to look for in my original documents to which the Solicitor charged me the hourly rate to look at these
The Legal Ombudsman had made there final decision after the Solicitors excuses were unexceptable and found to be lies and told me that the decission was final.
I strongly believe they have not fully investigated my case and have taken sides with this firm,now they are saying i would have to take this matter private,i find this absolutely outragous and a cover up
If you have a problem with the banks, or in my case, the Cheshire Building Society (now Nationwide).
I asked them to transfer funds to my account in Panama as I was going there to pay my property taxes so the sale of the house could go through. When I got there, the funds didn't arrive. I had to fly back to UK. The Cheshire building Soc told me Bank of America had rejected the transfer because there was wrong information. I had provided all the info from Natwest. Turns out some goon entered the wrong info. My money was transfered to a holding account. The idiots didn't even contact me or try to send the money again.
I had to fly back to Panama to pay my taxes, total cost £1500 for flight and hotel, etc.
The Cheshire offered me £100 compensation.
I contacted the Ombudsman. After 12 months, the Ombudsman said they didn't believe I had to go back to Panama and that £100 was fair compensation. I said, I can prove I had to go back by getting a letter from my lawyer and the Panama Property Taxes office to explain the urgency of those taxes being paid, but the Ombudsman didn't want to know. They said they stand by their decision. A legal document as proof and the Ombudsman won't change their decision.
I have heard of so many accounts of people loosing money because of this gang of amateurs at the Financial Ombudsman. Take advice, do not use them as you will loose more money. This organization should be shut down, it is like Social Services, they are out to protect their themselves and the multi-nationals. They are not, I repeat, NOT looking for your interests
Taking a case to the LGO or the FOS does not mean you will get any sort outcome that could be expected of a Criminal or Civil court. Never make the mistake of expecting the same justice as you would be entitled to in those courts. They can be biased, incompetent, and plain disbelieving. They will look after the interests of those you complain about. As I have found, they avoid any investigation of the purpitrators who are at the root of your complaint and ignore any supporting evidence you produce. They can and
nd do ignore the principals of justice used by the courts of " beyond all reasonable doubt" and the " balance of probabilities" . They have there own definition of how they arrive at decisions such as the Financial Ombudsman's "fair and reasonable". What is fair and reasonable does not mean anything really because it is what they think and not what is enshrined in law. They are free to tilt the scales of justice any which way they want because they are unfettered by any real principals and they can do anything they want, so do not expect justice, in the normal sense of the word, from them.
You have been warned.
The council stopped this after she had done 1 years course there.
The ombudsman had taken ages but found in our favour and her decision was to order them to provide transport, the council were not happy with this and asked for the assistant ombudsman to investigate it, she did a complete reversal of the officer who had investigated the case for months and found no fault with the council.
I and my other daughter are disabled and unable to transport this daughter to college she is now sitting at home and has become very solitary, her doctor is worried about the effect it has had upon her health.
I cannot believe the actions of the ombudsman and the result their action has had on my daughter.
The latest ombudsman took no notice of any evidence that I provided and has ignored the law that states that disabled young must have access to education.
It goes without saying that the Bank hires a top smooth sweet talker who after a while will become a good friend to the Ombudsman.
So what chance does that individual stand.
A high Street Bank re-mortaged my home 24 years ago. I I took out a Loan of a mere £16,000 on an Equity Basis. The Bank changed hands three times but I always paid into the account much more than I should have. I took the mortgage term out for originally 21yrs tops.
2011 my mortgage should have ended. My Insurance which I always PAID WITH MY MORTGAGE refused to pay out. In fact they now state they have no record of this Equity Insurance I claim to have.
My mortgagors however strange enough are saying that I have to pay for another 7 years. Which I know I did not sign up for. That would make my mortgage a 31year term. Back then the most you could do was 25 years.
I have also found out that they have added on to my mortgage bill another £10,000 that I NEVER AGREED TO AND HAVE NEVER TAKEN. But apparently I am not allowed and no one will give me legal representation to sort this out. I have been told to go to the Community Legal Advisors who tell me over the phone that they do not do legal representation. All solicitors seems to say they do not go against the Banks or Government (as this is who they are now protected by), The Financial Services Ombudsman actually stated this over the telephone "At the end of the day we are financed by the very service we investigate and there is only so much we can do, or they might cut our service altogether.
So please if I have evidence to the contrary and the CAB, Legal Aid Solicitors, and the Civil rights councils cannot help who do I go to for Legal representation in Court?
P.s. they also took away my investment which was fixed long-term and in a Bank which by my reckoning would have PAID OFF THE MORTGAGE TWICE OVER but they are exempted from prosecution in this as well.
I am told I just have to live with it. Please I NEED SOLID ADVICE HERE.
asaintcalledallnights dot blogspot dot com
Many Thanks
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