REGULATORS AND OMBUDSMEN: ACCESS AND VISIBILITY Available to Purchase

This paper examines the role of regulators and ombudsmen in dealing with complaints in the light of the requirement of Britain's ‘Citizen's Charter’. It considers in particular the arrangements for ensuring that potential complainants know of the systems available and the way to put them into operation. Both public and private sector ombudsmen are reviewed and comparison is made with systems overseas. It is argued that in the light of those comparisons the British complaints industry could go much further to reach out to citizens and customers seeking redress.