Objectives:

The main objective of this research paper is to analyse what the organization of an
Ombudsman is, to look into its working, what it does not do, types of ombudsman and their
functioning in order to understand it better. Thus the main objectives of this project are:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

To analyse who an ombudsman is;

To determine their roles and functions;
What they do not do;
Qualifications required by an ombudsman
What types of cases do they look into;
How to complain to an ombudsman;
Types and ombudsman;
Working of different types of ombudsman.

Hypothesis:
This research paper primarily answers the questions relating to an Ombudsman, whether they
are efficiently working and as to how effective they are. It answers how the various types of
ombudsman addresses the different issues which are brought before it.

Limitations:
This project extends to the working of the ombudsman, their roles and functions, who can be
an ombudsman. It also deals with the different types of ombudsman and the working of each
of them. This paper limits to the general term ombudsman and the general classification of
ombudsman and their workings, role and functions. It does not deal with any specific country
nor does it deal with the Lokpal and Lokayukta which are set up in India. Thus this project
only lays down the generalities of an ombudsman.

Analysis:

Ombudsman

|1

Ombudsman is a grievance cell to which the people can relate the problems they have in
relation to any administrative issues or administrative officials. The origin of ombudsman can
be traced back to the early days. The present notion of ombudsman is derived from the old
Norse word meaning representative. The first ombudsman was established in Sweden and
now they can be seen in all parts of the world.
Ombudsman is an adjudicating body which deals with all kinds of administrative issues. It
has certain features of a droit administratif. Its a grievance redressal forum and acts like a
court but it is certainly not a court. It looks into issues and takes decisions without being
prejudiced. This is faster and cheaper and more effective than an ordinary court and thus in
the recent times various kinds of ombudsman has been set up in order to address specific
issues.

Review of Literature:
The existing literature on this research work mainly revolves around the published works of
foreign as well as Indian authors pertaining to the subject matter, well decided cases cited in
the journal, American cases and case cited from other countries, and the articles published in
the website.

Ombudsman

|2

CHAPTER 1:

Introduction:
The Ombudsman type of machinery has been found to be useful for redressing the grievances
of citizen. It contains some of the qualities of droit administratif. The Ombudsman is an
officer of Parliament who investigates complaints from citizens, against government
departments, that they have been unfairly dealt with and if he finds that the complaint is
justified, helps to obtain a remedy. He has usually a high status- that of a judge of the highest
court and can investigate act involving corruption and mal- administration by government
officials, sometimes including ministers. The Ombudsman system is highly flexible. This is
demonstrated by its successful adaptation in four Scandinavian countries, which have
significant governmental and legal difference, and in New Zealand and the United Kingdom,
which have an entirely different constitutional system. The Ombudsman of each country has
been designed to suit the local needs and conditions. Hence there are differences in them with
respect to jurisdiction as well as functions. For example, the Swedish and Finnish
Ombudsmen have jurisdiction over the judiciary. The Ombudsman in New Zealand, Denmark
and Norway has no authority over the judiciary. The Swedish Ombudsman has no jurisdiction
over the ministers. His function is generally to supervise how judges, government officials
and other civil servants observe the laws and to prosecute those who have acted illegally or
neglected their duties. The Danish Ombudsman has authority over the ministers as well as the
judges. The Norwegian Ombudsman has authority to scrutinize the acts of ministers, which
they perform as heads of a Ministry. The Finnish Ombudsman not only has jurisdiction over
the Cabinet Ministers but also has authority to prosecute them.

Origins and Etymology:

A prototype of ombudsmen may have flourished in China during the Qin Dynasty (221 BC),
and in Korea during the Joseon Dynasty. The position of secret royal inspector, or Amhaengeosa was unique to the Joseon Dynasty, where an undercover official directly appointed by
the king was sent to local provinces to monitor government officials and look after the
populace while travelling incognito. The Roman Tribune had some similar roles, with power
Ombudsman

|3

to veto acts that infringed upon the Plebeians. Another precursor to the ombudsman was the
Turkish Diwan-al-Mazalim which appears to go back to the second caliph, Umar (634644)
and the concept of Qadi al-Qadat.
An indigenous Swedish, Danish and Norwegian term, ombudsman is etymologically rooted
in the Old Norse word umbosmar, essentially meaning "representative" (with the
word umbud/ombud meaning proxy, attorney, that is someone who is authorized to act for
someone else, a meaning it still has in the Scandinavian languages). The first preserved use is
in Sweden. In the Danish Law of Jutland from 1241, the term is umbozman and means a royal
civil servant in a hundred. From 1552, it is also used in the other Scandinavian languages
such as the both Icelandic and Faroese umbosmaur, the Norwegian ombudsmann and
the Danish ombudsmand. The Swedish speaking minority in Finland uses the Swedish
terminology.
Use of the term began in Sweden, with the Swedish Parliamentary Ombudsman instituted by
the Instrument of Government of 1809, to safeguard the rights of citizens by establishing a
supervisory agency independent of the executive branch. The predecessor of the Swedish
Parliamentary

Ombudsman

was

the

Office

of

Supreme

Ombudsman

("Hgste

Ombudsmannen"), which was established by the Swedish King, Charles XII, in 1713.
Charles XII was in exile in Turkey and needed a representative in Sweden to ensure that
judges and civil servants acted in accordance with the laws and with their duties. If they did
not do so, the Supreme Ombudsman had the right to prosecute them for negligence. In 1719
the

Swedish

Office

of

Supreme

Ombudsman

became

the Chancellor

of

Justice. The Parliamentary Ombudsman was established in 1809 by the Swedish Riksdag, as
a parallel institution to the still-present Chancellor of Justice, reflecting the concept
of separation of powers as developed by Montesquieu.
The Parliamentary Ombudsman is the institution that the Scandinavian countries
subsequently developed into its contemporary form, and which subsequently has been
adopted in many other parts of the world. The word ombudsman and its specific meaning
have since been adopted in various languages, including Spanish, Dutch and Czech. The
German language uses Ombudsmann, Ombudsfrau and Ombudsleute. Notable exceptions are
French and Finnish, that use translations instead. Modern variations of this term include
"ombud", "ombuds", "ombudsperson", or "ombudswoman", and the conventional English
plural is ombudsmen.
Ombudsman

|4

CHAPTER 2:

Who is an Ombudsman?
The name ombudsman comes from Swedish and literally means - representative. At the
most fundamental level, an ombudsman is one who assists individuals and groups in the
resolution of conflicts or concerns. There are a number of different titles or names for this
position: ombudsman, ombudsperson or ombuds among others.
The ombudsman is a part of the system of administrative law for scrutinizing the work of the
executive. He is the appointee not of the executive but of the legislature. The ombudsman
enjoys a large measure of independence and personal responsibility and is primarily a
guardian of correct behaviour. His function is to safeguard the interests of citizens by
ensuring administration according to law, discovering instances of maladministration, and
eliminating defects in administration. Methods of enforcement include bringing pressure to
bear on the responsible authority, publicizing a refusal to rectify injustice or a defective
administrative practice, bringing the matter to the attention of the legislature, and instigating
a criminal prosecution or disciplinary action.
Ombudsmen work in all types of organizations, including government agencies, colleges and
universities, corporations, hospitals and other medical facilities, and news organizations.
There are different types of ombudsmen and the standards of practice and functional
responsibilities can be very different for each type of ombudsmen.

Role and Functions of an Ombudsman:

An Ombudsman/Ombudsperson assists with the fair and expeditious resolution of complaints
in an impartial, confidential and independent manner. Services are free of charge and the
Ombudsman/person is not a representative of the person raising the complaint or the
organization being complained about. Depending on how it is has been established,
Ombudsman/person roles include, but are not limited to:

Ombudsman

|5

Listens and understands issues while remaining neutral with respect to the facts. The
ombudsman doesnt listen to judge or to decide who is right or wrong. The
ombudsman listens to understand the issue from the perspective of the individual.
This is a critical step in developing options for resolution.

Assists in reframing issues and developing and helping individuals evaluate options.
This helps individuals identify the interests of various parties to the issues and helps
focus efforts on potential options to meet those interests.

Guides or coaches individuals to deal directly with other parties. An ombudsman

often seeks to help individuals improve their skill and their confidence in giving voice
to their concerns directly.

Refers individuals to appropriate resolution resources.

Assists in surfacing issues to formal resolution channels. When an individual is

unable or unwilling to surface a concern directly, the ombudsman can assist by
helping give voice to the concern and /or creating an awareness of the issue among
appropriate decision-makers.

Facilitates informal resolution processes. An ombudsman may help to resolve issues

between parties through various types of informal mediation.

Identifies new issues and opportunities for systemic change. The unique positioning
of the ombudsman serves to provide unfiltered information that can produce insight to
issues and resolutions. The ombudsman is a source of detection and early warning of
new issues and a source of suggestions of systemic change to improve existing
processes.

What an Ombudsman does not do?

Because of the informal, neutral, confidential and independent positioning of an ombudsman
in an organization, they typically do not undertake the following roles or activities:

Participate in formal investigations or play any role in a formal issue resolution

process

Serve in any other organizational role that would compromise the neutrality of the
ombudsman role
Ombudsman

|6

Receive notice

Make binding decisions or mandate policies

Create or maintain records or reports

Skills and Professional Requirements of an Ombudsman:

The most important skills of an effective ombudsman include:

active listening,
communicating successfully with a diverse range of people,
remaining non-judgmental,
having the courage to speak up and address problems at higher levels within an

organization,
problem solving and analytical ability, and
conflict resolution skills.

Specific career background or academic degree is less important than acquiring and
demonstrating the skill set described above. One can find outstanding ombudsmen from
numerous professional and academic backgrounds, including scientists, human resource
professionals, mediators, professors, line managers, engineers, lawyers, accountants, and
consultants.
Formal training in mediation and/or other conflict resolution processes is also very valuable.
In order to stay on the leading edge of critical ombudsman issues, such as confidentiality and
privilege, and to maintain and enhance ombudsman skills, active membership in relevant
professional associations, such as the International Ombudsman Association, is vital. These
associations also provide invaluable information and professional support.

What type of complaint can the ombudsman investigate?

The ombudsmans job is to investigate cases of maladministration. This means the way in
which an organisation has dealt with a situation or reached a decision. Examples of
maladministration include:

an organisation not following its own policies or procedures

rudeness

delay in taking action or failing to take action

Ombudsman

|7

treating someone unfairly compared to others

giving wrong or misleading information.

The ombudsman will only look into a case where an individual (or in some cases group of
individuals) has suffered personal injustice, hardship or financial loss because of the action or
lack of action of a particular organisation. In most cases, an ombudsman cannot look into a
decision made by an organisation, just because one disagrees with it. A complaint can be
brought before an ombudsman only after the relevant organisation has been given an
opportunity to comment on the complaint and resolve any problems. The ombudsman will
not investigate a case if it is about to go to court or if court action has been started. In some
cases, the ombudsman will not look into cases which could be dealt with by a court or
tribunal.

How to complain to the ombudsman?

The procedure for starting the investigation by the ombudsman depends on which
ombudsman the complaint is being made to. Most of the offices of the ombudsmen provide
an application form for making a complaint. However, you do not need to use an application
form. You can contact them with the following information:

the name and address of the person making the complaint

the name and address of the organisation the complaint is being made about
details of what the complaint is about, that is, what did the organisation do wrong or

fail to do
what personal injustice, financial loss or hardship was suffered
what the organisation should do to put the situation right
details of how the complaint has been followed up before you contacted the

ombudsman
the date when you first identified the event you are complaining about.
copies of any paperwork relevant to the complaint should also be sent.

Ombudsman

|8

CHAPTER 3:
Types of Ombudsman:
There are a number of ombudsmen:

the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman who investigates complaints about
government departments and certain other public bodies. They can also look into

complaints about NHS hospitals or community health services

the Local Government Ombudsman who investigates complaints about local councils

and some other local organisations

the Financial Ombudsman Service
the European Ombudsman
the Legal Ombudsman
the Property Ombudsman, Ombudsman Services: Property and The Property Redress

Scheme
the Housing Ombudsman
the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman
the Ombudsman Services: Energy
Telecommunications ombudsman.
Navy Ombudsman

A few types of Ombudsman has been explained below in detail.

Legal Ombudsman
What can the Legal Ombudsman deal with?
The Legal Ombudsman deals with complaints about services provided by legal advisers.
Legal advisers include:

solicitors

barristers

legal executives
Ombudsman

|9

licensed conveyancers

law costs draftsmen

notaries

patent attorneys

probate practitioners

registered European lawyers

trade mark attorneys

any business responsible for these people.

What to do first?
You must first try to resolve the complaint by discussing it with your legal adviser. All legal
firms must have a written complaints procedure and the firm will tell you who to contact if
you have a problem with the legal adviser handling the case. The legal adviser must give you
a copy of the complaints procedure if you ask for it.
How to contact the Legal Ombudsman?
If this does not resolve the matter, you should contact the Legal Ombudsman. The Legal
Ombudsman has a telephone helpline which can advise you about whether they can deal with
your complaint.
You must contact the Legal Ombudsman within six months of the last contact with your legal
adviser. You must provide:

details of the name and address of your legal adviser

the date you told your legal adviser about your complaint

details of the response you received.

Ombudsman

|10

What can the Legal Ombudsman do?

The Legal Ombudsman will first try to resolve your complaint informally. If this is not
possible, they will investigate your complaint formally and you will have a chance to put
your case in writing.
If you accept the Legal Ombudsman's decision, it will be final and binding on you.
If the Legal Ombudsman agrees that your legal adviser's service has been unsatisfactory, they
can ask your law firm to do any of the following:

apologise to you

give you back any documents you might need

pay you compensation for loss, inconvenience or distress (up to 50,000)

put things right if possible

refund or reduce legal fees.

If the legal adviser has broken any rules of professional conduct, the Legal Ombudsman may
refer your complaint to the appropriate regulatory body. In extreme cases, the legal adviser
could be disciplined or struck off which would mean they could no longer work as a legal
adviser.
If your legal adviser has discriminated against you, you may be able to take legal action
against them as well as complaining to the Legal Ombudsman. You will need to get legal
advice. You may be able to get legal aid for this.
The Property Ombudsman
The Property Ombudsman deals with disputes involving estate agents, letting agents,
residential managing agents, valuers, auctioneers and other property professionals.
All estate agents must belong to a government approved redress scheme for dealing with
complaints about the buying and selling of residential property.
Ombudsman

|11

From 1 October 2014, lettings and property management agencies must belong to a
government approved redress scheme for dealing with complaints about letting and managing
private rented accommodation.
There are three approved schemes, one of which is run by The Property Ombudsman. You
should check if your estate agent is a member of this scheme. If it isn't, you should check if
it's a member of the other approved schemes which are run by Ombudsman Services:
Property and The Property Redress Scheme.
If you have a complaint which hasn't been resolved using the agency's own complaints
procedure, you can complain to the scheme that the agency belongs to.
What complaints can The Property Ombudsman deal with?
The Property Ombudsman will investigate complaints about registered firms (scheme
members) if you have lost money or suffered inconvenience because that firm has:

gone against your legal rights

treated you unfairly

been guilty of maladministration (including inefficiency and delay).

What complaints is The Property Ombudsman unable to deal with?

The Property Ombudsman cannot deal with complaints if:

the complaint is not against a registered firm (scheme member)

the complaint is being or has been dealt with by a court

the complaint has not been raised in writing with the registered firm

the event you are complaining about happened more than twelve months before you
formally complained to the firm or before the firm registered as a member of the
scheme.

Ombudsman

|12

What to do first?
You should first make a formal written complaint to the registered firm to start their internal
complaints procedure.
If, at the end of this procedure, you are still not satisfied, you can contact The Property
Ombudsman giving details of your complaint. You must do this within six months of the firm
completing their internal complaints procedure.
What can The Property Ombudsman do?
After considering the information provided by you and the registered firm, the Ombudsman
will send a decision to both sides. The Ombudsman can grant compensation of up to 25,000.
You can accept or reject the decision. If you accept it, legally the registered firm has to accept
the decision.
If you decide to reject the Ombudsmans decision, you can decide what other action
(including legal action) you may wish to take.
Property Ombudsman Services
The Property Ombudsman Services deals with complaints from consumers about estate
agents, letting agents, residential managing agents, chartered surveying firms, surveyors and
other property professionals.
All estate agents must belong to a government approved redress scheme for dealing with
complaints about the buying and selling of residential property.
From 1 October 2014, lettings and property management agencies must belong to a
government approved redress scheme for dealing with complaints about letting and managing
private rented accommodation.
There are three approved schemes, one of which is run by the Ombudsman Services:
Property. You should check if your estate agent is a member of this scheme. If it isn't, you
should check if it's a member of the other approved schemes which are run by The Property
Ombudsman and The Property Redress Scheme.

Ombudsman

|13

If you have a complaint which hasn't been resolved using the agency's own complaints
procedure, you can complain to the scheme that the agency belongs to.
What complaints can the Property Ombudsman deal with?
The Property Ombudsman deals with complaints about unfair treatment, avoidable delays,
failures to follow proper procedures, poor or incompetent service amongst other things. It can
only look at your problem if one of its members is involved so it is important that you check
this first.
What complaints is the Property Ombudsman unable to deal with?
The Property Ombudsman will not deal with complaints that:

are about a firm which is not registered with them

are considered to be malicious or unjustified

are already being dealt with by the courts or other complaints procedures.

What to do first?
You should first use the internal complaints procedure of the member firm. There is a time
limit to make the complaint. This is nine months from the event about which you are
complaining.
If, at the end of this procedure, you are still not satisfied, you can complain to the
Ombudsman Services: Property giving details of your complaint.
What can the Property Ombudsman do?
After considering the information provided by you and the member firm, the Ombudsman
will send a decision to both sides. The Ombudsman can grant compensation of up to 25,000.
You can accept or reject the decision. If you accept it, the member firm will keep to the final
decision and take the action that the Ombudsman has asked for.

Ombudsman

|14

If you decide to reject the Ombudsmans decision, you can decide what other action
(including legal action) you may want to take.
The Property Redress Scheme
The Property Redress Scheme deals with complaints from consumers about estate agents,
letting agents, residential managing agents, chartered surveying firms, surveyors and other
property professionals.
All estate agents must belong to an approved redress scheme for dealing with complaints
about the buying and selling of residential property.
From 1 October 2014, lettings and property management agencies must belong to a
government approved redress scheme for dealing with complaints about letting and managing
private rented accommodation.
There are three approved schemes, one of which is run by the The Property Redress Scheme.
You should check if your estate agent is a member of this scheme. If it isn't, you should check
if it's a member of the other approved schemes which are run by The Property
Ombudsman and the Ombudsman Services: Property.
If you have a complaint which hasn't been resolved using the agency's own complaints
procedure, you can complain to the scheme that the agency belongs to.
What complaints can The Property Redress Scheme deal with?
The Property Redress Scheme deals with complaints about unfair treatment, avoidable
delays, failure to follow proper procedures, poor service amongst other things. You must have
suffered financial loss, distress or inconvenience as a result. It can only look at your problem
if the agent or professional is a member of the Scheme.
What to do first?
You should first make a written complaint to the member firm and allow eight weeks for a
response.

Ombudsman

|15

If you're not happy with the member's firm final response to your complaint, or it has been
eight weeks since you made your complaint, you can make a complaint to the Scheme. You
must make a complaint to the Scheme within six months of your original complaint.
What can The Property Redress Scheme do?
After considering the information provided by you and the registered firm, the Ombudsman
will send a decision to both sides. The Ombudsman can grant compensation of up to 25,000.
You can accept or reject the decision. If you accept it, the member firm will keep to the final
decision and take the action that the Ombudsman has asked for.
If you decide to reject the Ombudsmans decision, you can decide what other action
(including legal action) you may want to take.

Prisons and Probation Ombudsman

What complaints can the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman deal with?
The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman can consider complaints about most aspects of a
prisoners treatment in prison, including disciplinary hearings. They also deal with
complaints by people on probation. The ombudsman can consider whether a decision taken
by the Prison Service or National Probation Service was correct and whether the proper
procedures were followed in making the decision. This includes action taken by prison staff
employed by private companies, probation officers and members of the Independent
Monitoring Board. The ombudsman is also responsible for investigating the deaths of all
prisoners and residents of probation hostels and immigration detention accommodation.
What complaints is the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman unable to deal with?
The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman cannot consider complaints about the actions of other
agencies, for example, the police, courts or the Immigration Department.
What to do first?

Ombudsman

|16

Before you make a complaint to the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman, you must first have
used the internal complaints procedures. If you are not satisfied with the reply or if the Prison
Service Headquarters or Area Probation Board has not replied within six weeks, a complaint
can be made to the ombudsman.

How to complain
There is a time limit for making a complaint. This is one month from getting a reply from the
Prison Service Headquarters or Area Probation Board. If you have not received a reply, you
can make a complaint any time after six weeks. The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman has
discretion to investigate complaints made outside the time limit, for example, if you were ill
and unable to make the complaint earlier.
To complain, send a letter to the ombudsman. If you are a prisoner, you should send the letter
in a sealed envelope marked Prisoners' confidential access. A prisoner should include their
prison number in the letter of complaint. Help and support can be given by a friend, relative
or adviser.
What the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman will do?
The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman will usually get copies of any relevant papers from
the Prison Service or National Probation Service. They will treat the complaint as
confidential as far as is possible. However, in some cases, they will interview you and the
other people involved.
The ombudsman will send the decision and the reasons for it in writing to both you and the
Prison Service or National Probation Service. You will usually get a reply from the
ombudsman within eight weeks from when you made the complaint. If the investigation takes
longer than twelve weeks, you will get monthly progress reports from the ombudsman.
If the ombudsman upholds your complaint, they will recommend action that the Prison
Service or National Probation Service should take.
Ombudsman

|17

Financial Ombudsman Service

What can the Financial Ombudsman Service deal with?
The Financial Ombudsman Service can deal with consumer complaints about most personal
financial matters including:

financial advice

banking services

endowment policies

mortgages

personal pension plans

building society services

insurance.

The Financial Ombudsman Service is impartial and is free of charge. It can mainly deal with
consumer complaints about companies which are authorised by the Financial Conduct
Authority, although it can also deal with some unauthorised companies. You should contact
the Financial Ombudsman Service consumer helpline directly to find out if it can deal with
your complaint.
How to complain?
Before you complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service, you must complain to the
company using its formal complaints procedure. If you are not happy with the outcome, a
complaint can be made to the Financial Ombudsman Service. There is a time limit for making
the complaint. This is six months from when you get a final decision from the company about
how it is going to deal with the matter. You can get a complaint form from the Financial
Ombudsman Service website or from the consumer helpline. You should contact the Financial
Ombudsman Service directly for information on how to make a complaint.

Ombudsman

|18

What the Financial Ombudsman can do?

The Financial Ombudsman Service will look at the complaint and advise how it could be
sorted out. If a satisfactory outcome is not achieved, the Financial Ombudsman Service will
start a formal investigation. The final decision given at the end of this investigation is binding
on the company. However, if you do not agree with it, you can take the complaint to court.

Navy Ombudsman
How can an Ombudsman help me?
Navy Family Ombudsmen are key resources for family members, particularly during
deployments. Ombudsmen maintain current resource files with information on military and
civilian community agencies that can help families solve a variety of problems, and
successfully meet the challenges they face before, during, and after deployments. In addition
to providing referral information, Ombudsmen can facilitate communication between the
Command and family members. Ombudsmen may publish or contribute to command
newsletters or maintain care lines, which have recorded messages with information for
command families that can be accessed 24 hours a day. Ombudsmen can also assist families
in contacting the Command for a variety of reasons.

What are the functions of an Ombudsman?

An Ombudsman communicates regularly with command families, provides information and
outreach to command families, provides appropriate referral resources and acts as an
advocate for command families.
Who can use ombudsman services?

Ombudsman

|19

The ombudsman is a vital link between the command and Navy families. In broader terms,
the Navy family is made up of all active-duty and selected reserve Navy members, including
single and married service members, their family members, the service members parents,
siblings,

and

others

at

the

discretion

of

the

commanding

officer.

How can families locate or contact their ombudsmen at their next duty station before
their arrival?
There is a Contact Your Ombudsman feature on the Ombudsman Registry. Click on the
location of the global maps where the command is located, then click on the installation name
and select your command from the list of commands on that installation. A request form will
appear for that command allowing you to fill in your information and questions or comments.
You

will

then

be

contacted

within

24-48

hours.

If the command you are looking for does not have an ombudsman assigned, or is not listed in
the database, you will be contacted by the Ombudsman Registry Administrator, who will
provide you with assistance in contacting your command ombudsman. A spouse may also call
the local Fleet and Family Support Center and ask the Ombudsman Coordinator to give them
the name of the ombudsmen they are seeking.

Conclusion:
In conclusion, every Ombudsman should stand high in public respect and at the same time the
office of Ombudsman can be a valuable institution, then it will no good when governmental
authorities do not follow the recommendations made by the Ombudsman. Because when
Ombudsman makes recommendations for a particular matter, always apply the principles of
natural justice and administrative fairness consisting with statutory mandate given. The office
of Ombudsman should be given more statutory jurisdictions. The more independent, the
Ombudsman is, the more effective the Ombudsman may be. It will either help prevent the
reoccurrence of maladministration in a particular situation that led to its creation. Therefore,
Ombudsman can conduct meaningful investigations and find a good solutions for
maladministration occurred because the office of Ombudsman is treated as the last resource.

Ombudsman

|20

If these standards were developed to provide advice and guidance to the public, so the
Ombudsman would better fulfil the functions of the position. Moreover, to ensure the offices
accountability Ombudsman should issue a report summarising the findings and
recommendations given, then it will more gain public confidence about the office. The object
of the office of Ombudsman is to assist in good governance, to inspire public confidence and
transparency in government actions affecting the public.

Sources:
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ombudsman
2. http://www.ombudsman.europa.eu/home.faces
3. http://www.ombudsmanforum.ca/en/?page_id=172
4. https://www.ombudsassociation.org/Resources/Frequently-Asked-Questions/What-isan-Organizational-Ombudsman.aspx
5. http://www.public.navy.mil/surfor/cg54/Pages/Ombudsman.aspx#.VVI2sfmqqko
6. http://www.ombudsmanassociation.org/about-the-role-of-an-ombudsman.php
7. http://www.ombudsmanassociation.org/young-people/all-about-omb.htm
8. http://www.navydads.com/forum/topics/i-am-an-ombudsman
9. http://doni.daps.dla.mil/Directives/01000%20Military%20Personnel%20Support/01-

700%20Morale,%20Community%20and%20Religious%20Services/1750.1G%20W
%20CH-2.PDF

Ombudsman

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