An Ombudsman is someone to whom you can address a complaint about an organisation or body. If you feel you have been dealt with unfairly or have suffered some financial or other loss you would like investigating an Ombudsman is someone you can address the complaint to.

There are a number of Ombudsman Schemes in the United Kingdom.

Some Ombudsmen are Government appointed, for example, The Local Government Ombudsman and The Financial Services Ombudsman, whereas others are industry appointed, such as the Telecommunications Ombudsman and the Surveyor Ombudsman. The Double Glazing Ombudsman is a similar non-statutory scheme.

The Ombudsman can save industry and consumers money. In addition to freeing up the court system, there are also opportunities to explore the potential for mediation and conciliation and come to a negotiated settlement which provides both parties with a means for proposed compromise. If this process proves fruitless, The Ombudsman can investigate further and, if necessary, provide a determination and award by arbitration.

The Ombudsman's decisions are legally binding on both parties and enforceable in the same manner as a judgement of the court.

Why Does The Double Glazing & Conservatory Industry Need An Ombudsman?

The industry has little regulation. Whilst standards of product are getting better problems still occur with mis-selling methods, badly installed products, unfulfilled remedial work and lengthy guarantees which are not honoured (due to traders going out of business or having an unwillingness to make good on their promises). The general public still have a deep-rooted and long standing distrust of the industry. Many installers believe that the quality of membership of most Trade Associations and Installer Schemes doesn't lend itself to the grouping of highly professional businesses who are customer focused.

The lack of consumer protection is considered appalling by many who experience problems. Most trade associations/ installer schemes do not have any “teeth” when called upon to intervene with complaints between installers and customers. If the installer has been unprofessional or carried out unsatisfactory work and refuses to co-operate with the customer or trade association there is little any one can do…..until now.

The only legitimate options left for consumers were:

• The Citizen’s Advice Bureau,
• Trading Standards or
• a trip to the local solicitor or county /high court.

The former two can advise but often fail to persuade an intransigent installer to give the consumer satisfaction and the latter can be daunting and very often costly to the complainant.

The Ombudsman Scheme has an extensive Accreditation Procedure. This helps members achieve a higher standard of service, administration and consumer satisfaction. The Ombudsman Scheme has extensive legal powers to investigate complaints made against members. Any decisions made are legally binding and enforceable under the terms of The Arbitration Act 1996. Members have signed a legally binding contract at the point of entry into the scheme allowing the Ombudsman to investigate and thereby agreeing to abide by any decisions made. The complaints process (consisting of conciliation, mediation, independent inspections and ultimately, if necessary, arbitration) is a totally free service to the consumer/complainant. This provides a level of protection hitherto unavailable in this industry to consumers. In short, the scheme is long awaited, very well received by installers, the industry, consumer groups, the press and general public.

The Ombudsman scheme is a powerful way to help bring renewed consumer confidence and enhance the image of the industry. Members promote professionalism, competency and customer care, combined with a robust form of legal redress for justified complaints. What sort of things can the Ombudsman investigate? The Ombudsman can investigate a complaint only if:-

• The complaint is against one of the Member Organisations.

• The complaint is about something which happened during the period of membership.

• The complaint relates to a member which operates in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The Ombudsman Scheme does not cover the Channel Islands, Isle of Man or foreign countries. The Ombudsman will consider a complaint if the complainant believes they have been treated unfairly, the service received is unacceptable or a situation has led to distress, inconvenience or financial disadvantage. What is there that the Ombudsman cannot or may not do? The Ombudsman has no power to investigate something which is being, or has been, decided by some other Tribunal or Court. In some situations, the Ombudsman’s powers to investigate are limited. An example of this is:-

• When another Ombudsman has statutory control and regulation of the subject matter of the complaint.

• When the complaint involves an allegation of fraud which must be investigated by police as a criminal activity.

I had 3 mercury fillings done 10 years ago, I had flu like symptoms, when I went back after a week, the NHS dentist in Putney London said 'oh you might have mercury poisoning ha ha ha!'.

He said it fades over a year in definite stages. They all know about it as sometimes excess mercury gets in the gums or wherever when they fit them. Dentists reckon the amalgam, when set, is safe (like concrete has no bits of sand left in it).

However I had bad sleep, mild anxiety, etc, but not sure if this was high pressure job at the time, or fillings (this is always the problem of knowing what is what).

So I went to Guys Hospital in London and had a proper mercury test done, they said no sign of any in system/tissues/blood. The Professor who did the tests (no expense spared on the good old NHS) obviously thought I was wasting their time but was all done properly. They have more serious cases of poisoning to deal with, and are not interested or able to analyse low dose long term mercury poisoning.

I previously went to a 'mercury free' NHS dentist, not as part of dental insurance or a dental plan, who did a test, which was a weird test to do with absorption of mercury, using a chelating test, which had a high figure. He assured me it was the highest (=bad) figure he had ever seen, but the Professor said it didn't mean anything as no base figures were available, and chelation just pulls molecules from wherever and could be anything.

This would not have been on dental insurance or your dental plan as it counts as cosmetic, even though you might feel ill and blame it on mercury posioning - which is not a media or alternative medicine industry invention.

Chelation is a chemical action where the mercury is grabbed by 'arms' on the active molecule like a crab (hence the name), the resultant compound can then be excreted. Some fish and seafood is full of mercury for instance. So are low energy light bulbs - which need a license to be disposed of correctly.

Mercury is a nasty poison and very bad for the environment so should be phased out anyway, although the fillings are very hard and long lasting, unlike white fillings. I think Sweden and US have banned mercury, or provide warnings on use.

Removing mercury fillings is very difficult and can poison the patient, it requires special suction equipment, and is very expensive (I was quotes 4000 UK pounds for about 6 fillings, about 2004).

But who knows? It is one of those odd things. Is it paranoia? Advice includes, don't grind teeth, no hot drinks, don't smoke a pipe, etc.

Better to not put them in 'just in case' - with white fillings available at all dentists now, although they are not as hard or long-lasting.