Consumer Dispute? Know The Right Ombudsman To Approach
If you’ve had bad service or a bad product, it’s good to
complain. Today, Twitter and Facebook are the go-to outlets for our complaints,
offering a convenient and faceless black hole of Insta-rage. It’s where you
find pissed-off people tagging instances of #badcustomerservice, the charming
SCREW-YOU crowd; and all those people who will never, ever, shop at XYZ again.
Social media is a great place to let off steam and get support from other
customers. The opportunity to shame a business publicly has grown
in the age of the internet.
Sometimes after approaching businesses with a complaint; escalating a
complaint through customer service or a company’s executive offices; writing
emails and letters about your complaint; and documenting your complaint, you
still get the middle finger from the business. 😡
But did you know that as a consumer you have certain rights and there are
different Ombudsman's to enforce those rights? By the way, an Ombudsman is a Swedish word that means ‘representative’ or ‘agent of the people’. Their job is to Ombudsman to receive, investigate or formally address complaints.
If you believe a merchant has violated your consumer rights, it makes sense to
speak with one of the agencies. Here is a list of various Ombudsman to
approach just in case you have a dispute:
OMBUDSMAN FOR CONSUMER GOODS AND SERVICES
This office was established to guide the consumer goods and services industry
on expected minimum standards of conduct and resolve disputes between
consumers and suppliers. If you have unresolved complaint against a supplier,
this is the right office to assist you.
Contact the ombudsman for Consumer Goods and Services on:
Call: 0860 000 272 (CPA)
Email: info@cgso.org.za
Fax: 086 206 1999
Post: PO Box 3815, Randburg, 2125
Website: http://www.cgso.org.za/
OMBUDSMAN COMMUNITY SCHEMES OMBUDSMAN SERVICE
Community Schemes Ombudsman Service (CSOS) regulates the conduct of parties
in community schemes and presides over the regulation, control and quality
assurance of all scheme governance documentation issues or complaints. This
office also provides stakeholder training, consumer education and awareness
for property owners, occupiers and other stakeholders.
Contact the ombudsman for Community Schemes Ombudsman Services on:
Tell: 010-593-0533
Email: info@csos.org.za
Post: 63 Wierda Road East, Wierda Valley 1st Floor Building A Sandton
Johannesburg 2196
Website: https://www.csos.org.za/
OMBUDSMAN FOR BANKING SERVICES
This office resolves complaints to do with banking services and products. The
role of the banking ombudsman is to resolve banking complaints impartially,
speedily and confidentially. The service is free and only applies to bank
related issues.
*As a consumer, you must follow the complaints procedure of the bank you are
having a problem with, before you can approach the Ombudsman.
The process to follow:
- Contact the bank and submit your complaint to them.
- Allow the bank time to solve the problem.
- If the bank comes back with an answer which you aren’t happy with, then
exercise your right to take up the matter with the banking ombudsman.
Contact the ombudsman for banking on:
Sharecall: 0860 800 900
Telephone: 011 712 1800
Fax: 011 483 3212
Post: PO Box 87056, Houghton, 2041
Email: info@obssa.co.za
Website:
http://www.obssa.co.za
NATIONAL CREDIT REGULATOR
The National Credit Regulator (NCR) is the regulator for the National Credit
Act (NCA) and, in short, regulates the South African credit industry. The NCR
is tasked to ensure that everyone in the credit industry follows the rules and
regulations of the National Credit Act.
The NCR is also tasked with carrying out education, research, policy
development, the registration of credit providers, credit bureaux and debt
counsellors, and the investigation of complaints.
If you are experiencing problems with your debt counsellor, you can contact
the NCR on:
ShareCall: 0860 627 627
Telephone: 011554 2600
Fax: 011 554 2871
Post: PO Box 209, Halfway House, 1685
Email: complaints@ncr.org.za or (debt counselling complaints)
dccomplaints@ncr.org.za
Website:
http://www.ncr.org.za
CREDIT OMBUDSMAN
The Office of the Credit Ombud resolves complaints from consumers and
businesses that are negatively impacted by credit bureau information or when a
consumer has a dispute with a credit provider.
You can contact the office of the Credit Ombud on:
Call: 0861 662 837
SMS "Help" to 44786
Telephone: 077 781 6431
Fax: 086 674 7414
Post: PO box 805, Pinegowrie, 2123
Email: ombud@creditombud.org.za
Website:
http://www.creditombud.org.za
OMBUDSMAN FOR LONG TERM INSURANCE
Established in 1985, this office mediates in matters of insurance contracts.
Policyholders who submit a complaint to the Ombudsman may still decide to
follow the conventional civil justice process, although these two processes
are not allowed to proceed simultaneously. Key requirement to get assistance
from this office is that insurance policies should have been marketed or
effected in South Africa.
Contact the long term insurance ombud on:
Sharecall: 0860 662 837
Telephone:021 657 5000
Fax:021 674 0951
Post:Private Bag X45, Claremont, 7735
Email: info@ombud.co.za
Website:
http://www.ombud.co.za
“Education is when you read the fine print. Experience is what you get if you don’t” - Pete Seeger
OMBUDSMAN FOR SHORT TERM INSURANCE
This independent office was established in 1989 and provides consumers with a
free, efficient and fair dispute resolution mechanism. Short term insurance
disputes undertaken by this office include:
- Motor
- House owners (buildings)
- Householders (contents)
- Cellphone
- Travel
- Disability
- Credit protection insurance
- Commercial insurance on a limited basis
Sharecall: 0860 726 890
Telephone: 011 726 8900
Fax: 011 726 5501
Post: PO Box 32334, Braamfontein, 2017
Email: info@osti.co.za
Website:
http://www.osti.co.za
MOTOR INDUSTRY OMBUDSMAN OF SOUTH AFRICA
This independent institution resolves disputes where a deadlock has been
reached between the motor industry (and related industries) and their
customers. While the service is free, should a technical inspection need to be
carried out, the consumer laying the complaint will have to pay for this
inspection.
Contact the motor industry ombud on:
MaxiCall: 0861 164 672
Fax: 086 630 6141
Post: Suite 156, Private Bag x025, Lynnwood Ridge, 0040
Email: Info@miosa.co.za
Website:
http://www.miosa.co.za
TAX OMBUDSMAN
This office has been set up to enhance tax administration and provide an
independent redress channel for taxpayers who have exhausted the normal SARS
complaints mechanism. The Tax Ombudsman maintains a balance between SARS’s
powers and duties, and taxpayer’s rights and obligations. As a result, the Tax
Ombudsman communicates with SARS officials and has access to the SARS system
and taxpayer information in order to resolve complaints.
Contact the tax ombud on:
Sharecall: 0800 662 837
Telephone: 012 431 9105
Fax: 012 452 5013
Post: PO Box 12314, Hatfiled, 0028
Email: complaints@taxombud.gov.za
Website:
http://www.taxombud.gov.za
HEALTH OMBUDSMAN
When confronted with a dispute as a consumer, you can consider the
institutions listed above. The Health Ombudsman operates under the Health
Professionals Council of South Africa (HPCSA).This office addresses complaints
of miscommunication against health practitioners and determines their nature
and validity in line with the Health Professionals Act No.56 of 1974.
Contact the health ombud on:
Call: (+27) 12 338 9300/01
Fax: 012 452 5013
Post: PO Box 205, Pretoria, 0001
Complaints against practitioners: Legalmed@hpcsa.co.za
Email: Ombcomplaints@hpcsa.co.za
Website: https://www.hpcsa.co.za/
COUNCIL FOR MEDICAL SCHEMES (CMS)
The Council for Medical Schemes receives complaints about medical schemes’ services and products. It provides regulatory supervision of private health financing through medical plans.
Contact CMS on:
Phone: 0861 123 267 or (086) 673 2466
Email: complaints@medicalschemes.com
Office Address: Block A, Eco Glades 2 Office Park, 420 Witch – Hazel Avenue, Centurion, 0157
Postal Address: Private Bag X34, Hatfield, 0028
Website: https://www.medicalschemes.com/
INDEPENDENT COMMUNICATION AUTHORITY OF SOUTH AFRICA (ICASA)
This is the official regulator of the South African communications, broadcasting and postal services sectors. The Complaints and Compliance Committee (CCC) is an independent committee within ICASA that deals with consumer complaints.
Contact ICASA on:
Phone: (012) 568 3000
Fax: 086 630 6141
Email: consumer@icasa.org.za
Website: http://www.icasa.org.za/
As South African consumers, it is important to know that we have rights and we
can exercise these rights to our benefit. Take up your complaints with the
correct people. It is your right as a South African consumer and citizen.
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