They said this… · Complaints & ombudsmen

“We apologised, so the complaint is resolved.”

Generally incorrect

An apology can be valuable, but it does not automatically answer disputed facts, correct records, remedy financial loss or prevent recurrence.

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Why this answer

What actually matters

  • List the outcomes still outstanding.
  • Distinguish acknowledgement from remedy.
  • Ask what learning or corrective action follows.
  • Confirm whether the response is final.

Important nuance

When the statement may have a point

  • An apology may fully resolve a complaint seeking only recognition.
  • Some systemic action cannot be disclosed in detail for confidentiality reasons.

What you could say

Keep the response tied to the actual rule.

Evidence

What to have beside you

  • Original complaint with numbered issues
  • Final response or decision
  • Chronology and evidence index
  • A comparison showing which issues were answered, partly answered or omitted

If they still refuse

Move the dispute forward.

  1. Separate disagreement with an outcome from a factual/process error in how it was reached.
  2. Check the scheme’s jurisdiction, time limits and internal review/challenge route before escalating.
  3. Do not assume a regulator and an ombudsman perform the same function.

Read the full rules

Go deeper before escalating.

Primary guideRead the detailed ConsumerWise guidance.Failure-to-answer analysisRead the full guide.Challenging a decisionRead the full guide.How ombudsmen workRead the full guide.

Official sources

Check the rules behind this statement.

Complaint StandardsPublic Service Ombudsman · checked 19 Sep 2026