Complaint procedures

Back to top

General complaints

We are always interested in the views of businesses and consumers about our procedures and how we operate them.

We shall listen carefully to any views that are put forward and if problems are identified we shall take remedial action.

Anyone with a concern or complaint about our procedures or the handling of a case may wish to try to resolve the matter by writing to the Head of Enquiries and Reporting Centre at the following address:

Head of Enquiries and Reporting Centre
Office of Fair Trading
Enquiries and Reporting Centre
Fleetbank House
2-6 Salisbury Square
London
EC4Y 8JX

We shall aim to give a response to any such complaint as soon as possible and in any event within 30 working days. It may take us longer if the complaint is addressed incorrectly. 

We hope that our response will satisfy complaints. However, if anybody is dissatisfied with the response, they may write to the General Counsel of the OFT at the above address. If upon receipt of a letter from the General Counsel's office the complainant is still dissatisfied, their complaint can be referred through a Member of Parliament to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration (the Ombudsman) who has the power to investigate further.

The Ombudsman also has a general responsibility for investigating complaints referred to him through a Member of Parliament on any issue where a member of the public believes he or she has suffered injustice as a result of maladministration in connection with administrative action taken by or on behalf of Government departments.

Back to top

Freedom of information

If you are dissatisfied with the OFT's response to your request under the Freedom of Information Act, you may seek a review of our decision by writing to:

The Internal Review Co-ordinator
GS/3
Office of Fair Trading
Fleetbank House
2-6 Salisbury Square
London
EC4Y 8JX

You may alternatively send an email to foiadpainternalreview@oft.gsi.gov.uk.

We will deal with your complaint within 20 working days of receipt or, if this is not possible, advise you of a date by which we expect to have completed a review of your complaint.

If you remain dissatisfied with the OFT’s response you have the right to complain to:

The Information Commissioner
FOI/EIR Complaints Resolution
Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SX9 5AF

For further information about forwarding a complaint to the Information Commissioner see the ICO website.  

Back to: Governance