Complaining
to the ombudsman
Your rights
What does the ombudsman do?
If you want to appeal
The ombudsman is an independent referee from
It is your right to appeal against any of our
outside the Environment Agency. You can contact
decisions. We’ll usually tell you about your right to
them if you are unhappy with the way we handle
appeal when we reply to your complaint. If you’re
your complaint or what we have to say. They usually
not sure about your rights, you should contact us.
expect you to give us the chance to deal with your
If you have any questions about the conditions in a
complaint before you contact them.
permit such as a licence, consent, registration,
exemption or authorisation, please contact the
England
department that dealt with your application. If you
In England, the Local Government Ombudsman
don’t know their contact details, please call the
looks at complaints about flood defence and land
customer services line.
drainage.
Your right to know
phone 0845 602 1983
You have a right to ask for information under the
email enquiry form www.lgo.org.uk/reqinfo.htm
Data Protection Act and new Freedom of Information
online www.lgo.org.uk
Act. You can ask for any of the information we hold
and we’ll give it to you unless we have a very good
reason not to.
The Parliamentary Ombudsman looks at complaints
about all other aspects of our work. If you live in
We try to make as much information available as
England you can only complain to them through
possible in a publication or on our website. If there
your local Member of Parliament.
is any information you can’t find, please contact us.
we want to
If you’re not happy with the way we deal with your
phone 0845 015 4033
request for information, you can complain to us
email [email address]
hear from you
online
following the steps in this leaflet. If you’re still
www.ombudsman.org.uk
unhappy, you can contact the Information
Commissioner who deals with complaints about
the way requests for information are handled.
Wales
In Wales, the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales
looks at all complaints about the Environment
England phone 01625 545 745
Our commitment to you
Agency. You can complain directly to them about
email [email address]
any aspect of our work.
Customer complaints and commendations
online www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk
March 2005
phone 01656 641 150
Wales phone 02920 894 929
email [email address]
email [email address]
online www.ombudsman-wales.org.uk
online www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk
We are the Environment Agency.
How to contact us
Tell us what you think
We have a number of ways you can tell us
It’s our job to look after the environment
what you think of our work and the work
and make it a better place for you and for
How to commend us
being done on our behalf.
future generations.
When you contact us to tell us we’re doing
something right we will pass your commendation to
When you contact us we will deal with your
the appropriate manager who will make sure the
feedback or tell you how to contact your local
Your environment is the air you breathe, the water
staff involved are thanked.
Environment Agency office (Mon-Fri 9-5).
you drink and the ground you walk on. Working with
businesses, government and society as a whole, we
Please tell us if you have any communication
How to complain to us
are making your environment cleaner and healthier.
If you contact us with a complaint, we will make
needs so we can talk with you more easily.
sure we deal with it properly and fairly by following
We have a Language Line if English isn’t your
We deal with individual members of the public,
a set of guidelines:
first language.
community groups, industry, farmers, businesses of
all sizes and government. Our aim is to live up to
• If we can, we’ll deal with your complaint straight
the highest possible standards in our dealings with
away. If not, we’ll acknowledge your complaint by
Call us on 08708 506 506 (Mon-Fri 8-6)
all our customers.
phone or in writing to make sure
we understand your concerns fully. We’ll give you
minicom 08702 422 549
Our commitment to you
the name of a member of staff who you can
To help us know what we’re doing right and wrong,
contact directly.
email enquiries@environment-
we need to hear from you. If you’re happy with our
• We’ll investigate your complaint thoroughly.
service please tell us. It helps us to identify good
agency.gov.uk
You’ll get a letter within ten working days
practice and encourages our staff. And if you’re not
answering your complaint. If we need to look into
happy, tell us so we can put things right.
visit our website
your complaint further, we’ll tell you why and
when you can expect an answer.
We’ll always try to provide a professional service.
www.environment-agency.gov.uk
• If you’re not happy with our reply let us know
We have listened to the views of our customers and
why. We’ll look into it. If it’s appropriate, we’ll
looked at what other organisations do well to
Or write to:
raise your concerns at a more senior level.
develop our principles for providing services.
Environment Agency Customer Service Centre,
• We’ll keep you informed and reply as soon as
We review all our feedback regularly so that we can
Bowbridge Close, Bradmarsh Business Park,
we have finished looking into your complaint.
learn from you and make things better.
Templeborough, Rotherham S60 1BY
To read more about our standards of service, you
can get our Customer Charter from your local
Environment first: This publication is printed on
Environment Agency office and on our website
paper made from 100 per cent previously used
www.environment-agency.gov.uk
We don’t treat environmental incidents like floods
waste. By-products from making the pulp and paper are
and pollution as complaints. If you want to report
used for composting and fertiliser, for making cement
an incident, please contact our 24 hour incident
and for generating energy.
hotline on 0800 80 70 60.
GEHO0506BKUS-E-P
