The free service offered by the Ombudsman exists for everyone
to use when disputes reach deadlock, but for one reason and another, this professional resolution resource is all too often overlooked by those involved in the property arena, writes Tony Booth.

The Ombudsman Has A Long History

The word 'Ombudsman' has derivatives in several Scandinavian languages. It was first used in 1552 to describe 'a representative'. The more modern use of the title began in Sweden in 1809, when a supervisory agency independent of the executive branch was created by the Swedish parliament to safeguard the rights of its citizens. Although the term derives from Old Norse, the actual concept is almost as old as civilization itself. There are references to an Ombudsman-like agency operating in China during the Qin Dynasty as far back as 221 BC and the Romans, Turks and Koreans all had similar official agencies functioning to settle disputes.

Eighteen And Rising

There are currently no less than 18 different Ombudsman services operating in the UK. These are: