What is an Ombudsman?

An ombudsman is an impartial service that considers consumer complaints about a variety of issues relating to organisations in both the private and public sectors. It is tasked with reaching outcomes for both parties which are fair and reasonable based on the evidence provided, as an alternative to going to court.

What Is The Motor Ombudsman?

Answer: The Motor Ombudsman is the automotive dispute resolution (ADR) body. It is the first voluntary and fully-impartial private sector ombudsman for the automotive sector, providing a self-regulatory environment for the industry using its Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI)-approved Motor Industry Codes of Practice.

The Motor Ombudsman complements consumer law rather than being a substitute for it.


The Motor Ombudsman is NOT:

  • A consumer or industry champion
  • A regulator
  • A government-backed watchdog
  • The voice of the automotive industry

Find out more about our powers here