Business Letter of Deadlock before Complaint to Ombudsman

This is a letter that can be used by a business before referring a complaint or dispute to an ombudsman. In many cases this letter is required where evidence of deadlock is necessary before the dispute can be referred.

An ombudsman refers to a person or body who has the task of resolving issues between conflicting parties through mediation.

The document provides a simple template that enables a person to set out the key facts that are required to establish that the dispute is in deadlock and give the other party a final chance to resolve the dispute before it is referred to a relevant ombudsman.

It is worth noting that an ombudsman cannot handle matters that have already been decided by a court, or where time limits have expired.

How to use this document

Once this document has been completed it should be signed by someone authorised to do so on behalf of the business making the complaint. Then, simply post it to the other party, and wait for them to reply. Where this letter is sent and no response is received within 14 days further action with the relevant ombudsman may be considered.

The letter should be sent as soon as possible after the dispute has reached deadlock, and in any event before the dispute is referred.

In order to prove postage of the letter, it may be prudent to send it by recorded delivery, or keep a receipt or other proof of posting.

Applicable Law

The principles applied depend upon the ombudsman that covers the dispute. It is prudent to check with the relevant ombudsman whether such a letter of deadlock is required.

Help from a lawyer

You can choose to consult a lawyer if you need help.

The lawyer can answer your questions or help you through the process. You will be offered this option when you complete the document.

How to modify the template

You fill out a form. The document is created before your eyes as you respond to the questions.

At the end, you receive it in Word and PDF formats. You can modify it and reuse it.