How the Ombudsman investigates a complaint

 
The Ombudsman also makes sure that fundamental rights and basic rights are respected.
 
When the Ombudsman investigates a complaint, he talks to the authority that someone has complained about.
He asks for reports and other information from the authorities.
He may order inspectors or the police to investigate the matter.
 
The authorities have the right to give their opinion on what happened.
At the same time, they always get to know who has complained about them.
 
Complaints are usually public.
However, information about the health or social benefits of the person who complained are secret.
 
The Parliamentary Ombudsman can ask some other authority to start investigating the complaint if this is necessary.
In that case, he will tell the person who complained that the case has been taken over by som other authority.

What happens after you make a complaint?

This depends on what the Ombudsman finds out when he investigates the matter.
 
If somebody is guilty of an offence, he may bring charges.
He may give the authority a reprimand if the authority has done its work badly or not followed the law.
 
The Ombudsman can tell the authority what they should have done according to the law.
 
The Ombudsman may also tell them what good governance should be like or how they can implement the rights of the person who complained.
 
He may also ask that the authorities correct a mistake or make it up to the customer.
 
If the Ombudsman finds out that the authorities are doing something wrong, he can ask them to change the way they do it.
 
The Ombudsman cannot change decisions that the authorities have made.
 
He cannot cancel a decision that a court has made.
 
He cannot take up questions that have to be proven or decided by a court.
 
The Ombudsman cannot do anything about an authority's work if the authority has followed the law and has not done anything wrong.
 
The Ombudsman cannot order anyone to pay compensation for damages.
 
The Ombudsman cannot give advice on legal questions.