Northern Ireland focus 2010
The ombudsman service is delighted to be working with a wide-range of front-line consumer-advice agencies providing support and guidance to consumers across Northern Ireland.
The ombudsman will be in Belfast and Omagh in May 2010 working alongside these agencies and taking part in a range of events. These events include free face-to-face drop-in complaint-clinics for consumers. Ombudsman staff will be on hand to meet people who need help sorting out problems with their bank, insurance company or finance firm.
May 2010
Belfast - Citizens Advice Bureau - 10 May
- where: Merrion Business Centre, 58 Howard St, BT1 6PJ
- format: afternoon consumer drop-in-complaint-clinic
Belfast - Consumer Affairs Building - 11 May
- in partnership with Consumer Affairs, Department of Enterprise, Trade & Investment
- where: Consumer Affairs Building, 176 Newtownbreda Road, Belfast BT8 6QS
- format: training day for consumer advisers
Belfast - Balmoral show – 12 to 14 May
- Northern Ireland's largest annual three day agricultural show
- where: King's Hall, Balmoral, Belfast, BT9 6GW
- format: ombudsman staff will be on hand in King's Hall (ground floor) to provide information on the ombudsman service and answer queries.
Omagh - Omagh Community House - 13 May
- in partnership with Omagh Independent Advice Services
- where: Omagh Community House, Drumragh Avenue, Omagh, BT78 1DP
- format: all day consumer drop-in-complaint-clinic
Last year over 20,000 consumers from across Northern Ireland asked the ombudsman for help in settling a financial dispute. However, consumer research shows that people in Northern Ireland are still significantly less aware of their consumer rights - including their right to bring a complaint to the ombudsman service.