The Waterways Ombudsman scheme is a voluntary, private scheme which provides an impartial and independent dispute resolution service for unresolved complaints about the Canal & River Trust and the Avon Navigation Trust which have already been considered under the Trusts' own complaints process. The service is free of charge to complainants.
Under the Alternative Dispute Resolution for Consumer Disputes (Competent Authorities and Information) Regulations 2015, ADR entities must be approved by a relevant Competition Authority.
The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) is the relevant Competition Authority for the Waterways Ombudsman Scheme. The scheme was unconditionally approved by the CTSI as a Consumer ADR body on 9 February 2017 and reapproved every two years since, most recently in April 2024.
The Waterways Ombudsman Scheme is a member of the Ombudsman Association.
The Ombudsman Association is a professional association for ombudsmen and complaint handlers, their staff and others interested in the work of independent complaint resolution. It periodically reviews its member organisations, in a validation process, to ensure that they continue to fulfil the criteria for membership. The Waterways Ombudsman was revalidated in 2017 as a full voting ombudsman member.
The purpose of the Ombudsman Association is to promote the role of an ombudsman as the ‘best practice’ model for resolving complaints, and to encourage the sharing and adoption of best practice by members through conferences, seminars and meetings.
The Rules of the Waterways Ombudsman Scheme
The rules of the Ombudsman scheme were adopted by British Waterways in 2005. In June 2012 the Trustees of the Canal & River Trust resolved to adopt, temporarily, British Waterways’ scheme with minor amendments. In April 2015 the Rules were amended to ensure that the Scheme complies with the Alternative Dispute Resolution for Consumer Disputes (Competent Authorities and Information) Regulations 2015 (SI No. 542). The Rules were amended in September 2020 and again in November 2023 to reflect changes to the Committee and Scheme membership. The Rules were updated in March 2024 to include an Appendix to reflect how awards are calculated.
Rules of the Waterways Ombudsman Scheme March 2024
The funding of the Scheme
As with other Ombudsman schemes, the Waterways Ombudsman Scheme is funded by the organisations subject to investigation. That is currently the Canal & River Trust and the Avon Navigation Trust. If and when other organisations join the scheme, they would contribute to the funding.
The Scheme has been validated as a full member of the Ombudsman Association. One of the key requirements of the Association’s validation process is that the remuneration of the Ombudsman is not subject to suspension or reduction by those subject to investigation. The remuneration is agreed by the Waterways Ombudsman Committee, and the Chair of the Committee reviews and signs off all invoices.
Memorandum of Understanding
Memorandum of Understanding in respect of secretarial and administrative support provided to the Waterway Ombudsman Committee by the Canal & River Trust