How to make a complaint

Before you contact us, get in touch with the agency involved to explain your concerns. This gives the agency a chance to fix the problem. The agency’s website should outline the process on how to make a complaint. However, if you don’t feel safe contacting the agency, let us know.

You should keep a copy of all emails and letters.

If you make a complaint to us about someone we don’t oversight, we will tell you who can help.

We handle complaints about NSW government agencies, local councils and community services funded by the NSW government.

See list of complaints we can handle.

There are complaints we can’t help you with. For example:

• Centrelink and Australian Tax Office (ATO) complaints
• complaints regarding electricity, gas, water and phone companies
• complaints about private businesses.

If we aren’t able to assist you with your complaint, there are other Ombudsman offices or agencies that may be able to help.

You will need to tell us:

• who and what your complaint is about
• what happened after you complained to the agency
• what you think should happen to resolve your complaint.

If you decide to complain directly to us, we will ask to see copies of your communication with the agency about your complaint.

We'll also ask you to provide documents to support your complaint. For example, letters or emails between you and the agency, photos or other documents. We will need all relevant supporting information you have to assess your complaint.

When you’re ready, you can make your complaint online. If this is not possible, you can ring us on 1800 451 524. Making a complaint is free.

You can ask someone such as a family member, friend or community worker to help you submit a complaint. If you are making a complaint on behalf of another person you will need their permission to do so.

You don’t have to tell us your name when you make a complaint. If you do provide your name, we will treat your complaint confidentially and seek your permission before telling the agency that we have received a complaint from you. It is a criminal offence for anyone to take any action against you for making a complaint to us. If you are concerned that this could happen, please let us know.

When we assess your complaint, we may decide to:

• put you in contact with the right person in the agency who can respond to your complaint
• contact the agency about the problem and ask them for an explanation
• ask you or the agency for more information about what has happened.

We will contact you within 2 weeks to give you an update. We will explain to you what action we will take. We aim to finalise most complaints within 30 working days.

Read more about what we do with your complaint

If you're not satisfied with the outcome

If you're not happy with what the agency or service provider does as a result of our decision, contact us to talk to your case officer.

If you're not happy with our decision or the way we handled your complaint, see Complaints about the NSW Ombudsman.