Unfairly treated by government — complain to Ombudsman?
Complaint about government (UWV, Tax Office, council, police, etc.): (1) First internal complaint at agency: written + reasoned. They have 6 weeks to respond (extension to 10 wks). Mandatory under General Administrative Law Act (Awb). (2) Not satisfied? Complaint at National Ombudsman via 0800-3355555 (free) or nationaleombudsman.nl. For national government + agencies. Municipal ombudsman (Amsterdam, Rotterdam, etc.) for council matters (separate body). (3) Ombudsman investigates: asks agency for response + file. Verdict within 6 mo. Not binding but 80%+ followed. Often: acknowledgment + apology + sometimes compensation. (4) For whom: citizens + entrepreneurs vs government. Not for: private disputes (insurance, bank, employer). For those: dispute commission or court. (5) Anonymous: ombudsman protects identity if wanted. (6) Complain about Police: at police via complaint commission (mandatory route). Then ombudsman. (7) Complain about judge: NOT ombudsman — via Court of Discipline or Procurator General Supreme Court. Separate process. (8) GDPR complaints: at Data Protection Authority (separate). (9) Timely: report within 1 year of incident. Ombudsman successes: allowance affair (2017+), Groningen earthquakes, IND backlogs — all accelerated improvements after ombudsman reports.
Step by step
- 1Internal complaint at agencyWritten + reasoned. 6-10 wks response (Awb). Mandatory first step.
- 2Wait response + keepKeep all correspondence. On no response within term: penalty possible.
- 3Ombudsman: free call/online0800-3355555 or nationaleombudsman.nl. Describe + provide evidence.
- 4Investigation 6 monthsOmbudsman requests agency file. Often: acknowledgment + apology + sometimes compensation.
All contacts
Frequently asked questions
Binding ombudsman ruling?
Not legally binding, but 80%+ recommendations followed. Ombudsman has high moral + political authority. On non-compliance: parliamentary questions + media boost pressure. More effective route than court for “unfair treatment” cases.
Combine with court?
Often yes. Ombudsman for: treatment, communication, procedure errors. Court (admin) for: substantive decision + timelines. Both can run parallel. Objection/appeal don't block ombudsman complaint.
Sources
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