isurv authors - Granite, Nicolette

Record details

Author
Nicolette Granite
Job title and company
Sector Expert for Ombudsman Services: Property
Section and channel

Residential sales in isurv Residential

Biography

Nicolette is Sector Expert for Ombudsman Services: Property and has worked for them since 2003. Nicolette initially worked in the Communications and Energy sectors and started investigating complaints about surveyors in 2007 when the pilot scheme was trialled.

Nicolette has been part of the rapid expansion of Ombudsman Services: Property from its origins as the Surveyors Ombudsman Service to the multi-sector property scheme that it is now, with approval from several government departments, trade bodies and industry regulators.

Nicolette’s role as Sector Expert involves providing technical advice, guidance, training and education to all departments across Ombudsman Services: Property as well as liaising with external stakeholders. While at Ombudsman Services: Property Nicolette has gained a professional qualification in Complaint Handling.
 

Company biography

About Ombudsman Services

Ombudsman Services is a national private sector Ombudsman scheme, founded in 2002 to provide independent dispute resolution. It operates under appropriate legislation and regulatory authority and its governance ensures that it is independent. Ombudsman Services resolves complaints between consumers and companies that are signed up to their scheme. The service is free for consumers and is an impartial and cost effective means of resolving disputes outside of the courts.

Ombudsman Services are approved to provide alternative dispute resolution across a range of sectors including energy, communications and property. It is also approved by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute to provide redress in non-regulated sectors such as retail and home improvements.

About Ombudsman Services: Property

Approved by Powys County Council as an estate’ agents redress scheme and by the Chartered Institute of Trading Standards, Ombudsman Services: Property resolve consumer complaints about property firms that have signed up to their service. These include:

  • chartered surveyors that are members of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS);
  • surveyors;
  • residential managing agents, including those that are members of the Association of Residential Managing Agents (ARMA);
  • residential letting agents, including those that are members of the National Approved Letting Scheme (NALS); and
  • other property professionals.

Ombudsman Services: Property decisions are binding on the firm and enforceable in court. It can require a range of remedies and financial awards up to £25,000. In 2016 Ombudsman Services: Property helped over 5,600 complainants and resolved 1,166 cases.