Customer Complaints

You can send a written complaint to the local authority if you feel you have been treated unfairly or not in line with the local authority's customer service charter.

Appeals and complaints 

Please read the complaints procedure below before making a complaint. 

  1. We aim to provide the best possible services to you. However, should it happen that you are not happy with the service provided, we will deal with your complaint in a timely, courteous and helpful manner.  
  2. In the first instance, we would advise that you discuss the matter at the point of service. The people who can best deal with an issue are those who provide the service.  
  3. If you do not receive a satisfactory response, we would advise you to write to or phone or make an appointment to meet the relevant Section Head.  
  4. If you are not satisfied with the response, you may also send a written complaint to the appropriate Director of Services/Head of Function. 
  5. Please address your letter to the appropriate Director of Services/Head of Function, to Laois County Council, Áras an Chontae, Portlaoise, Co. Laois R32 EHP9 and provide as much information as possible to enable your complaint to be dealt with in a speedy and appropriate manner. The matter will be investigated, and a response will be issued to you within 20 days. You can also email corpaffairs@laoiscoco.ie.
  6. We will aim to deal with complaints within 20 days of receipt of complaint. If we cannot forward a full reply in that time, we will write to you and inform you of the delay and the reason for same. 
  7. Should your complaint consist of complex, technical or legal aspects, we would ask you to put your complaint in writing to avoid any mistakes or misunderstandings. 
  8. When we make a mistake, we will apologise, endeavour to explain why it happened and where possible, rectify the matter as soon as possible. 
  9. We will include information on internal and external appeals and complaints procedures in all our documentation, publications and forms. 

The Office of the Ombudsman 

We hope that we have been able to resolve your complaint satisfactorily. However, if you remain unhappy with our response then you can refer your complaint to the Office of the Ombudsman. The Ombudsman is impartial and free to use.

The Ombudsman will ask you for details of your complaint and to provide a copy of our final response to your complaint.

How can I contact the Ombudsman

The best way to do this is through:

  • ‘Make A Complaint’ at www.ombudsman.ie
  • Writing to: Office of the Ombudsman, 6 Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin 2, D02 W773 or 
  • Calling the Ombudsman on 01 639 5600 if you have any queries or if you need help making your complaint