For each complaint he receives that qualifies for mediation, the Ombudsman applies a standard and tried and tested process during which he:
- hears each party’s version of the facts, their reason for the dispute; he always works on the premise that the parties are acting in good faith,
- analyses the documents/evidence provided by each party,
- questions either party if there are still grey areas, in order to ascertain that he has clearly identified the different stages of the dispute, in particular its root cause,
- analyses the regulations governing the situation experienced by the parties and ascertains that they have been complied with.
Consequently, when he concludes his analysis and proposes his solution, he has all the facts and information he needs to propose the fairest and most lawful conclusion possible.
The Ombudsman’s solution is thus based both on the information provided by the parties and on law and fairness.