How do I file a complaint?

We are here to help you in any case of conflict with public administration. It does not matter how simple or complex the problem is, as long as your case meets the following criteria:

1. You have already filed a complaint with the administrative authority itself.
2. The problem is not about the content of the law.
3. The problem is not about a court judgment.
4. There are no other current or previous means of objection or appeal.
5. The problem occurred less than a year ago.
6. Are you unsure about whether your complaint fits the bill? Please give us a call. Our phone number is +31 70 356 35 63.

How should you send your complaint to the National Ombudsman?

Your complaint is important, therefore we aim to make it as easy as possible for you to submit it to us. There are several ways to do this.

• Submit a digital complaint via our website.
• Fill in the complaint form (hardcopy).
• Write a letter.

We would like to ask you to be concise, but make sure that you at least tell us:

• What you think the public administration has done wrong;
• What you have already done about your complaint;
• What you hope to achieve by sending the complaint to us;
• Your contact details: postal address, e-mail address and telephone number;
• Relevant documents, such as copies of your complaint letters to the public administration and the replies you received from them.

Please send your complaint form or letter (free of charge) to:

National Ombudsman of the Netherlands
Antwoordnummer 10870
2501 WB The Hague
The Netherlands

If we need more information, we will contact you.

Please note that since the National Ombudsman is a Dutch institution, all correspondence concerning your complaint will be in Dutch. In case it becomes clear that you do not speak or understand Dutch and that nobody (for instance a lawyer) can assist you, the National Ombudsman will correspond with you in a language you do understand or will provide you with a summary in a language you do understand.

What will the National Ombudsman do with your complaint?

You will receive a written confirmation as soon as we have received your complaint. We will let you know whether we are able to help you within three weeks after sending this confirmation. 

More information about how we work