The Furniture & Home Improvement Ombudsman is an independent, government-approved Alternative Dispute Resolution body that investigates disputes between a consumer and a member home improvement installer, including conservatory companies, offering a route to resolution without going to court.

An alternative to court

A dispute over unfinished, faulty or substandard conservatory work does not have to escalate straight to small claims court. Alternative Dispute Resolution schemes exist specifically to investigate and resolve disputes between a consumer and a business without the cost, delay and formality of court proceedings, and the home improvement sector, including conservatory installers, has its own dedicated route through the Furniture & Home Improvement Ombudsman.

What the Ombudsman actually does

The Furniture & Home Improvement Ombudsman is an independent, not-for-profit organisation that investigates complaints and helps resolve disputes between a consumer and a member installer, operating across the furniture, home improvement and removals sectors. It is approved by government to provide Alternative Dispute Resolution services, giving its decisions a formal standing that an informal complaint to the installer alone does not carry.

The membership condition

The Ombudsman’s process depends on the business being a registered member of the scheme; it is designed to resolve disputes between a consumer and a member installer specifically, rather than acting as a general complaints body for any home improvement company regardless of its affiliations. Checking whether a specific conservatory installer is a member before work begins is therefore relevant not only to reputation, but to what redress route will actually be available if a dispute arises later.

The deadlock letter

Before a dispute reaches the Ombudsman, the usual process requires the consumer to have raised the issue directly with the business first and reached a deadlock, typically evidenced by a deadlock letter from the business confirming it cannot resolve the complaint itself. This mirrors the pattern used across most UK ombudsman schemes: direct complaint first, then escalation to independent adjudication once that route is exhausted, rather than going to the Ombudsman as a first step.

How a complaint is raised

A complaint can be raised by contacting the Ombudsman directly, generally through an online dispute form, with the service also available by phone and in writing for anyone who needs help completing the process. Because the service is funded through member contributions rather than fees charged to the consumer bringing the complaint, using it does not carry the direct cost of court proceedings.

What if the installer isn’t a member

Where a conservatory installer is not a member of the Ombudsman scheme, or any equivalent CTSI-approved body, that specific route is not available, and a dispute that cannot be resolved directly with the business would instead need to proceed through other means, such as a Consumer Rights Act claim pursued through the small claims track of the county court. This is one of the practical reasons a CTSI-approved membership is worth checking before committing to an installer, separately from any other reputation checks.

What an Ombudsman decision actually achieves

An Alternative Dispute Resolution outcome from a body like the Furniture & Home Improvement Ombudsman can direct a member business to take specific action, such as completing outstanding work, carrying out a repair, or providing a refund, giving the consumer a concrete resolution without needing to prove the case in front of a judge. Because the business has already agreed, through its membership, to be bound by the scheme’s process, an Ombudsman decision generally carries practical weight even though it operates outside the court system entirely, which is part of why checking a business’s ADR membership matters before, not just after, a dispute develops.

FAQs

Do I have to go to court over a conservatory dispute?

Not necessarily. Where the installer is a member of a scheme like the Furniture & Home Improvement Ombudsman, that route can investigate and resolve the dispute first.

Do I need to complain to the installer before going to the Ombudsman?

Yes. The usual process requires the direct complaint to be exhausted first, evidenced by a deadlock letter from the business.

Does it cost anything to use the Ombudsman?

The service is funded through member contributions rather than fees charged to the consumer bringing the complaint.

What if my installer isn’t signed up to any ombudsman scheme?

That specific route won’t be available, and an unresolved dispute would instead need to go through another route, such as a Consumer Rights Act claim in the small claims court.

Bottom line

A conservatory dispute does not have to go straight to court where the installer is a member of a CTSI-approved Alternative Dispute Resolution scheme such as the Furniture & Home Improvement Ombudsman, which can investigate a complaint independently once a direct complaint to the business has reached deadlock. Checking an installer’s ombudsman membership before booking work is worth doing precisely because it determines what redress route is available if something goes wrong later. This is general information, not legal advice on a specific dispute.

Sources

This guide draws on the following primary sources, current as of 22 September 2026:

• Furniture & Home Improvement Ombudsman, “FAQs for Consumers”

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Compare Conservatories is an independent guide. We may earn a fee from some links; this never affects what we write. This article is general information, not legal or planning advice on any specific property — always confirm requirements directly with your local planning authority.