Making a complaint

Our experience is that wilful misconduct within charities is rare.

However, OSCR has powers to investigate apparent or alleged misconduct in charities, and to take protective action where required.

 

In addition to conducting enquiries into charities, we can investigate bodies that are connected to or controlled by charities; and bodies that are not charities but falsely representing themselves as charities.

 

What does OSCR deal with?

We can only investigate complaints where we have the legal power to do so. We will make enquiries where:

• the trustees are not acting in accordance with the governing document or charity law
• it appears that misconduct in the charity may be putting assets at risk
• the charity's income is not being used for its stated charitable purposes
• the way in which the charity is administered is seriously detrimental to the beneficiaries or causes served
• an organisation is calling itself a charity when it is not.

For further information on how we deal with complaints read our Enquiry and intervention policy.

 

How do I complain?

If you feel you have reason to complain about a charity and, where appropriate, have exhausted the charity's own complaints procedures you can make a complaint by:

• completing OSCR's online complaints form
• sending an email with details of your complaint to info@oscr.org.uk and marking it FAO Investigations Officers
• writing to: Investigations Officers, OSCR, 2nd Floor, Quadrant House, 9 Riverside Drive, Dundee, DD1 4NY
• telephoning 01382 220446 and asking for the Investigations Officers.