The Ombuds Group has confirmed its acquisition of the Removals Industry Ombudsman Scheme (RIOS), following the retirement of the scheme’s long-standing leadership team.
With the full agreement of the Ombudsman Association, The Ombuds Group will now be responsible for delivering and developing ombudsman services to the removals industry. The transition comes as Tony Kaye, Jeff Norman, and Martin Rose retire, having played a key role in guiding the scheme over many years.
The Ombuds Group has paid tribute to Tony and the RIOS Board, thanking them for their commitment, leadership and contribution to independent redress in the removals sector.
Bringing RIOS under The Ombuds Group umbrella marks a new chapter for the scheme. The Group will ensure the continued delivery of impartial, professional, and accessible dispute resolution services—building on the scheme’s solid foundations while adapting to meet the changing needs of consumers and businesses.
The acquisition also creates new opportunities for colleagues across The Ombuds Group to develop, lead, and innovate – reinforcing the organisation’s commitment to fairness, collaboration and continuous improvement.
Kevin Grix, Chief Executive and Chief Ombudsman at The Ombuds Group, commented: “We are proud to have been entrusted with the future of the Removals Industry Ombudsman Scheme. Our shared values and commitment to high-quality alternative dispute resolution will ensure that the scheme continues to support both consumers and businesses in the removals sector for many years to come.”
Tony Kaye, retired Ombudsman at the Removal Industry Ombudsman Scheme said: “It has been a privilege to be associated with the Members of the National Guild of Removers (The Guild). The inspection regime and the oversight provided by the Guild certainly appears to work such that clients of Guild members can be very confident of getting a service which will not disappoint.
“In transferring the operation of the Ombudsman services to The Ombuds Group, the moving public and the Membership will have the distinct advantage of an online and streamlined complaint system that provides for easy access to the complainants and an efficient and less time-consuming process for the membership.”
