The Motor Ombudsman

What The Motor Ombudsman does

The Motor Ombudsman Limited is the UK's first and only ombudsman dedicated solely to the automotive sector, operating as a non-profit, private limited company and wholly owned subsidiary of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). It provides an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) service and self-regulatory framework through four CTSI-approved Codes of Practice covering New Car, Service and Repair, Vehicle Sales, and Vehicle Warranty Products. Accredited businesses gain access to dispute resolution mechanisms (Early Resolution, Mediation, Adjudication, and Final Decision), with the in-house Ombudsman issuing binding decisions where cases remain unresolved.

The organisation runs an ADR platform that includes automated case prioritisation and triage tools, automated remit decisioning, an online dispute submission portal for consumers, and a Garage Finder directory that surfaces accredited businesses by location. Operations are monitored by the Independent Compliance Assessment Panel (ICAP) and supported by partnerships with CTSI, DVSA, the Ombudsman Association, TyreSafe, and Ben. In 2024 the service handled 175,300 consumer contacts, created 34,700 cases, and resolved £30.5 million in consumer claims.

Revenue is generated primarily through annual accreditation fees paid by accredited businesses (vehicle manufacturers, franchised dealers, independent garages, and warranty/insurance providers), with discounts for dual-Code sign-ups. The consumer dispute resolution service is provided free of charge and funded entirely by these business subscriptions. The annual Star Awards programme, CPD-certified training courses, and supplementary products such as the EV Resource Hub and #DrivingDecisions used car buying guide extend engagement beyond core dispute handling. The entity is UK-only with no disclosed geographic expansion plans.

Name

The Motor Ombudsman

Legal name

The Motor Ombudsman Limited

Website

https://themotorombudsman.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Motor Ombudsman is the UK's first dedicated automotive-sector ombudsman, providing CTSI-approved Codes of Practice and free Alternative Dispute Resolution to consumers across vehicle sales, service, repair, and warranty disputes, funded by annual fees from over 7,500 accredited businesses.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Business Accreditation Fees: Annual accreditation fees paid by motor industry businesses (vehicle manufacturers, franchised dealers, independent garages, warranty providers) for membership to one or more CTSI-approved Codes of Practice. Fees fund the dispute resolution service which is provided free to consumers.
2. Star Awards Business Sponsorship: Businesses can support and promote the Star Awards campaign by downloading assets and spreading awareness. Prize sponsorship includes shopping vouchers for winners.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

The Motor Ombudsman is the UK's first voluntary, impartial private-sector ombudsman dedicated to the automotive industry. It operates four CTSI-approved Codes of Practice (New Car, Service and Repair, Vehicle Sales, Vehicle Warranty Products) that accredited motor businesses subscribe to, while delivering free Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) services to consumers through adjudication and final ombudsman decisions. The organization funds itself through annual accreditation fees paid by over 7,500 motor industry businesses (manufacturers, dealers, garages, warranty providers).

Product overview

The Motor Ombudsman is the UK's first and only ombudsman dedicated to the automotive sector, providing dispute resolution and industry self-regulation through four CTSI-approved Codes of Practice covering New Car, Service and Repair, Vehicle Sales, and Vehicle Warranty Products. The organisation offers a consumer-facing dispute resolution service (including Early Resolution, Mediation, Adjudication, and Final Decision processes), a Garage Finder tool, and an annual Star Awards programme. Over 7,500 businesses are accredited to one or more Codes. The service is free for consumers and funded by accredited business fees. Key 2024 statistics include £30.5m in consumer claims, 175,300 consumer contacts, and 34,700 total cases created.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• New Car Code CTSI-approved Code of Practice covering vehicle manufacturer warranties, providing reassurance to motorists during major vehicle purchases. Accredited to by new car manufacturers committing to standards for vehicle warranties and customer service.
• Service and Repair Code CTSI-approved Code of Practice committing vehicle repairers to open, transparent and fair methods of business, maintaining high standards across the industry. Accredited to by independent garages, franchised dealers, fast-fit specialists and MOT stations.
• Vehicle Sales Code CTSI-approved Code of Practice providing reassurance to motorists during vehicle purchasing, applicable to both main dealer and independent car retailers.
• Vehicle Warranty Products Code CTSI-approved Code of Practice aimed at driving up standards across a wide range of automotive warranty and insurance products. Accredited to by extended vehicle warranty and insurance providers.
• Alternative Dispute Resolution Service

Quantifiable outcome

• 34,700 cases resolved in 2024
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• TyreSafemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2026TyreSafe partnered with The Motor Ombudsman on the 'WORN-WARN' campaign launched at the UK Garage & Bodyshop Event. TyreSafe is a charity that has championed tyre safety for two decades.
• Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025DVSA participates in The Motor Ombudsman's Star Awards judging panel. DVSA's Head of Vehicle Policy and Engineering serves as a judge.
• Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCTSI is the approving body for The Motor Ombudsman's Codes of Practice through the Consumer Codes Approval Scheme. CTSI also monitors The Motor Ombudsman as an ADR provider and hosts the Hero Awards where TMO's National Star Award is presented.
• Ombudsman AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Motor Ombudsman is a member of the Ombudsman Association, ensuring compliance with ombudsman standards and best practices.
• Independent Compliance Assessment Panel (ICAP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerICAP monitors the operation of The Motor Ombudsman and accredited business compliance, chaired by Tim Milson. ICAP fulfils compliance and sanctioning requirements mandated by CTSI.
• Ben (Automotive Mental Health Charity)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Motor Ombudsman developed the 'Steer' mental health resource in association with Ben, supporting automotive businesses to help staff facing mental health struggles.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Legal Ombudsman (LeO): UK ombudsman scheme that handles disputes between legal service providers and their clients. Operates the same neutral-ADR-with-codes-of-practice model as TMO, just scoped to legal services; strong structural parallel.
• Ombudsman Services: Not-for-profit, UK-based ombudsman providing dispute resolution across multiple sectors (energy, communications, property, copyright). Direct peer in terms of multi-sector consumer-business ADR delivery and CTSI/Ofcom alignment.
• Financial Ombudsman Service: UK statutory ombudsman providing free dispute resolution between consumers and financial services businesses. Most directly comparable to TMO in mission, structure, and consumer-facing ADR model, but for the financial services sector rather than the automotive sector.
• Furniture & Home Improvement Ombudsman: UK Ombudsman scheme resolving disputes between consumers and retailers/installers in the furniture and home improvement sector. Closely mirrors TMO's CTSI-approved Code of Practice + ADR model in an adjacent consumer sector.
• The Property Ombudsman: UK-approved property-sector ombudsman resolving disputes between consumers and estate agents, letting agents, and property management firms. Same consumer-business ADR + Code of Practice structure as TMO, applied to the property vertical.

Emerging players

• Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR): UK ADR and mediation services provider, primarily serving commercial disputes. Comparable as an alternative dispute resolution organisation, though more commercially focused than TMO's consumer-mandate model.

Broad incumbents

• Citizens Advice: UK consumer protection organisation that advises and supports consumers with disputes, including motor-related issues. Not a specialist ombudsman, but it is a primary consumer-facing alternative route for the same disputes TMO adjudicates.
• Trading Standards (Chartered Trading Standards Institute): CTSI, which approves TMO's Codes of Practice, is the umbrella body for UK local authority Trading Standards enforcement. Functions as the statutory counterpart to TMO's self-regulatory ADR model, and CTSI approval is TMO's core regulatory anchor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Motor_Ombudsman
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCA-NBlZfRKhSCm_gmXeY8kA
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheMotorOmbudsman
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/15228101
• Instagraminstagram.com/the_motor_ombudsman

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Motor Ombudsman