Ombudsman sees growing complaints about digitisation of admin

The increasing difficulty of finding a human to talk to, instead of being directed to an online form or chatbot if you have a problem with your bank, tax office or housing association, is becoming more problematic, according to a new report by regional mediation institution, Ombuds Bruxelles.

Forced to go it alone on digital platforms when talking on the telephone is not an option, citizens are confronted with complex instructions rarely formulated in accessible language, the ombudsman found.

Moreover, the eventual responses are often standardised, not tailored to their specific request, meaning people do not understand why they have been fined or cannot get help with issues such as housing renovation.

The report was presented to the Brussels parliament by Ombuds Bruxelles director Catherine De Bruecker.

Emphasising the increasing digitisation of administrative tasks, she also highlighted that if people cannot check their applications for a parking permit for example with someone at a meeting or on the telephone, which was the case in around one quarter of the complaints when the only option was online contact forms, the risk of mistakes is much greater.

“Ombuds Bruxelles notes that correcting an error is generally very complicated, if not impossible. This is particularly the case for Renolution [housing renovation] premium applications or taxi licence applications.

“For citizens who have made a mistake, it’s a double penalty,” De Bruecker told MPs. “The burden is on them, but also the consequences, sometimes dramatic, of a simple error.

"A humane administration is one that is based on the principle of trust in its citizens,” she added, calling to introduce “a right to error, which would allow citizens who make a mistake in good faith to correct it”.

When releasing the report, Ombuds Bruxelles explained: “An error does not automatically result from negligence or fraud, and its consequences must remain proportionate to the burden that the procedure places on the citizen.

“We are calling to introduce a ‘right to make a mistake’, which would give administrations a legal framework to allow citizens to correct a mistake they have made in good faith.

"This right to make an error is also included in a resolution by Ombudsman.be, the Belgian network of ombudsmen. They are calling for this right to be enshrined in the administrative law of all entities in the country."

Ombuds Bruxelles recorded 1,305 complaints in 2024, 26% more than in 2023. According to Catherine De Bruecker, complaints relate to property, parking, Renolution premiums, low emission zone (LEZ) fines, taxi licences, business subsidies and social assistance.

The administrations that come into contact with citizens most are Parking.brussels, the City of Brussels and Brussels Taxation.