OSCR Reviews 3

As an experienced trustee with a professional team we applied for charitable status back in July 2025. In December we were told there were delays and they'd be in touch soon. It's now March and still ZERO contact. Today we were told that our application had been closed and that in fact they had contacted us back in September. Spoke to another staff member who told us it was November.

Rude and arrogant staff, completely contradict their own guidelines and then tell lies about an application because in fact they didn't process it.

Really shocking experience.

We're all experienced trustees and already involved with several other charities.

Complained about a charity. Straightforward case of trustees expelling members without following the procedure in the governing document. OSCR refused to get involved. It said "trustees considered their role and took appropriate advice." What kind of advice was can absolve a charity from having to fulfil a statutory duty? OSCR refused to explain or comment.

The purpose of OSCR is to ensure that charities are being run properly. Its own guidance says charities must follow the procedures in the governing document, and make every effort to settle disputes out of court. It is not even willing to confirm this advice to the charity. As a result I am having to take the dispute to court.

I used this organisation for a complaint about a Scottish Charity. They politely responded and said my complaint had no basis. However, when I asked them for a subject access request under the Data Protection Act, I found they had sided with the charity, and based their opinion on factually incorrect information.