How to Complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service: Get Resolution

The Financial Ombudsman Service resolves complaints about most UK financial services. This includes banks, building societies, credit card providers, insurance companies, investment firms, pension providers, loan companies, and more. They can look at complaints about: poor advice, mis-selling, delays in processing, incorrect charges, declined claims, poor customer service, and administrative errors. The ombudsman looks at what's fair and reasonable in the circumstances, not just whether the company broke the law. They can order companies to compensate you, reverse decisions, or take specific actions.

Before contacting the ombudsman, you must give the financial company a chance to resolve things. Here's the process: Step 1: Contact the company directly and complain. They have 8 weeks to respond. Step 2: If unhappy with their response, escalate to their formal complaints department. They have another 8 weeks. Step 3: Only after 8 weeks (or if they give you a 'deadlock' letter saying they can't help) can you escalate to the ombudsman. The ombudsman won't usually investigate if you haven't given the company proper time to respond. Keep records of all correspondence — dates, names, what was said. If the company has already rejected your complaint and won't budge, you can escalate immediately after 8 weeks.

You can complain to the Financial Ombudsman online, by phone, or by post. Online: financial-ombudsman.org.uk/consumer/complaints. Phone: 0800 023 4567 (free from mobile) or 0300 123 9123. Post: Financial Ombudsman Service, Exchange Tower, London E14 9SR. To make a complaint, you'll need: your name, address, and contact details, the company's name and what they're accused of, details of what happened and when, copies of any relevant documents, and what outcome you're looking for. Be clear and factual. Include key dates and amounts. Explain the impact on you — financial loss, stress, inconvenience. The ombudsman won't charge you anything.

After you submit your complaint, here's what happens. First, the ombudsman checks your complaint is something they can look at. If not, they'll explain why. Then they contact the financial company for their side of the story. The company has 28 days to respond. Next, an ombudsman investigates — they look at the evidence from both sides. Most cases are resolved at this stage through 'provisional decision' — a recommendation both sides can accept. If either side rejects the provisional decision, a final decision is made. The final decision is binding on the company (but not on you — you can still go to court if unhappy). The whole process typically takes 3-6 months, though complex cases take longer.

To maximise your chances of success, follow these tips. Be specific: vague complaints like 'bad service' are harder to investigate. Include exact dates, amounts, and what was said. Provide evidence: bank statements, emails, letters, screengrabs all help. Keep a timeline: a clear chronological summary makes your case easy to follow. Be realistic: the ombudsman looks for fair compensation, not punitive damages. Know what you want: specify the outcome you're seeking — refund, compensation, apology, action to fix the problem. Don't exaggerate: if you lie or exaggerate, it damages your credibility. Stay professional: abusive or aggressive communications don't help your case.

There are important time limits to be aware of. You usually have 6 years from when the problem happened (or 3 years from when you first knew about it) to complain to the ombudsman. This is strict — the ombudsman generally can't help if you're outside this window. For pension complaints, you have 6 years from the event or 3 years from realising something went wrong. If the company has already given you a final response, you have 6 months to escalate to the ombudsman. If you're outside any deadline, explain why — the ombudsman has discretion to extend in some cases.