Disagree with FOS adjudicator

spyrothedragon_2

Does anyone have any experience of taking a complaint to the FOS? I lodged a long list of complaints against my bank last October. The FOS have upheld many of my points, but the settlement on offer is an insult and the adjudicator even refused to comment on one issue - the excuse he gave for that misses the whole point of my complaint! :mad:
I don't believe that he's bothered to read all the facts, and to my untrained eye I have a cast-iron case. The muppet I've been dealing with has recommended that I accept the settlement, but I've refused to do this and asked for an ombudsman to review my case. The details of my complaints against the bank aren't important here (they'd fill the whole screen), my question is simply if anyone else has disagreed with an adjudicator and asked for a review. If so, how did you get on, how long did it take, etc?


Note to Mods, please feel free to move this to the correct forum.

dunstonh

The FOS have upheld many of my points, but the settlement on offer is an insult and the adjudicator even refused to comment on one issue - the excuse he gave for that misses the whole point of my complaint!

Are you after compensation or redress? Redress is based on an actual loss. Compensation is based on inconvenience and tends to be fairly low when there is no actual loss.

my question is simply if anyone else has disagreed with an adjudicator and asked for a review. If so, how did you get on, how long did it take, etc?

Referrals to an ombudsman typically end up with very low overturn rates. It does happen but mainly in areas where a more skilled person than an adjudicator can see the argument better (on either side). It's an even slower process so expect another 12 months.

spyrothedragon_2

I'm after redress and compensation! But another 12 months? That's outrageous. This whole system is geared up to protect the banks.
So I have 2 options - I can turn round, touch my toes, and let the bank get away with it, or I can waste even more time farting against thunder.
Thanks for the reply dunstonh.

dunstonh

But another 12 months? That's outrageous. This whole system is geared up to protect the banks.

No its not. The problem is that the system was never geared to handle complaints companies generating false and opportunistic complaints. They are flooding the system and causing delays for people with genuine issues. It's an issue that no-one seems to be want to deal with as the FOS and FSA say they want to keep the complaints process free to consumers and as the FSA doesnt regulate complaints companies, it can take no action against those trying it on. The MoJ is a very weak regulator and will only act on large volumes of complaint. My compliance company says around 1/3rd of complaints they get are about products that are not even held and claims companies are responsible for nearly all of those. Even when told there is no product held and no wrong doing some still refer the complaint to the FOS.

Its a problem that is known and has been around for a while but no-one wants to fix it or can come up with a way to fix it that does not involve penalising those that make fraudulent complaints.