FOS / FSA Catch 22! - Argh!

star_gazer_5

Hiya

Sorry just needing a way of having a "Vent"

Short story - Took out PPI on credit card, diagnosed with progressive neuro condition, claim OK'd - July 06, company missed payment to card issuer, queried and complained, Aug 06 company apologised "Oversight, wouldn't happen again....blah, blah, blah" - Sept 06, another missed payment, complained, Nov 06 company apologised yet again, "Terribly sorry, blah, blah", Jan 07, another missed payment, another complaint - "Oversight, technical reasons, sorry - Hear have the claim settled early, go-away!" - Made complaint to FoS. FOS - Feb 07, apologies for delay in allocating assessor, very high work loads - TODAY! Have reviewed your complaint, no action to be taken, matter of policy and procedure therefore FSA issue, company acted reasonbly and fairly with your concerns, case to be closed, however should you wish to pursue, contact regulatory body FSA - Been onto FSA website, downloaded gumph - FSA do not pursue individual complaints against companies, please contact FOS - !!!!!!!!!!!!

Not sure where to go from here, but intend to keep plugging the crux of the matter would appear to be that as I pursued and challenged late payment fees, which were refunded and returned £40 of M&S vouchers bunged in an envelope in the "Go away" letter I am not acting reasonably as I am not "Financially" out of pocket, therefore company has no case to answer - FOS does however pick up my concerns over the failing "Practices" of the company, as everything done manually, and they do not have an electronic system????????? This outside of the remit of FOS, therefore need to pursue any compalint via FSA, who do not investigate or deal with complaints from individuals - Bottom line as it stands, the company can make as many mistakes and errors as it wishes, and apologise every time, and that is considered to be "Fair and reasonable dealing of my concerns raised...."

Any ideas?

Andy_L

Since you're not out of pocket (& if I'm reading this right £40 up at M&S) what do you want done to make you happy?

dunstonh

So, you complained to the firm, then to the FOS. FOS didnt give you an outcome you liked.

You then went to the FSA but were correctly told that they do not review individual complaints. If you arent out of pocket, what the problem?

Bottom line as it stands, the company can make as many mistakes and errors as it wishes, and apologise every time, and that is considered to be "Fair and reasonable dealing of my concerns raised...."

The FSA review complaints of firms at a corporate level during compliance visits. If a trend is identified or complaints are not being resolved to a required standard, the FSA will (and have in many cases) take action. So, your complaint has served its purpose. If there are others like you, the FSA will see the trend and deal with it after their next visit.

Also, the firm, will hopefully spot the trends (they do employ staff to do this sort of thing) and deal with it before the FSA visit. The FSA tend to be harder on firms that do not identify their weaknesses than those that do.