Financial Ombudsman - don't leave it too long!

Queenieweeniebee

I registered my claim with the Financial Ombudsman in July 2012. They acknowledged receipt and told me it could take up to 2 years to sort out but that I should not contact them unless I had vital information that they would need. In December 2013 I moved house, and wrote to them with my new address. As I didn't receive any acknowledgement I telephoned to learn that my letter was "probably in our large backlog of post". While speaking to an adviser I asked for a progress report. The lady said that all was going according to plan and that she would make sure my file was "with the right person now". A day later I received a letter thanking me for my claim, and telling me that it could take up to two years to sort out! I tried to phone again but was held in a long queue. So I sent them an email asking why my claim, that they had had since July 2012 was going to take ANOTHER two years to sort out. A day or so later I received a call from an adviser who told me that they had my claim registered under three different reference numbers, but she had managed to bring them together. She then gave me a brief run down on progress (or lack thereof) and told me that I should get a result "very soon". That was about three weeks ago. So, the moral of this story is to give them a ring if you don't hear anything for six months - at least, that's my advice. If I hadn't rung who knows how long it would have taken them to sort out my "three" claims??? :mad:

Brokerwise

Queenieweeniebee wrote: »

I registered my claim with the Financial Ombudsman in July 2012. They acknowledged receipt and told me it could take up to 2 years to sort out but that I should not contact them unless I had vital information that they would need. In December 2013 I moved house, and wrote to them with my new address. As I didn't receive any acknowledgement I telephoned to learn that my letter was "probably in our large backlog of post". While speaking to an adviser I asked for a progress report. The lady said that all was going according to plan and that she would make sure my file was "with the right person now". A day later I received a letter thanking me for my claim, and telling me that it could take up to two years to sort out! I tried to phone again but was held in a long queue. So I sent them an email asking why my claim, that they had had since July 2012 was going to take ANOTHER two years to sort out. A day or so later I received a call from an adviser who told me that they had my claim registered under three different reference numbers, but she had managed to bring them together. She then gave me a brief run down on progress (or lack thereof) and told me that I should get a result "very soon". That was about three weeks ago. So, the moral of this story is to give them a ring if you don't hear anything for six months - at least, that's my advice. If I hadn't rung who knows how long it would have taken them to sort out my "three" claims??? :mad:

Why did you go straight to the Ombudsman ?

dunstonh

I agree. Going to the FOS directly and trying to do an end run around the complaints process is not helpful.

[Deleted User]

Queenieweeniebee wrote: »

I registered my claim with the Financial Ombudsman in July 2012.

Did you do this without first complaining to your lender?

dunstonh wrote: »

Going to the FOS directly and trying to do an end run around the complaints process is not helpful.

Is this even possible?

I thought FOS simply forwarded such "early" referrals to the relevant lender?

dunstonh

Is this even possible?

I thought FOS simply forwarded such "early" referrals to the relevant lender?

They fill out what they think the complaint is (which is often wrong) and send it to the firm that they think is responsible.

[Deleted User]

dunstonh wrote: »

They fill out what they think the complaint is (which is often wrong) and send it to the firm that they think is responsible.

You would have thought they'd either send the original complaint to the lender or send it back to the complainant instructing them where to send it...

cing0

dunstonh wrote: »

I agree. Going to the FOS directly and trying to do an end run around the complaints process is not helpful.

I disagree.
The FOS provide a free, efficient service for forwarding complaints onto financial business on a customer behalf.
This has the added advantage creating an FOS case number with inherent compliance with FCA (DISP) rule 2.8.2(1) meaning the complaint can never be out of time because it was brought to the FOS at the outset.

dunstonh wrote: »

They fill out what they think the complaint is (which is often wrong) and send it to the firm that they think is responsible.

You are correct

dunstonh

I disagree.
The FOS provide a free, efficient service for forwarding complaints onto financial business on a customer behalf.

Efficient???!! You obviously havent seen the FOS complaint forms.

This has the added advantage creating an FOS case number with inherent compliance with FCA (DISP) rule 2.8.2(1) meaning the complaint can never be out of time because it was brought to the FOS at the outset.

Yes it can as the 6 month rule applies from receipt of the rejection by the firm.

[Deleted User]

cing0 wrote: »

The FOS provide a free, efficient service for forwarding complaints onto financial business on a customer behalf.

If thats the case, why has the OP been waiting two years?

dunstonh

Moneyineptitude wrote: »

If thats the case, why has the OP been waiting two years?

And have the same complaint lodged three times by the FOS but not once does it appear to have gone to the company involved.

I am actually a supporter of the FOS. I think it does a difficult job. I dont agree with its funding and I think it is too liberal in its views (it assumes the consumer is never trying it on as they would not do such a thing and it also assumes the consumer is stupid unless proven otherwise).

A recent published complaint that an ombudsman upheld on the basis that the company director was not clever enough or sophisticated enough to use investment funds and should have gone with the cheapest bog standard fund is one example of it getting it wrong. People go to advisers to get quality. To then get a complaint upheld that said cheap and budget should have been used is just daft. Just a few months ago, the Daily Mail ran an article that said advisers were dumbing down their advice and recommending basic options. Is it any wonder why when the FOS give decisions like that. Cost should not be a driver to quality of advice. If it was, then everyone should just be placed in an Aviva personal pension in their bog standard mixed equity fund and we should all be driving some Korean car and buying our clothes from ASDA.

katiepyke

Why is everyone assuming the OP went direct to the FOS?
Personally i'd assumed that they'd gone to which ever company sold them PPI first and after being unsuccessful they then lodged a complaint with the FOS, and this is where their post has started.