MoneySavingExpert calls for eight-week ombudsman rule to be scrapped - MSE News 5 November 2019 at 11:22AM in Martin's blogs & appearances & MoneySavingExpert in the news 6 replies 2K views

Former_MSE_Callum

MoneySavingExpert.com is urgently calling on the Government, ombudsmen and regulators to make a radical change to an outdated and archaic rule, which forces consumers to wait eight weeks before they can escalate a complaint to an ombudsman...

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'MoneySavingExpert calls for eight-week ombudsman rule to be scrapped'

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VT82

I don't disagree with the proposal, but there was nothing approaching a compelling argument for why it should be changed in the summary of your study findings.

The_squirrell

While I agree with the sentiment, in reality your report is far too simplistic and is only the start. In this current litigious climate, the activities of Claims Management Companies etc should be much more rigorously regulated and controlled. Without them clogging up the system with spurious "complaints" and Subject Access Requests, the process for genuine complaints would be much quicker. Genuine complaints should always be encouraged and acted on as quickly as possible, and put simply....nobody should make a profit from the bad experience of another wherever possible

popadom

I know someone who submitted a claim last October for a mid-sold loan. The company went bust and the ombudsman wrote back to say they would have got £10,000 back.
They’ve had some money back from other companies but the companies keep folding due to the time it takes to solve.

phillw

popadom wrote: »

I know someone who submitted a claim last October for a mid-sold loan. The company went bust and the ombudsman wrote back to say they would have got £10,000 back.
They’ve had some money back from other companies but the companies keep folding due to the time it takes to solve.

The 8 weeks wouldn't make any difference in this case as the ombudsman can't actually force the company to give you any money. Especially in the circumstance where the ombudsman is awarding customers so much that the company goes bankrupt.

Igol

I had 7 days with no gas or power and tried following the complaints process for Utilita only to be fobbed off/ignored for 8 weeks then went to the Ombudsman.
They found in my favour after another 2 months of back and forth (though missed the 7 days without power in their ruling) and by that time I was so bored of the process I let it slide.

Utilita then ignored the ruling and ignored my attempts to contact them and the toothless Ombudsman was likewise uninterested at this point.

Oddly enough issuing a claim via the Courts prompted an unopposed response, even with my inflated expenses.

About the only thing I could say for the whole process is that it gives you a ruling to present to the Court which the firm is supposed to be following.

davidwatsonmcips

Totally agree 8 weeks far to long, should be between 2 - 4 weeks maximum

Most service providers only allow a customer 14 days to respond stating that if they don’t hear back during that time they will close the complaint and mark it resolved, the service providers deeming that 2 weeks is adequate

Combined with the above what is desperately needed is an effective Regulator and Ombudsman Service for the relevant sectors

From my experience both Ofgem and Ombudsman Services: Energy, require an overall, as they are both failing consumers