No offer from HSBC but told they would contact me directly

QOTD

Hi folks, I received a letter from the financial ombudsman in March 2020 which stated that HBSC would be contacting me directly to make me an offer.  I haven't received anything from HSBC as yet and since I dealt with the ombudsman (via the Resolver website as recommended on here), I don't have a reference number with HSBC.  I've been on their website and it says that there are delays due to Covid, which I fully appreciate.  However, it has now been 6 months and I don't know what my next course of action can be.  Can anyone suggest anything?

[Deleted User]

Drop them a line, but directly, not via Resolver.

QOTD

I think that's my only option since their chatbox doesn't seem to respond to PPI questions and the only other option is to make a complaint to them. I was hoping to email so I can get all the information down since I know a call will take ages as I am no longer a customer and I have no reference number...

dunstonh

Did you go straight to the FOS first or did you complain to HSBC first and then went to the FOS when HSBC rejected it?
It is unclear the order of things from your post.

QOTD

I used the resolver website as suggested on here.  This means that I didn't speak to HSBC at all, it was done directly via the resolver system and then handed over the the FOS.

dunstonh

QOTD said:

I used the resolver website as suggested on here.  This means that I didn't speak to HSBC at all, it was done directly via the resolver system and then handed over the the FOS.

Resolver does not hand it to the FOS.  It emails the complaint the HSBC.  HSBC then write to you to acknowledge the complaint and then provide periodic updates and eventually an outcome.   If you disagree with the response from the HSBC, then you have the right to go to the FOS.  You can use Resolver to then escalate it to the FOS.
I wonder if HSBC got the original complaint (resolver is known to not be 100% reliable).     It could be that the first they heard of it is when the FOS contacted them.   In which case, your complaint would effectively go to the back of the queue and that would explain the delay as people who complained directly in August last year are still waiting to hear.   There was a last minute surge as the deadline approached which added around a year to the workload.    Then during lockdown, many of the banks shut their call centres and PPI complaint handling was suspended to turned into a trickle.   So, 12-18 months is the sort of timescale that some are expecting to wait.