Financial Ombudsman queue? 26 October 2022 at 8:04AM in Consumer rights 9 replies 255 views

GaryBC

Hi all
Has anyone got any recent experience of kicking off a complaint with the Ombudsman? 
I'd like to know roughly how long the queue is at the moment for being assigned a case handler. 
Thanks, 
G 

soolin

I took a complaint about a bank to the Ombudsman, took well over a year to get resolved- nearer 16 months in the end just for the ombudsman bit and that was after going via resolver several months earlier (it didn't get escalated immediately) . Finally got my money from the bank December 2021.

GaryBC

Thanks for that. But I'm still in the queue to get in the door! 

eskbanker

They publish estimates on their website, which vary according to the different types of complaint, so, for example, banking and payments are reported at https://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/consumers/complaints-can-help/banking-and-payments

How long it takes

It’s currently taking longer than we’d like to allocate cases to our case handlers for investigation.

For most types of banking complaint, it takes around 4 months for us to allocate cases. It may take longer if your complaint is about a fraud or scam, where some of the most complex cases we receive can take up to 9 months. 

We’re working hard to reduce this wait time, so you may hear from us sooner than this.

whereas the investment-related complaint queue is apparently 7-9 months.

GaryBC

Thanks for that. 
Best not be holding my breath! 

DullGreyGuy

Note the 4 months is simply to allocate someone, not get anywhere close to an adjudicator coming to a decision and then back in the queue for an ombudsman if either you or the FS company disagree with the adjudicator's decision. 

Last year it was about 10 months to get the adjudicator's decision... my complaint before that was over 2 years to get the ombudsman's decision. 

GaryBC

Oh great! Thanks for the heads up. 
We've just waited seven months to get probate. At this rate it'll be my kids that see this through! 

GaryBC

Made it to the front of the queue for a case handler! 
I guess it's now several months of investigation before we get a decision.
But it's movement, so at least we're moving in the right direction at last. 

DullGreyGuy

GaryBC said:

Made it to the front of the queue for a case handler! 
I guess it's now several months of investigation before we get a decision.
But it's movement, so at least we're moving in the right direction at last. 

And then its down to if both your and the FS company agree with their view, if not you go into a new queue for an ombudsman. 

GaryBC

Oh joy! There was me thinking I was on the home straight! 
Silly me!