Making a complaint

It's never pleasant to have a negative experience with your bank or creditor, but unless people complain about what happened to them or suggest ways they could have been treated better, then it is hard for organisations to improve.

 

Template letter

If you've had a bad experience with your bank or any other creditor such as credit card company, gas or electricity company in relation to your debt problems in the past six months and you would like to make a complaint then please use this complaint form (Word document) template letter

If more people make complaints about the poor service they have received then the regulators of these industries will know more about the problems faced by people with experience of mental distress!

Financial Services Authority

The Financial Services Authority is the UK's financial watchdog set up by the government to regulate financial services and protect your rights. This means they set standards that financial services firms have to meet and they will take action if they don't. They also provide clear, impartial information, on their website and in publications, about financial products and services to help make money matters clearer for you.

To get clear, impartial information about how to make a complaint about a financial product or service go to the Financial Services Authority's Money Made Clear web pages on making a complaint, which takes you step by step through the complaint process and gives you plenty of helpful hints along the way.

The Financial Services Ombudsman

The Financial Services Ombudsman's job is to settle individual complaints between consumers and businesses providing financial services. Their service is free to consumers. They can look at complaints about a wide range of financial matters - from insurance and mortgages to investments and credit. They are completely independent and impartial - just as a judge would be if the consumer went to court instead. Their service is confidential - they do not publish the names of businesses or consumers whose complaints they handle.

  • Call them on their consumer helpline on 0845 080 1800 (office hours) - they will be happy to phone you back, if you're worried about the cost of calling them.
  • Email complaint.info@financial-ombudsman.org.uk (they will usually be able to deal with phone queries on the spot - so phoning might be quicker than emailing them).

Their website also provides useful hints on getting your complaint taken seriously.

 Getting more information

  • The Office of Fair Trading is campaigning to stamp out scams. See their Consumer Directwebsite for information on spotting and reporting scams.
  • The Stay Safe section of the Money Made Clear from the FSA features tips on how to protect yourself and your personal information.
  • For tips on how to stay safe online see the UK banking industry's Bank Safe Online website.
  • The Metropolitan Police has a special Fraud Alert website, set up to assist in combating specific types of fraud, and to prevent you becoming a victim of crime.