frequently-asked questions
This section answers a number of frequently-asked questions (FAQs) about:
complaining to the ombudsman
complaints about our service
who can I complain to if I'm not happy with the service provided by the Financial Ombudsman Service?
If an ombudsman has made a decision on a case, that decision is final. Neither side can appeal to another ombudsman.
The consumer doesn't have to accept the decision – and if they don't, our decision does not affect their legal rights. So they are still free to go to court instead. However, we cannot give legal advice about how a court might handle a case or about any court requirements (such as time limits) that might apply.
If you are not happy with the way we have dealt with your case – or with the level of service we have provided – please let us know. We have a special procedure to handle complaints about our service – for example, if you think we have:
- treated you unfairly or rudely;
- failed to explain things properly; or
- caused unreasonable delays.
This procedure involves our independent assessor, who can carry out a final review of the way we have handled a complaint. He is appointed by our board and has official terms of reference. He cannot get involved in disagreements about the merits of a case – whether we were right to uphold or reject a dispute between a business and a consumer. Each year the independent assessor produces an annual report summarising his findings and recommendations over the year.