The Financial Ombudsman is there to help mediate when a client and a financial services company, such as a bank of IFA, have a difference of opinion that can’t be resolved through other means. The process is relatively straightforward and we have set it out below.

  1. Talk first! It might seem obvious, but before you make a complaint to the Financial Ombudsman it’s important that you exhaust all reasonable means of agreeing an amicable way forward with the company concerned. The Ombudsman will want to see that this has been done before they take up a complaint. The company has 8 weeks from your initial complaint to confirm their final position.
  2. Contact the Financial Ombudsman. This is quite straightforward. You can make contact online, by post or via the telephone.
  3. The Ombudman will review all the information provided and then contact the company to get their side of the story. Then, they will make a ruling based on the information provided by both sides.
  4. If either party feels that the decision is wrong, they may then apply to the Ombudsman for a Final Decision.

For more information on the Financial Ombudsman Service click here.

Related article:

Download our Free First Time Buyers Guide

Recent posts

Buying a house is a big deal, and where you are planning to buy will make a difference financially. In this short blog, we look at the most affordable and most expensive areas and how much you need to be earning to buy in there.

Equity release is a type of mortgage that allows homeowners 55 and over to access money from their property's equity without having to leave their home. This is done by securing a loan against the house which is usually repaid by selling the property when the borrower passes away or has to move into long-term care.

It’s important to ask questions about the property you are interested in before taking that step to make an offer. A little probing can make all the difference between buying your dream house or something that requires a lot of work.

There are millions of homeowners over the age of 60 who are likely to release money from their homes to pay for their lifestyle during retirement giving those who are 'asset rich but cash poor' a way to live out their retirement the way they wish. 

The average age of a first-time buyer in the UK is two years older than 10 years ago. This is understandable with managing the cost-of-living and challenges within the economy such as high interest rates making it difficult to get onto the property ladder.

Skipton Building Society launches ‘Delayed Start’ mortgage meaning first time buyers won’t be required to make repayments for the first three months. 

According to a survey by Skipton, first time buyers who bought their home in the last five years found that in the first three months of living there, they were spending upwards of £30,000.

If you have recently moved into a property with a garden that requires a little TLC, or you’d like to get on top of your current green space, check out our tips.

High street lender, NatWest, have launched a new product to help first-time buyers purchase a property with assistance from a family member or friend to get them on the property ladder sooner.