Our complaints procedure

You’re at the heart of what we do

  • We're constantly working to provide you with excellent customer service and we always welcome your feedback.
  • We're committed to dealing efficiently and effectively with your complaint and we take all complaints very seriously.
  • Our commitment doesn't stop there — we record, evaluate and analyse our complaints to help us improve the level of service we give our customers.

Dealing with your complaint

  • If we don't have all the information we need and so can't deal with your complaint straight away, we'll acknowledge that we've received it within five working days and let you know who'll deal with it, along with the likely timescale for resolution.
  • We'll investigate your complaint fully as soon as we have all the information we need.

Keeping you informed

  • We'll keep you informed about how your complaint is progressing at all times.
  • In the unlikely event that we haven't fully dealt with your complaint within four weeks of receiving it, we'll write to you to explain what we've done so far and, if possible, let you know when we'll be able to send you a final decision letter.

Complaints for other firms

  • Sometimes a complaint is really for another firm. In this case, we'll refer it to the relevant firm within five working days. We'll also write to you to let you know we've done this, and give you the other firm's contact details.

The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS)

  • We're covered by the FOS, so you can get in touch with it if you have any complaints which we can't settle.
  • If your complaint is something the FOS can help with, we'll provide details of how to refer it to the FOS.
  • If more than eight weeks have passed since you initially complained and you're not satisfied with our response or we haven't yet given our final response, you can take your complaint to the FOS, as long as it meets certain criteria.
  • If you decide to take your complaint to the FOS then you must do so within six months of the date of our final decision letter, as the FOS may not consider any complaint made after this time.
  • Taking a complaint to the FOS won't affect your legal rights.

You can contact the FOS at:

Financial Ombudsman Service
South Quay Plaza
183 Marsh Wall
London E14 9SR

Phone: 0800 0 234 567 (free for people phoning from a 'fixed line' eg a landline at home)
Phone: 0300 123 9 123 (free for mobile-phone users who pay a monthly charge for calls to numbers starting 01 or 02)
Email: complaint.info@financial-ombudsman.org.uk

You can also find more information about the Financial Ombudsman Service on its website: www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk