How do I take a complaint to an ombudsman?

An ombudsman is an independent adjudicator, not a regulator and not a court. Using one is free and reasonably effective, and the reason cases fail is almost always procedural rather than about the merits.

Safety

Step by step

1. Exhaust the company's own complaints process first.This is a condition, not a suggestion. Complain formally, in writing, using the words 'formal complaint' so it enters that process rather than general enquiries. An ombudsman will send you back if you have skipped it.
2. Get a final response or wait eight weeks.A final response — sometimes called a deadlock letter — is the company's last word and it should say so explicitly, along with your right to escalate. If eight weeks pass with no final response, you can usually go ahead without one.
3. Ask for the final response explicitly.Companies sometimes leave a complaint open indefinitely rather than closing it. Write asking for their final response so you can refer the matter to the relevant ombudsman. That request alone often produces a resolution.
4. Find the right scheme.Financial Ombudsman Service for banking, insurance and credit. Energy Ombudsman for gas and electricity. Communications for broadband and mobile — though note there are two schemes and the provider chooses which. Property, motor and others have their own.
5. Check the sector is actually covered.Some sectors have no ombudsman, and some retailers belong to a voluntary scheme rather than a mandatory one. If none applies, court is the alternative route — the small claims track of the county court in England and Wales, the simple procedure in the sheriff court in Scotland, and the small claims process in Northern Ireland.
6. Watch the time limit.Usually six months from the final response, and often a separate limit — commonly six years — from when the problem arose. These are applied strictly.
7. Assemble the whole paper trail.Original contract or policy, every letter and email in date order, notes of phone calls with names and times, the final response, and any evidence of loss. Chronology matters more than volume.
8. Write a short clear summary.What happened, when, what the company did, why it is wrong, and what you want. One or two pages. The case handler is reading many of these and clarity is worth more than emphasis.
9. Say what outcome you want.A specific figure or a specific action. Ombudsmen can award compensation for financial loss and often something for distress and inconvenience, but they respond to a stated request better than a general grievance.
10. Expect it to take months.Several months is normal and busy schemes take longer. Respond promptly to anything they ask for, since delays on your side extend it further.
11. Understand what the decision means.If you accept a final decision it is binding on the company and on you, and it usually ends your right to go to court over the same matter. If you reject it, the company is not bound either and court remains open.
12. Keep it free.Ombudsman schemes are free to consumers. Claims companies offering to handle it for a percentage add nothing you cannot do yourself.

Tips

• Number your evidence and reference the numbers in your summary. It makes a case far easier to assess and it shows the chronology at a glance.
• Keep tone factual. A calm account of what happened is more persuasive than an angry one and is read more carefully.
• If the company makes an offer once you mention the ombudsman, weigh it seriously — a certain settlement now against an uncertain decision in six months is a real trade-off.

Common mistakes

• Going to the ombudsman before the company's process is exhausted — It is a condition of nearly every scheme. The case is returned and the time spent is wasted.
• Missing the six-month window after the final response — The limits are applied strictly and a strong case is refused on timing alone. Diarise the deadline the day the final response arrives.

If it doesn't work

Questions people ask