Ombudsman Services UK — How to Make Complaints That Work

Ombudsman services can get your complaints resolved when companies won’t help. Here’s how to use them.

Understanding Ombudsman Services

What Ombudsmen Do

Function	Details
Investigate complaints	Independent review
Make decisions	Often binding
Award compensation	Up to sector limits
Free to use	No cost to complainant

Key Principles

Principle	Meaning
Independent	Not employed by companies
Impartial	Look at facts fairly
Final	Usually binding on company
Free	No charge to you

When to Use

Use Ombudsman When	Don’t Use When
Company won’t resolve	Haven’t complained to company
Reached deadlock	Issue is trivial
No response after 8 weeks	Purely contractual dispute
Unhappy with final response	Legal action started

Main UK Ombudsman Services

Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS)

Coverage	Details
Banks	Complaints about accounts, loans
Insurance	Claims disputes, mis-selling
Investments	Advice, platform issues
Pensions	Complaints about providers
Credit	Credit cards, loans
Mortgages	Lending issues

| Award limit | £430,000 (from April 2024) | | Contact | financial-ombudsman.org.uk | | Phone | 0800 023 4567 |

Energy Ombudsman

Coverage	Details
Gas suppliers	Billing, complaints
Electricity suppliers	Service issues
Network operators	Connection problems

| Contact | energyombudsman.org | | Phone | 0330 440 1624 |

Communications Ombudsman

Provider’s Scheme	Covers
CISAS	Some telecoms providers
Ombudsman Services: Communications	Other providers

Coverage	Details
Mobile phones	Billing, contracts
Broadband	Service, faults
Landlines	Issues with service

Other Ombudsmen

Ombudsman	Covers
Local Government	Councils, social care
Housing	Social housing
Legal	Solicitors, legal services
Parliamentary	Government departments
Motor	Motor finance (new)
Property	Estate agents, lettings

The Complaints Process

Step 1: Complain to Company First

Requirement	Details
Always first step	Ombudsman won’t accept otherwise
In writing	Email or letter
Give time to respond	Usually 8 weeks
Request final response	If not resolved

Step 2: Get Deadlock Letter

Scenario	What Happens
Company sends final response	Can go to ombudsman immediately
8 weeks pass without resolution	Can go to ombudsman
Deadlock agreed	Both parties agree no resolution

Step 3: Contact Ombudsman

What to Provide	Why Needed
Your complaint	Clear summary
Company response	Final response letter
Evidence	Statements, screenshots, correspondence
What you want	Resolution sought

Step 4: Investigation

Stage	What Happens
Assessment	Is complaint valid?
Opinion	Initial view shared
Challenges	Both sides can respond
Final decision	Binding on company

Financial Ombudsman in Detail

Time Limits

Type	Deadline
From final response	6 months
From when you knew	6 years
From event	3 years (if knew about it)

What They Can Award

Type	Details
Financial loss	Put you back in position
Distress & inconvenience	For stress caused
Consequential losses	Related costs
Maximum	£430,000

Success Rates

Year	Complaints Upheld
Typical rate	30-40%
PPI complaints	Higher historically
Bank complaints	Around 35%
Insurance	Around 40%

Tips for FOS Complaints

Do	Don’t
Focus on facts	Be emotional
Show financial loss	Exaggerate
Provide evidence	Expect automatic win
Explain impact	Skip the company stage

Energy Ombudsman in Detail

When to Use

Complaint Type	Examples
Billing errors	Wrong charges
Switching problems	Delayed, botched
Customer service	Poor treatment
Debt collection	Unreasonable pursuit
Prepayment issues	Smart meter problems

Process

Stage	Timeline
Accept complaint	Within days
Investigate	1-3 months
Decision	Binding

Possible Outcomes

Outcome	Details
Financial award	For losses
Practical remedy	Fix the problem
Apology	Required from company
Goodwill	Extra payment

Making Effective Complaints

Prepare Your Case

Element	Include
Timeline	What happened when
Evidence	Documents, screenshots
Financial impact	Actual losses
Emotional impact	If significant
Desired outcome	What would resolve this

Writing Your Complaint

Section	Content
Introduction	What complaint is about
Background	Brief relevant history
Problem	What went wrong
Impact	How it affected you
Resolution sought	What you want
Evidence list	What you’re providing

Common Mistakes

Mistake	Why It Hurts
Too emotional	Focus on facts
No evidence	Harder to prove
Unclear outcome	What do you actually want?
Exaggeration	Undermines credibility
Wrong ombudsman	Check coverage first

If You’re Unhappy with Decision

Options

Option	Details
Accept decision	Usually binding on company
Reject decision	Can pursue legally instead
Ask for review	Limited circumstances
Judicial review	Extremely rare, process errors only

Appeals (Limited)

Grounds	Details
New evidence	Not previously available
Process error	Ombudsman made mistake
Bias	Very rare

Alternative Options

If Ombudsman Can’t Help

Alternative	When to Use
Small claims court	Contractual disputes
Trading Standards	Criminal offences
Regulator	Systemic issues
Media	As last resort

Small Claims vs Ombudsman

Small Claims	Ombudsman
Binding judgment	Usually binding
Costs involved	Free
You must pursue	They investigate
Court process	Informal

Summary: Ombudsman Complaint Checklist

Before Contacting Ombudsman

Check	Done
Complained to company first	☐
Given 8 weeks or got final response	☐
Identified correct ombudsman	☐
Gathered evidence	☐
Within time limits	☐

Your Complaint Should Include

Element	Done
Clear summary of issue	☐
Timeline of events	☐
Evidence attached	☐
Company correspondence	☐
Financial loss calculated	☐
Desired outcome stated	☐

Key Ombudsman Contacts

Service	Contact
Financial	financial-ombudsman.org.uk
Energy	energyombudsman.org
Communications	Check provider’s scheme
Local Government	lgo.org.uk
Property	tpos.co.uk

Ombudsmen are powerful allies when complaints go wrong. But you must complain to the company first and give them fair chance to respond. Once you reach ombudsman stage, present clear facts and evidence for the best chance of success.