news and events

recent news updates

ombudsman service to recruit business-planning and assurance director

17 November 2008

the new post of business-planning and assurance director – currently being advertised – will report directly to the chief ombudsman and have executive responsibility for strategic planning, business development, risk management and quality at the ombudsman service

training for community advisers in Darlington

13 November 2008

our latest regional training-day for front-line consumer advisers takes place in Darlington today - as part of our outreach work with "trusted individuals" in the community

ombudsman meets mortgage brokers in London

12 November 2008

Caroline Mitchell, lead ombudsman for general investment complaints, speaks at Mortgage Business Expo as part of our work in handling complaints both from and about smaller firms

ombudsman at the World Travel Market conference

11 November 2008

in the run-up to travel insurance sold with a holiday ("connected travel insurance") being covered by the ombudsman from January 2009, the ombudsman takes part in the World Travel Market conference

a fair and open approach

7 November 2008

speech by principal ombudsman, Tony Boorman, at the ABI complaints-management seminar

ombudsman at the UK Money Transmitters Association conference

6 November 2008

in the run-up to the Financial Ombudsman Service covering complaints about money-transfer operators from November 2009 (under the Payment Services Directive) - the ombudsman takes part in the UK Money Transmitters Association conference on international money transfer

insurance sold by freight-forwarders and storage companies - to come under the ombudsman

5 November 2008

following de-regulation of the freight-forwarding sector, the ombudsman hosts a forum for freight-forwarding and storage companies - about joining the ombudsman's voluntary jurisdiction for insurance-related complaints from retail customers

discrimination and financial services

5 November 2008

Jane Hingston, lead ombudsman for banking and credit complaints, takes part in panel discussion at Citizens Advice money conference: "Neither a borrower nor a lender be: is any form of discrimination in financial services right?"

retirement show, Glasgow

4 November 2008

the ombudsman is taking part in The Retirement Show 2008 at SECC Glasgow this weekend (7 and 8 November 2008) - as part of the ombudsman's ongoing campaign to raise awareness of the ombudsman service with older consumers

ombudsman forum for smaller businesses

4 November 2008

ombudsman service hosts forum - attended by representatives from 11 smaller-business organisations - as part of its work in handling complaints both from and about small firms

banking regulation and the ombudsman

30 October 2008

Walter Merricks, chief ombudsman, speaks at BBA's seminar on the future of retail banking regulation

ombudsman news - issue 73

24 October 2008

includes:

• investment case studies involving endowment savings plans;
• ombudsman focus on plans to publish complaint data;
• household insurance disputes involving incidents that happened outside the home; and
• Walter Merricks, chief ombudsman, on turbulence in financial markets and how this may impact on the ombudsman service.
  

[issue 73 - PDF version opens in new window]

training for community advisers in Edinburgh

23 October 2008

our latest training day for community workers and front-line consumer advisers takes place in Edinburgh in partnership with Edinburgh Council

ombudsman meets financial advisers in Manchester

21 October 2008

the ombudsman takes part in Adviser 2008 – a major trade-fair for financial advisers

Diwali

20 October 2008

the ombudsman – in partnership with Asian media-network ZEE – continues its work to increase consumer awareness of the service's impartial role in settling financial disputes
[see our page in the Diwali/Eid issue of ZEE magazine - PDF version opens in new window]

ombudsman at the Payment Services Directive seminar

20 October 2008

in the run-up to the Financial Ombudsman Service covering complaints about money-transfer operators from 1 November 2009 – the ombudsman takes part in the Financial Services Authority's seminar on the Payment Services Directive

ombudsman at the caravan and motorhome show

14 October 2008

the ombudsman is taking part in this week's Caravan and Motorhome 2008 show at Birmingham's NEC – as part of our work to raise awareness among those who might otherwise have less knowledge or confidence about their consumer rights

training for community advisers in Slough

9 October 2008

our latest training-day for community workers and front-line consumer advisers takes place in Slough in partnership with Slough Borough Council

ombudsman and black history month

7 October 2008

ombudsman, Juliana Campbell, is interviewed in the official guide to black history month 2008 [pdf opens in new window] about the role of the ombudsman service and how consumers should feel confident in making their voice heard

ombudsman at Payment Services Directive seminar

6 October 2008

in the run-up to the Financial Ombudsman Service covering complaints about money-transfer operators from 1 November 2009 - the ombudsman takes part in the Financial Services Authority's seminar on the Payment Services Directive

the ombudsman and Choice magazine

2 October 2008

the ombudsman is pleased to have formed a media partnership with Choice magazine - a leading lifestyle magazine for the over 50s - as part of its campaign to raise awareness of the ombudsman service with older consumers

ombudsman at Cover protection and health insurance forum

1 October 2008

ombudsman, Chris Tilson, talks about the types of insurance claim-related complaints handled by the ombudsman service - at the Cover magazine insurance-practitioner forum

travel insurance sold with holidays - to come under the ombudsman and FSA

1 October 2008

in the run-up to travel insurance sold with a holiday ("connected travel insurance") being covered by the ombudsman from January 2009, we hold a travel-insurance workshop - for travel firms and holiday providers who will be coming under the ombudsman for the first time in 2009

publishing complaint data about named financial businesses - ombudsman sets out next steps

25 September 2008

ombudsman at citizens advice annual conference 2008

24 September 2008

the ombudsman service is taking part in the Citizens Advice annual conference in York (23 to 25 September) - involving more than 1,000 delegates from citizens advice bureaux across England and Wales - to highlight the ombudsman's role and the resources available to support consumer advisers in their work

ombudsman working with carers and health professionals

23 September 2008

ombudsman service to recruit head of practice

22 September 2008

as part of our strategic approach to transparency following Lord Hunt's independent review, a new role of head of practice has been designed - with responsibility for ensuring that decisions from the ombudsman service are well understood and communicated to stakeholders [PDF of job advert opens in new window]

ombudsman at freshers open-day

18 September 2008

the ombudsman service is taking part in the freshers' open-day at Greenwich University (on 18 September) as part of its work to engage with students and younger consumers

Able and the ombudsman

12 September 2008

the ombudsman service has linked up with Able - the disability lifestyle magazine - to highlight to its readers the role of the ombudsman and the information that the service can provide for consumers with a range of different needs

ombudsman news - issue 72

11 September 2008

includes:

• complaints about insurance claims involving car theft;
• ombudsman focus on knowing our customers;
• case studies involving equity release schemes; and
• Walter Merricks, chief ombudsman, on how an EU payment services directive coming into force next year will improve consumer protection for UK-based workers sending money home to families abroad.
  

[issue 72 - PDF version opens in new window]

travel insurance sold with holidays – to come under the FSA and the ombudsman

9 September 2008

information for smaller businesses

3 September 2008

see our updated FAQs for smaller businesses for answers to the questions we're asked most often by firms that only rarely have complaints referred to the ombudsman service

ombudsman to cover complaints about payment services under the Payment Services Directive

28 August 2008

the Financial Services Authority (FSA) issues a consultation paper (CP08/14) on the proposed changes to its rules needed to implement the Payment Services Directive on 1 November 2009 - including extending the remit of the Financial Ombudsman Service to cover complaints about money-transfer operators, e-money issuers and non-bank credit-card issuers

sut wnaeth y gwasanaeth ombwdsmon fy helpu …

20 August 2008

fy stori - clip fideo ("my story" video-clips in Welsh):

• pan gafodd fy ngherdyn banc ei stopio dramor
• pan gafodd fy nghar ei falu'n rhacs
  

ombudsman and "consuming issues" at Citizens Advice Scotland

13 August 2008

we join 400 delegates from the statutory, voluntary and commercial sectors at Citizens Advice Scotland's annual conference in Edinburgh – to explore the "consuming issues" agenda, ranging from the credit crunch to community planning

ombudsman news - issue 71

5 August 2008

includes:

• complaints about payment protection insurance;
• ombudsman focus on compensation for distress, inconvenience or other non-financial loss;
• banking complaints involving safe deposit boxes; and
• Walter Merricks, chief ombudsman, on our recently-published policy statements on accessibility and transparency.

[issue 71 - PDF version opens in new window]

"my story" video-clips

1 August 2008

how the ombudsman service helped me ...

• when my bank-card was stopped abroad
• when my car was written off

our strategic approach to accessibility and transparency

25 July 2008

we publish policy statements setting out decisions of principle that our board have made on accessibility and transparency issues

ombudsman at Beyond Boundaries Live, Kent

24 July 2008

омбудсмен! information about the ombudsman now available in Russian

24 July 2008

we provide information and communicate in a wide range of languages – reflecting the growing number of cases we deal with that involve overseas customers of UK financial businesses

training for community workers in Norwich

21 July 2008

our latest training-day for community workers and front-line consumer advisers takes place in Norwich in partnership with the Norfolk Consumer Support Network

"nip it in the bud"

16 July 2008

the ombudsman launches its campaign to raise awareness of the service among older consumers at The Retirement Show 2008, taking place at London Olympia this weekend (18 and 19 July 2008)

insurance disputes about vehicle valuations

10 July 2008

technical note now available online – on our approach to insurance disputes involving the valuation of cars

• look at case studies about insurance disputes involving car valuations in issue 66 of ombudsman news
• see our other technical notes for businesses and consumer advisers

Zee and the ombudsman

8 July 2008

the ombudsman service continues its partnership with Zee, the UK's Asian media-network – with a banner on the launch website of Zee magazine and coverage aimed at consumers with lower levels of awareness of the ombudsman [PDF opens in new window]

technical data on redress for mis-sold pensions

1 July 2008

technical note updated – with new assumptions (as from 1 July 2008) - for calculating redress for mis-sold pensions

frogs and snowboarders - the ombudsman's latest work to engage with young people

25 June 2008

ombudsman news - issue 70

24 June 2008

includes:

• a round-up of recent mortgage complaints
• case studies illustrating recent pension-related complaints
• ombudsman focus on some of the queries put to our technical advice desk about recent changes to the dispute resolution rules; and
• Walter Merricks, chief ombudsman, on the financial services practitioners he considers to be ‘unsung heroes’

[issue 70 - PDF version opens in new window]

ombudsman video-clips for British Sign Language (BSL) users

23 June 2008

more information in video-format available on our website – for people with hearing difficulties – as part of our commitment to making our service accessible for everyone

ombudsman at the Glasgow Mela

19 June 2008

joining in the Glasgow Mela – the multicultural family festival at Kelvingrove Park on 22 June – is part of the ombudsman's commitment to raising awareness of consumers' rights among people such as Asian consumers, younger people and women, who use the ombudsman service less

training for consumer advisers in Leeds

17 June 2008

our latest training-day for front-line consumer advisers – including debt workers and representatives from local charities and community groups – takes place in Leeds Civic Hall in partnership with Leeds City Council

ombudsman at Mobility Roadshow Coventry

11 June 2008

ombudsman meets financial advisers in Scotland

9 June 2008

the ombudsman service joins over 40 exhibitors on 10 June at the SECC Glasgow for Financial Adviser Expo2008 – a major trade-fair for financial advisers

working with consumer advisers in Manchester

4 June 2008

our latest training-day for front-line consumer advisers – including trading standards officers, debt advisers and representatives from local charities and community groups – takes place in Manchester Town Hall in partnership with Manchester City Council

ombudsman levy on FSA-regulated firms down 5.9%

2 June 2008

FSA publishes general-levy rates for 2008/09 – totalling £17.2m (£18.3m in 2007/08) – to be paid by FSA-regulated firms covered by the ombudsman

• see FSA's policy statement [annex 7 of PS08/5] on fee-raising arrangements and regulatory fees and levies for 2008/09

ombudsman at Financial Adviser Expo2008

2 June 2008

Jane Hingston, lead ombudsman for banking and credit, gives keynote address on the role of the ombudsman service - at Financial Adviser Expo2008 at London's QEII centre

travel insurance sold alongside a holiday - to come under FSA and ombudsman

29 May 2008

the Financial Services Authority (FSA) publishes rules for regulating travel insurance sold alongside a holiday ("connected travel insurance") – which includes access for consumers to the Financial Ombudsman Service

the Financial Ombudsman Service and mortgage endowment complaints - report by David Severn

29 May 2008

a report [107-page PDF opens in new window] produced for the board of the Financial Ombudsman Service by David Severn - an independent regulatory consultant and former head of retail policy at the FSA – on how the ombudsman service handled its mortgage endowment workload between 2002 and 2007

ombudsman service publishes annual review of personal finance disputes

28 May 2008

BBC Radio 4 Money Box on travel insurance disputes

24 May 2008

David Cresswell of the ombudsman service takes part in Money Box discussion: does "too much detail" on a travel-insurance claim indicate possible fraud?

complaints about bank charges

23 May 2008

what's happening on complaints about unauthorised overdraft charges?

Zee and the ombudsman

22 May 2008

the ombudsman service – in partnership with Asian media-network Zee – continues work to widen awareness in the Asian communities of its impartial role in settling financial disputes

• see the ombudsman page in the latest issue of Zee magazine [PDF opens in new window]

health, wealth and happiness -v- debt and mental health problems

21 May 2008

the ombudsman joins the discussion – at Money Advice Scotland's annual conference – on mental health and its connection to debt and money problems

ombudsman at Mortgage Business Expo, Manchester

15 May 2008

the ombudsman service joins over 90 exhibitors this week at Manchester's Central Hall for Mortgage Business Expo, a major trade-fair for brokers and financial advisers, covering residential mortgages, commercial property finance, equity release and secured lending

ombudsman at The Credit Show

14 May 2008

information now available about the ombudsman in easy read (accessible text format)

13 May 2008

ombudsman working with PALS (the Patient Advice and Liaison Service)

7 May 2008

ombudsman at Adviser 2008, London Olympia

7 May 2008

the ombudsman service joins over 65 exhibitors on 8 May 2008 at London Olympia for Adviser 2008 – a major trade-fair for financial advisers and financial planners, covering pensions, investment and protection markets

ombudsman and new parents

2 May 2008

On Your Behalf and disputed card transactions

1 May 2008

BBC Radio Ulster's consumer-show, On Your Behalf, talks to David Cresswell from the ombudsman service about the ombudsman's approach to disputed credit-card transactions and cash-machine withdrawals

• see the recent feature in our newsletter, ombudsman news, about complaints involving the use of cash machines

ombudsman meets insurance practitioners in Scotland

29 April 2008

the ombudsman service takes part in the British Insurance Brokers Association (BIBA) annual conference and exhibition at Glasgow SECC from 30 April to 2 May

"ombudsman" - keep the name or change it?

29 April 2008

see the results of our website survey – and read the feedback about our name

ombudsman on Watchdog

28 April 2008

Tony Boorman, principal ombudsman, interviewed on BBC Watchdog about banking disputes related to foreign travel

• see ombudsman news issue 64 for case-studies involving foreign travel and problems with credit cards, debit cards, electronic money transfers and currency exchange

complaints about bank charges

24 April 2008

what's happening on complaints about unauthorised overdraft charges?

ombudsman at mobility roadshow Scotland

24 April 2008

ombudsman news - issue 69

22 April 2008

includes:

• a selection of recent complaints involving extended warranties;
• case studies on mortgage endowments; and
• Walter Merricks, chief ombudsman, on the recently-published Hunt Review and the "openness agenda"

[issue 69 - PDF version opens in new window]

ombudsman service's budget for 2008/09 finalised and approved

16 April 2008

The Gadget Show and the ombudsman

14 April 2008
Suzi Perry from Channel 5's The Gadget Show talks to David Cresswell from the ombudsman service about digital downloads and insurance complaints

Radio 4 Money Box on Lord Hunt's review of the ombudsman service

12 April 2008

Walter Merricks, chief ombudsman, interviewed on Money Box about Lord Hunt's recommendations following his independent review of the ombudsman service

ombudsman - what sort of word is that?

10 April 2008

Should we keep the name ombudsman or change it? We want to hear your views!

ombudsman welcomes Lord Hunt's report on "opening up, reaching out and aiming high"

9 April 2008

warning! protect yourself from "phishing" scams...

9 April 2008

audio-information for ethnic-language speakers

7 April 2008

audio-information about the ombudsman service in Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, Gujurati, Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu and Vietnamese is now available for download in mp3-format from the ombudsman website. This is part of a wide range of information in different formats and languages including:

• a video-welcome from Walter Merricks, the chief ombudsman
• a "speech browser" facility – for listening to the website being read aloud
• information cards – giving brief details about our service and how to contact us – in 20 languages

consumer-credit businesses covered by ombudsman – first anniversary

4 April 2008

new range of ombudsman guides for businesses

2 April 2008
a new range of business guides is now available – outlining the complaints procedures and the role of the ombudsman - tailored to reflect the needs of different-sized businesses covered by the ombudsman

• see our FAQS for businesses – giving quick and easy access to answers to the most commonly-asked questions from firms on a range of issues relating to the ombudsman

simplified dispute-resolution rules for businesses

31 March 2008

following public consultation, FSA publishes simplified complaints-handling rules (the dispute resolution sourcebook – or "DISP" – in FSA's Handbook) – with some minor changes, including extending the ombudsman's "voluntary jurisdiction":

• FSA's policy statement (PS 08/3) reporting on the simplification and minor changes to the dispute-resolution rules
• more details about the Financial Ombudsman Service's "voluntary jurisdiction" - what it is and what it covers

ombudsman gets physical at the Vitality show at London Olympia

26 March 2008

ombudsman news - issue 68

17 March 2008

includes:

• a selection of recent banking-dispute case-studies;
• case-studies about buildings insurance complaints;
• an update on disputes involving consumer-credit businesses - a year since they came under the ombudsman for the first time; and
• Walter Merricks, chief ombudsman, on the likely impact on our workload of the forthcoming Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations.
  

[issue 68 - PDF version opens in new window]

working with consumer advisers in Stoke

13 March 2008

our latest training-day for front-line consumer advisers – including trading standards officers, debt advisers and citizens advice workers etc – takes place in Stoke on Trent in partnership with Stoke Citizens Advice Bureau

mortgages – the outlook for complaints

12 March 2008

Tony Boorman, principal ombudsman, speaks at the CML's complaints-handling seminar about the impact of financial hardship and repossession on mortgage-related complaints

ombudsman at Financial Services Scotland trade-fair

6 March 2008

the ombudsman service joins 70 exhibitors - covering investments, pensions, mortgage and protection business - at the SECC Glasgow

ombudsman at The Education Show in Birmingham

28 February 2008

meet the ombudsman this weekend at The Education Show at the NEC Birmingham (28 February - 1 March 2008)

ombudsman on Martin Lewis show, It pays to watch

27 February 2008

Tony Boorman, principal ombudsman, interviewed on Martin Lewis' C5 consumer show, It pays to watch - about disputes referred to the ombudsman service about payment protection insurance (PPI)

• see our consumer factsheet [PDF version opens in new window] for more information about the ombudsman's approach to payment protection insurance disputes
  

ombudsman at credit services conference in Leicester

21 February 2008

Jane Hingston, lead ombudsman for banking and credit, explains the role of the ombudsman service in resolving consumer-credit disputes - at a conference in Leicester organised jointly by the Credit Services Association (CSA) and the Debt Buyers and Sellers Group (DBSG)

• see our online consumer-credit resource for more information for businesses with a consumer credit licence - covered by the ombudsman service since April 2007

launch of new handbook for consumer advisers

15 February 2008

our new handbook for consumer advisers [PDF opens in new window] is now available online - answering the questions that people in the front-line of the consumer-advice sector most frequently ask us

• see our online resource for consumer advisers for more information and help specially for the consumer-advice sector - including trading standards, citizens advice and debt-counselling

BBC News 24 on payment protection insurance disputes

14 February 2008

David Cresswell of the ombudsman service interviewed on BBC News 24 about the rapidly rising number of disputes referred to the ombudsman service about payment protection insurance (PPI)

• see our consumer factsheet [PDF version opens in new window] for more information about the ombudsman's approach to payment protection insurance disputes
  

dispute-resolution training for Newcastle consumer advisers

12 February 2008

our latest training-day for front-line consumer advisers – including trading standards officers, debt advisers and citizens advice workers etc – in Newcastle Upon Tyne in partnership with Newcastle City Council

ombudsman news - issue 67

7 February 2008

includes:

• case studies on cash machine disputes;
• an article on the ombudsman service’s board of directors – and their role;
• case studies on investment-related complaints, including stockbroking and spread-betting; and
• Walter Merricks, chief ombudsman, on reassuring anxious customers when jittery stock markets dominate the headlines.
  

[issue 67 - PDF version opens in new window]

ombudsman Glows in Belfast

4 February 2008

meet the ombudsman this weekend at the Glow Beauty + Vitality Show at Belfast's King's Hall Complex (9 and 10 February)

ombudsman at Your Money Matters show

28 January 2008

meet the ombudsman this weekend at the Your Money Matters show for consumers (Excel London, 2 to 3 February)

ombudsman at Mortgage Business Expo, Northern Ireland

22 January 2008

the ombudsman service joins over 40 exhibitors next week at Belfast's Odyssey Arena for Mortgage Business Expo, the major trade-fair for brokers and financial advisers, covering residential mortgages, commercial property finance, equity release and secured lending

dispute-resolution training for Nottinghamshire consumer advisers

17 January 2008

our latest training-day for front-line consumer advisers – including trading standards officers, debt advisers and citizens advice workers etc – takes place today in Nottingham in partnership with Nottinghamshire County Council

Lord Hunt's review of the Financial Ombudsman Service

16 January 2008

Lord Hunt publishes the feedback he has received from ombudsman customers and stakeholders - as part of his ongoing review of the Financial Ombudsman Service's accessibility and openness

BBC Working Lunch on direct-debit disputes and the role of the ombudsman

16 January 2008

David Cresswell of the ombudsman service interviewed on BBC2 Working Lunch - about the ombudsman approach in disputes involving direct debits

• see our regular newsletter, ombudsman news, for more information about the ombudsman's approach to disputes involving the direct debit guarantee and confusion about direct debits and standing orders

corporate plan and budget for 2008/09 published for public consultation

11 January 2008

[PDF version opens in new window]

ombudsman information-cards available in 20 languages

7 January 2008

to complement the online information already available on our website in languages ranging from Arabic to Welsh, we have launched a new range of information-cards available in 20 languages - for citizens advice bureaux, trading standards officers and MPs to give consumers with financial complaints

how useful did you find this information?

3 January 2008

of the people using the voting buttons on various pages of this website last month, 70% rated as "very useful" the "about us" page, the "how to complain" page and the FAQs on complaining to the ombudsman