Find out the steps you should take if you want to make a complaint about your bank or insurance, mortgage or other financial services company.
As well as the three steps below, you can watch Chris Pond, our head of consumer affairs, explain what to do if you are unhappy with a financial product or service.
1. Contact the firm directly
Contact the firm in writing as soon as possible.
Firms regulated by us must respond to your complaint within eight weeks, telling you whether it has been successful or not, or why they need longer to look into it.
You can contact the firm yourself and get free help from organisations like Citizens Advice Bureau if you need it.
You can find out more with the Money Advice Service's tips on making a complaint.
2. Contact the Financial Ombudsman Service
If you are not satisfied with the firm’s response, the Financial Ombudsman Service may be able to help. This is a free, independent service for settling disputes between financial services firms and their customers.
The ombudsman service can deal with complaints about a wide range of financial matters – from pet insurance to stocks and shares. It will ask the firm to explain what happened and then decide whether or not to uphold your complaint.
It is important that you contact the ombudsman service within six months of receiving a final response from the firm.
Visit the Financial Ombudsman Service now for further information.
3. Take the matter to court
If you do not want to accept a decision by the Financial Ombudsman Service and you have not used an independent complaints scheme, as a last resort you may be able to take your case to court.
You would usually start civil legal action in the county courts or High Court (in England, Wales and Northern Ireland), depending on the circumstances of the case. In Scotland, most small claims are started in the Sheriff Courts.
Pensions Advisory Service
You should contact the Pensions Advisory Service for complaints about state pensions, work pensions and pensions credit.
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