about us

key facts

It’s our job to help settle individual disputes between consumers and businesses providing financial services.
We were set up by parliament to do this – as independent experts – and our service is free to consumers.
We can look at complaints about a wide range of financial matters – from insurance and mortgages to investments and credit. Each year we deal with over a million enquiries and settle around 100,000 disputes.
We’re completely independent and impartial – just as a judge would be if the consumer went to court instead.
We are not a regulator ("watchdog") or a trade body or a consumer champion. Our role is to settle disputes, without taking sides. So when we look at a complaint, we give both sides a fair hearing.
If a business isn't able to resolve a customer’s complaint on its own, we'll see if we can help settle the dispute. But the business must first have the chance to sort things out itself.
We can often resolve disputes informally, but some cases are more complex and take more time. We aim to settle most disputes within six to nine months.
Consumers don’t have to accept any decision we make. They are always free to go to court instead. But if they do accept an ombudsman's decision, it is binding both on them and on the business.
Our service is confidential – we do not publish the names of businesses or consumers whose complaints we handle.