news updates for 2006

ombudsman to cover consumer-credit complaints

14 December 2006

consumers' disputes with businesses holding a consumer credit licence to be covered by the Financial Ombudsman Service from April 2007:

• feedback from our public consultation on consumer-credit complaints [feedback statement - PDF version opens in new window]
• the complaints rules that come into force on 6 April 2007 [rules for the consumer-credit jurisdiction - PDF version opens in new window]
• our consumer-credit complaints resource

BBC The Money Programme - "Bank Robbery!"

13 December 2006

Walter Merricks, chief ombudsman, interviewed by BBC The Money Programme on the ombudsman service's role in handling consumers' complaints about bank charges

ombudsman news - issue 58

7 December 2006

includes:

• a selection of recent home-insurance case studies – on disputes involving leaking or blocked pipes
• an article about our recent specialist seminars on travel insurance and disputed card and cheque transactions
• an extract from our briefing note – with case studies – about complaints involving post-“A Day” mortgage endowment sales (sales that took place after 29 April 1988 – when the provision of investment advice became regulated under the Financial Service Act 1986); and
• chief ombudsman, Walter Merricks, on the positive results of a recent consumer survey about general awareness of the ombudsman service.

[issue 58 - PDF version opens in new window]

first consumer-credit roadshow kicks-off

5 December 2006

starting in Kent today, we launch our series of nationwide consumer-credit roadshows - with weekly events planned up to April 2007, when the consumer-credit sector comes under the ombudsman

an introduction for consumer credit businesses

28 November 2006

launch of new publication about the ombudsman service and complaints handling - to help businesses with a consumer credit licence prepare for coming under the ombudsman from 6 April 2007

"get together" at the NEC - ombudsman joins in the National Mela

17 November 2006

ombudsman service's quality director, Estelle Clark, named "UK Quality Leader of the Year"

16 November 2006

• Sir David Brown presents Estelle Clark with the Institute of Quality Assurance's prestigious annual award
• chief ombudsman, Walter Merricks, praises "the enormous contribution made by Estelle in helping the ombudsman service put quality and continuous improvement at the heart of the organisation"

please spare a few moments to tell us your views

13 November 2006

complete our 3-minute online survey on how you rate this website and the ombudsman service in general

Walter Merricks, chief ombudsman, addresses the Financial Services Research Forum

7 November 2006

the role of academic research in financial services; the responsibilities of industry "providers" and "distributors"; and why the courts and the ombudsman operate differently

ombudsman news - issue 57

2 November 2006

includes:

• a selection of recent complaints involving interest rates
• an article on the “wider-implications process” – the way in which the ombudsman service and the Financial Services Authority coordinate their approach to issues that may have implications for large number of consumers or firms
• an interview with Paul Kendall, head of our customer contact division; and
• reflections by chief ombudsman, Walter Merricks, on the suggestion that some firms may be motivated more by cynicism than goodwill when they offer settlements to close complaints

[issue 57 - PDF version opens in new window]

our approach to post-"A Day" mortgage endowment complaints

30 October 2006

new technical note aimed primarily at insurers and advisers

ombudsman service launches new series of quick guides ...

27 October 2006

aimed at providing a quick and informal overview of a range of technical issues - from case fees to calculating redress

update on review of funding arrangements for the ombudsman service

19 October 2006

more consumer credit roadshows

11 October 2006

as the consumer credit sector prepares to come under the ombudsman from April 2007, we add more venues nationwide to our series of consumer credit roadshows

ombudsman news - issue 56

28 September 2006

includes: an interview with Sir Christopher Kelly, chairman of the Financial Ombudsman Service; complaints about travel insurance; calculating redress when a pension mortgage has been mis-sold; and chief ombudsman, Walter Merricks, on why legal challenges seem unlikely to rock the foundations of the ombudsman service

[issue 56 - PDF version opens in new window]

launch of ombudsman handbook for consumer advisers

27 September 2006

launch of handbook for front-line consumer advisers - outlining ombudsman role and procedure - at Citizens Advice annual conference in York

demystifying the ombudsman for West of England IFAs

21 September 2006

senior staff from the ombudsman service on hand at the Bristol "Money Marketing" roadshow - to help dispel myths that independent financial advisers (IFAs) may have heard about the ombudsman

ombudsman to cover consumer credit complaints

1 September 2006

we launch series of events for businesses with consumer credit licences - to be covered by the ombudsman for the first time from April 2007

ombudsman news - issue 55

31 August 2006

includes: complaints against mortgage intermediaries; an interview with ombudsman service quality director – Estelle Clark; complaints about investment advice where the investor did not own the funds invested; and chief ombudsman, Walter Merricks, on the likely impact for consumers of the mortgage endowment time limits

[issue 55 - PDF version opens in new window]

an introduction to the ombudsman service

23 August 2006

updated guide for smaller businesses covered by the ombudsman - explaining our process and procedures for firms that only rarely have complaints with the ombudsman

Citizens Advice Scotland's annual conference in Edinburgh

14 August 2006

As part of our outreach work with the consumer advice sector, we take part in Citizens Advice Scotland's annual conference in Edinburgh on 16 and 17 August

autumn series of events

31 July 2006

ombudsman service publishes diary dates for roadshows and exhibitions taking place later this year

ombudsman news - issue 54

11 July 2006

includes: cancellation rates for annual insurance policies; Tony Boorman, principal ombudsman, on keeping in touch with smaller firms; pre-"A Day" mortgage endowment complaints; and chief ombudsman, Walter Merricks, on his hopes for consensus in the review of ombudsman service funding

[issue 54 - PDF version opens in new window]

ombudsman service publishes annual review of personal finance disputes

4 July 2006

Financial Adviser Expo at London Olympia

27 June 2006

financial advisers: your chance to take part in a live Q&A with principal ombudsman, Tony Boorman

ombudsman to cover consumer-credit complaints

16 June 2006

Financial Ombudsman Service to cover consumer-credit disputes from April 2007:

• consultation launched on new complaint rules that will apply
• consumer credit complaints

FSA confirms no change in ombudsman compensation limits

1 June 2006

following review, FSA announces no increase in maximum ombudsman award of £100,000

FSA announcement [link to external site]

ombudsman to cover consumer-credit complaints

25 May 2006

government confirms that Financial Ombudsman Service will cover consumer credit disputes relating to events from 6 April 2007

• government (DTI) statement on implementation of Consumer Credit Act 2006
• chief ombudsman speech at Consumer Credit Act launch event

ombudsman news - issue 53

18 May 2006

includes: update on cheque clearing; focus on insurance bought over the phone or internet; and possible options for future funding of the ombudsman service.
[issue 53 - PDF version opens in new window]

"what do building society non-execs need to know about the ombudsman?"

17 May 2006

speech by Jane Hingston, lead ombudsman for banking, at the Building Societies Association annual conference

events for consumer advisers

17 May 2006

we provide hands-on training for Essex consumer advisers at Essex Record Office, Chelmsford

our approach to pre-"A Day" mortgage endowment complaints

8 May 2006

new technical note aimed primarily at insurers and advisers

discussion paper on future funding of the ombudsman

3 May 2006

ombudsman and the FSA publish joint discussion paper - outlining possible options for future funding of ombudsman service's compulsory jurisdiction

link to discussion paper on FSA website

ombudsman news - issue 52

11 April 2006

includes: assessing the amount of benefit paid out under income protection policies; focus on our pensions work; and powers of attorney on bank accounts.
[issue 52 - PDF version opens in new window]

warning!

6 April 2006

fraudulent emails claiming to be from the ombudsman ...

MoneyMarketing roadshow in Leeds

6 April 2006

financial advisers: your chance to take part in Q&A with investment ombudsman, Philip Cooper, at MoneyMarketing roadshow in Leeds

feedback on our budget for 2006/07

23 March 2006

ombudsman news - issue 51

7 March 2006

includes: when investment firms claim they gave only "limited" advice; safer credit/debit card spending and facing up to debt problems; and the ombudsman and private medical insurance firms
[issue 51 - PDF version opens in new window]

ministerial visit

27 February 2006

Treasury minister, Ivan Lewis MP, visits ombudsman service to meet board and staff

speech to the Pensions Management Institute

8 February 2006

"I am an ombudsman, not an adviser, nor a policy maker, nor a lobbyist" - Tony King, lead ombudsman for pensions and securities, explains what ombudsmen are "for"

special training days in Sheffield, Exeter and Manchester

16 January 2006

events for consumer advice agencies

we publish our corporate plan & 2006/07 budget

12 January 2006