news and events

recent news updates

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