Stage 1: the lender (up to 8 weeks)
The lender has 8 weeks from your complaint to send a final response. Many reply sooner, sometimes with an offer.
Stage 2: the Ombudsman (if needed)
If you’re not happy, or 8 weeks pass with no answer, you can go to the Financial Ombudsman Service. You usually have 6 months from the lender’s final response. An investigator looks at it first; if either side disagrees, an ombudsman makes a final decision. This can take several months.
Being paid
Once you accept an offer or a final decision, the lender should pay within the time set, usually around 28 days.
Speeding things up
- Give full details: every account and roughly when
- Include a copy of your credit report
- Reply quickly to questions