Is there a deadline for going to Ombudsman after receiving a Final Response Letter?

Brendan Burgess

Brendan Burgess

Founder
Messages
52,045
I had an idea that a complainant had 30 (?) days after receiving a Final Response Letter to make a complaint to the Ombudsman.

I seem to remember someone having to apply for a new Final Response Letter because the deadline had been passed for the original one.

But I don't see any mention of that on their website anymore.

Brendan
 
Not really but I suppose my question wasn't precise enough.

I wasn't thinking in terms of years from the behaviour complained of.

It was more for someone who has got the Final Response Letter , and is compiling their complaint which can take a few weeks or a few months.

Brendan
 
There's a deadline for the financial institution to respond to your formal request for a final response letter. That's 40 working days. If the institution does not respond to your request within 40 days then you can refer to the Ombudsman who will either assist you in putting pressure on the bank for the letter or handle your complaint directly. In reality what happens is you reach the 40 day limit, the bank still hasn't responded, you call the FSPO and commence the formal process, the FSPO writes to the bank and asks for their formal response again.

I don't remember there being a deadline from receipt of formal response letter though, I think because most people would (reasonably) either take it further in a small amount of time, or not.

As you know there are deadlines set for correspondence being returned etc the whole way through the Ombudsman process but these I have found to be more aspirational than fixed in their nature, particularly when referring to Banks!
 
Brendan Burgess said:
Not really but I suppose my question wasn't precise enough.

I wasn't thinking in terms of years from the behaviour complained of.

It was more for someone who has got the Final Response Letter , and is compiling their complaint which can take a few weeks or a few months.

Brendan
Click to expand...
If there was such a time limit then surely it would be stated in the legislation? That was my point in linking to it. The legislation doesn't seem to mention the type of time limit that you're talking about.
 
Probably but not necessarily.

I think that the Ombudsman had an administrative deadline, but may have scrapped it.

Brendan
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top