When something goes wrong with a bank account, card or loan, there is a defined route for putting it right. This guide sets out the steps, the deadlines that matter and the point at which the Financial Ombudsman Service becomes involved.
Why the complaints route is more structured than it looks
Banks are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), and one result is that every authorised firm must have a complaints process. Citizens Advice notes that banks must have a written process and that customers can ask for a copy if they cannot find it.
The process is deliberately sequential. The firm gets the first chance to resolve the problem. If the outcome is unsatisfactory, or no answer arrives in time, the dispute can move to an independent body, the Financial Ombudsman Service. Understanding the order matters because skipping a step, or missing a deadline, can limit the options later.
What counts as a complaint?
In everyday terms, a complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction about a firm’s service or a product, and a customer does not need to use special wording. Even so, Citizens Advice suggests writing “complaint” at the top of a letter, which makes the purpose unmistakable and helps create a record.
Typical banking complaints include:
- a payment that went missing or was taken without permission
- fees or charges that were not explained properly
- an account that was closed or frozen
- poor handling of a loan, overdraft or card problem
Whether a bank is responsible for the problem is a separate question. Citizens Advice points out, for example, that a bank is unlikely to be responsible if a customer gave someone their PIN and that person withdrew money. A complaint is still allowed, but the outcome may differ.
What should go into the first complaint?
The FCA advises explaining what happened and when, and asking the firm to put things right. It also recommends keeping a record of how and when contact was made. Citizens Advice adds practical detail:
- Gather statements, correspondence and any other documents.
- Note the dates of contact and the names of staff spoken to.
- State the facts calmly, with key dates, and say what outcome is wanted, including any compensation.
- Send copies rather than originals, and keep copies of everything.
Recorded delivery provides proof of receipt for letters. A clear, dated account tends to make the later stages simpler, because the same facts can be passed to the Ombudsman if needed.
How long does a bank have to respond?
According to the FCA, firms must acknowledge a complaint in writing unless they resolve it within three business days. They should normally give the outcome in writing within eight weeks.
Payment complaints have shorter timelines. The FCA says payment service providers and e-money issuers must normally respond to certain complaints within 15 business days, and a final response should arrive within 35 business days of the day the complaint was first made. Many complaints about unauthorised or failed payments fall into this category, so it is worth checking which clock applies.
| Type of complaint | Usual deadline for a response (FCA) |
|---|---|
| General complaint | Within 8 weeks |
| Certain payment-service complaints | Within 15 business days |
| Payment-service final response, longest case | Within 35 business days of first complaint |
A firm may send an initial response, a final response, or a notice that eight weeks have passed. Citizens Advice says that once the eight weeks are up, the customer can go to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
When can you go to the Financial Ombudsman Service?
The FCA describes the Ombudsman as a free, independent service for settling disputes between financial firms and their customers. A customer can approach it if they disagree with the final decision or have not heard back in time.
Two time limits apply:
- Six months. The FCA says to contact the Ombudsman within six months of receiving a final response from the firm, or it may not be able to help. Citizens Advice describes the six months as running from the bank’s final response, or from the end of the eight-week period if there is no response.
- Six years or three years. Complaints normally need to be made within six years of the problem happening or, if later, within three years of the customer becoming aware that they had cause to complain.
Some areas have special deadlines. The FCA has set separate arrangements for certain motor finance complaints, so anyone with a car finance issue should check the position for that product specifically.
A worked example of the timeline
The following illustrative arithmetic shows how the general deadlines fit together. It is not a prediction of how any real case would run.
Suppose a customer complains in writing to their bank on 3 March about a fee that was never explained.
- Eight weeks is 56 days, so the bank’s general response deadline falls on 28 April.
- If the bank issues a final response on 28 April rejecting the complaint, the six-month window to approach the Ombudsman would run to 28 October.
- If the bank sent nothing at all by 28 April, the customer could go to the Ombudsman from that point, with the six-month period counted from the end of the eight weeks, according to Citizens Advice.
If the complaint were about a payment, the shorter payment timelines described above could apply instead, which is why identifying the type of complaint early is useful.
What can the Ombudsman award, and does it cost anything?
Using the Ombudsman is free for the consumer. The FCA notes that a claims management company can complain on someone’s behalf but charges a fee, and Citizens Advice says that people do not need to pay anyone to help them use the service. It also notes that its helpline can check whether a complaint is something the service can handle and can help with forms.
There is a ceiling on compensation. In its policy statement on the subject, the FCA set the award limit at £350,000 for complaints about acts or omissions by firms on or after 1 April 2019, and said both limits would be adjusted each year in line with the Consumer Prices Index from 1 April 2020. That £350,000 figure is therefore the starting point rather than the current limit, which is higher after annual uplifts. Anyone with a very large claim should look up the figure for the year in which their complaint is referred.
For most banking complaints the limit is far above the sums involved. The more practical question is usually whether the firm is found to have acted unfairly, and what putting things right means in the individual case.
Should you go to court instead?
Citizens Advice describes court as a last resort and adds a point that is easy to miss: if someone goes to court before complaining to the Ombudsman, they cannot complain to the Ombudsman later. That makes the order of events important for anyone weighing a legal route.
Using the process well
The complaints system rewards preparation. A short, dated, factual complaint that states the outcome wanted gives a bank little room to misunderstand, and it leaves a clear trail if the matter escalates. Knowing which deadline applies, eight weeks or the shorter payment timelines, avoids waiting longer than necessary, and noting the six-month window protects the right to go further.
Related guides on this site cover how bank account switching works, why banks charge different fees, and what the evidence shows on APP fraud reimbursement. Deposit safety is a separate matter and is covered in how the deposit protection limit works.
Conclusion: the order of steps is the protection
A bank complaint moves from the firm to the Ombudsman, and each stage has its own clock. Complaining early, keeping records, and watching the eight-week, 15-business-day and six-month points are the practical safeguards.
This article is general information, not personalised financial advice. Rules, deadlines and limits change, so check the current position with the firm, the FCA or the Financial Ombudsman Service.
Sources: Financial Conduct Authority; Citizens Advice
