Ombudsman

An ombudsman is an independent service that decides complaints you could not settle with a company or public body. It is free for you to use, and you must complain to the organisation first.

The main UK consumer ombudsmen are the Financial Ombudsman Service (banks, cards, loans and insurance), the Energy Ombudsman, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, and the Housing Ombudsman. Rules for the Financial Ombudsman Service, checked on 27 September 2026:

• the firm has up to 8 weeks to answer most complaints and 15 days for fraud, scams and payment services;
• you have 6 months from the date of the final response to bring your complaint;
• it can award up to £455,000 for complaints referred on or after 1 April 2026 about acts on or after 1 April 2019;
• you do not need a lawyer or claims management company.

Example: your card provider rejects your section 75 claim for a £1,200 sofa in a final response dated 10 September 2026. You have until 10 March 2027 to ask the Financial Ombudsman Service to look at it, at no cost.

Find which ombudsman covers your problem, and your deadline, with the complaint route finder.