Complaining
Making the initial complaint, and referring it to the Ombudsman
Complain to the business first, then refer.
What this problem looks like
- You have raised the same point three times and received the same paragraph back.
- You have a final response you disagree with.
- Eight weeks have passed with no final response.
What you are trying to establish
- Whether your complaint has been treated as a complaint at all, and whether a final response has been issued.
- Whether your mortgage falls within the Ombudsman's jurisdiction — many buy-to-let mortgages are unregulated, which affects what can be considered.
- The six-month deadline: a complaint is normally referred within six months of the final response.
- The specific acts or omissions complained about, separated from the general sense of unfairness.
Evidence to collect
- The final response letter, or proof of the date you complained.
- Your chronology and evidence index.
- The documents you rely on, numbered and referred to in the narrative.
- Your loss, with figures, and the non-financial impact described factually.
What to ask for
- A clearly stated outcome. Refund of specified charges, correction of the account, a specific forbearance step, compensation for distress and inconvenience.
- That each numbered issue is addressed separately.
What a useful answer looks like
- An acknowledgement that identifies your issues in the same terms you used.
- An investigator's view that engages with each numbered issue and says what evidence was relied on.
What an inadequate answer looks like
- A view that answers a version of your complaint you did not make.
- A view that treats 'the charge was contractually permitted' as the end of the question — see the fairness test.
Next escalation
- If you disagree with the investigator, ask for the case to be referred to an Ombudsman for a final decision — see the next two playbooks.
Example letters for this stage
- Referral of a complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service — Used after a final response, or after eight weeks without one. Check the six-month time limit.
Official sources
Elsewhere in this archive
More on: Complaining
This is information, not legal advice
Nothing here is legal advice and no professional relationship arises from reading it. Time limits apply to complaints and to court steps. Free help is available from Citizens Advice, StepChange and Shelter.