Tag Archives: FOS
FCA confirms FOS increase
FCA has issued a policy statement confirming the increase in the FOS award limit. From 1 April, the limit that FOS can award against firms will be £350,000. This amount will apply in relation to complaints about actions on or after that date. For claims about actions before 1 April that are referred to FOS […]
Treasury Committee publishes FOS economic crime evidence
The Treasury Committee’s hearing on economic crime continues, and it has recently heard evidence from FOS. FOS received 8,500 complaints about fraud and scams in 2017/18 and has received over 10,000 this financial year to date. Around a quarter of fraud and scam cases are about APP fraud and another quarter about unauthorised payments. FOS […]
FOS focuses on debt
The most recent edition of Ombudsman News focuses on enquiries FOS has received about debt collection – on credit cards, loans and mortgages. It took on over 1,000 complaints in the area during 2018. As a result, it wants debt collection firms to improve how they support vulnerable customers. Nearly half the complaints related to […]
FCA makes new rules
FCA’s latest Handbook Update lists rules made in December and January. The key changes: amend the rules on PCAs and Overdrafts from 18 December 2019: these changes amend BCOBS and CONC to tackle low levels of consumer awareness of and engagement with overdrafts; amend DISP to require lenders and sellers to write to certain Plevin complainants […]
FCA to look at product governance and research unbundling
A set of oral evidence given to the Treasury Committee includes statements from FCA that: it is now content on how to interpret the mortgage affordability test compliantly with the MCD and now plans to consult on changing it from an absolute test to a relative test; it will be carrying out perimeter work on SME lending […]
FCA publishes final rules on expansion of FOS jurisdiction to SMEs
The FCA has now published final rules confirming the expansion of the jurisdiction of the FOS to include certain SME customers. The new rules will mean that from 1 April 2019, the FOS will be able to hear complaints from SMEs who meet two of the three following criteria – fewer than 50 employees; annual […]
FOS consults on plans for 2019/20
The FOS has published a consultation on its plans and budget for 2019/2020. It notes that from April 2019, its jurisdiction will be expanded by the addition of two significant areas of work: complaints made by SME customers of financial services, and complaints made by customers of claims management services. The consultation questions include inviting […]
Ombudsman News focuses on retirement
The latest edition of Ombudsman News looks at complaints and trends around pensions. Complaints about pensions make up a very small proportion of all complaints, but as a pension is so important to consumers, FOS has focussed on assessing what it sees as the key rights, and included case studies on complaints involving defined benefit to […]
FCA writes to CEOs on SIPP due diligence
FCA has written a “Dear CEO” letter on the duties of SIPP operators in respect of due diligence. The letter refers to the judgement in the Berkeley Burke case and several other pending civil claims, and asks firms to consider the potential implications of these cases for them and their customers. The Berkeley Burke case, […]
Treasury Committee calls for SME lending to be brought within the regulatory perimeter
The Treasury Committee has published the Twenty-Fourth Report of Session 2017-2019 on SME Finance. The Committee highlighted the investigation into RBS’ Global Restructuring Group (GRG), and noted the FCA’s comment that the failures at the GRG might have triggered disciplinary action, had they occurred in a regulated business. The Committee commented that the justification for […]
PIFMA concerned about FOS limit increase
PIFMA is concerned that the proposed extension of the upper limits of compensation FOS can order firms to pay out, from £150, 000 to £350,000 could put some small firms out of the market as they will be unable to get affordable PII cover. From 1 April, 2019, FCA is proposing to increase the limits […]
FOS focuses on fraud and scams
FOS’ latest Ombudsman News focuses on frauds and scams. It comments on the loopholes in new technologies that fraudsters use, and the challenges of addressing a complaint where both customer and bank are adamant they are not responsible. FOS notes that although the involvement of a criminal third party makes it hard to determine cases, […]
FOS update on publication of complaints data
The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) has published a statement, following its October 2016 Consultation Paper and December 2016 Feedback Statement on complaints data publication. The Feedback Statement included FOS’s commitment to work with stakeholders to explore a new measure of cases received per 100 FCA-reportable complaints, and to report some resolved PPI complaints by volume only […]
FCA complaints handling review findings
The FCA has published its findings of the review of how Non-deposit Taking Mortgage Lenders (NDTMLs) and Mortgage Third-Party Administrators (MTPAs) handle complaints. In particular the review looked at how NDTMLs and MTPAs treat their customers, whether their complaint handling arrangements pose any potential consumer harm, and how they could handle complaints better. The FCA found that overall […]
FCA consults on regular premium PPI complaints handling
FCA is consulting on new guidance on handling complaints about regular premium PPI, to deal with an uncertainty which has arisen since the post-Plevin rules. The Plevin judgment and the rules that followed it say that if a lender fails to disclose at point of sale a large commission payable out of the PPI premium […]
FCA consults on push payment fraud complaints
FCA is consulting on changes to complaints handling rules to help victims of authorised push payment fraud. Currently, victims cannot complain to the PSP that receives their payment when their own PSP is not at fault. FCA now proposes rule changes to require firms to handle this type of complaint, and also to allow eligible […]
FOS Annual Review published
The FOS has published its Annual Review for 2017/2018. Many of the complaints statistics highlight products that are the subject of ongoing regulatory scrutiny and activity: the FOS notes significant increases in complaints in home credit, hiring, leasing and renting, and payday loans: putting to one side PPI, one in four new complaints related to […]
Complaints Commissioner concerned about information sharing between FOS and FCA
In a recent report the Complaints Commissioner expressed concern about the absence of published information about how and in what circumstances information about live ombudsman cases may be shared between the FOS and the FCA. The complaint alleged that the FCA illegally influenced the FOS in its handling of complaints against a firm represented by […]
Treasury Committee asks FOS for answers
The Treasury Committee has written to Caroline Wayman, Chief Executive of FOS, following an episode of “Dispatches” that suggested FOS was staffing cases with individuals with inadequate training or understanding of financial products, and claimed some cases had been decided in favour of banks without a proper reading of the files. Nicky Morgan’s letter asks […]
Ombudsman News looks at travel insurance
The latest edition of Ombudsman News features problems and complaints relating to travel insurance. It notes that most disputes are around what is covered and what is not, and FOS says it is encouraged that it is upholding fewer complaints than previously – which it says indicates insurers are increasingly treating their customers reasonably. The […]
FCA consults on widening FOS access for small businesses
FCA has opened a consultation on plans to provide more small businesses with access to FOS. The changes proposed would allow FOS complaints redress to approximately 16,000 SMEs, charities and trusts, by changing the eligibility criteria to access FOS. Under the proposals, eligible businesses would be those that satisfy the following criteria: Under 50 employees; […]
FCA publishes quarterly consultation
FCA’s latest quarterly consultation proposes minor changes to: DEPP due to a change in FCA’s governance structure LR, in the meaning of Premium Listing Principle 6 and, to DTR, on where diversity reporting may be located under corporate governance reporting requirements DISP relating to access to FOS for PEPs, and referrals to TPO the Glossary definition […]
Insurance broker loses authorisation over non-compliance with FOS award
The Upper Tribunal (Tax and Chancery Chamber) has upheld FCA’s decision to cancel the permission of Larksway Investments (an insurance broker), following non-compliance with a FOS award. FOS had upheld a complaint against Larksway in relation to a claim on a specialist landlord’s insurance policy, which Larksway was required to comply with promptly under DISP. […]
FCA bans firm for failure to comply with FOS award
FCA has cancelled the permission of Foreman Financial Services Limited for failure to remain fit and proper and specifically for breach of DISP rules and Principles 6 and 11. The firm had advised a customer to transfer his pension into a SIPP to fund a property investment. The customer complained to FOS that the firm […]
FOS updates on PPI and other complaints
The latest edition of Ombudsman News highlights: FCA’s PPI complaints deadline awareness campaign, and the common questions FOS gets from people looking to complain about PPI. FOS has seen a significant increase in people contacting it about PPI in the last quarter. From here on, it says its workload will depend on how fairly firms […]
FOS feeds back on PPI time limit changes
FOS has published feedback to its consultation on changes to the time limits for PPI complaints. It merely confirms the amendment to the Voluntary Jurisdiction in line with FCA’s changes to the Compulsory Jurisdiction. The relevant instrument took effect at the end of August.
FOS updates complaints data
FOS has published individual complaints data for H1 2017, relating to businesses in relation to which FOS both received and settled at least 30 cases during the period. FOS says these firms comprise around 95% of the total cases it handled. The highest levels of complaint related almost entirely to PPI claims, with the only other significant […]
Rise in complaints for PPI
This week FOS published its regular newsletter in which it discussed: a rise in consumer credit complaints; statistics on complaints received in the first quarter of 2017/2018; and an update on PPI and the FCA’s new rules and guidance FOS’ Annual Review The annual review published earlier in the summer by FOS identified that complaints about […]
FCA makes new rules
FCA made 4 new rules instruments at its June Board meeting. new fees rules taking effect from 3 July, to raise fees and levies to provide funding for the FOS and MAS to meet their statutory objectives, and to raise necessary funds for pensions guidance services and for Treasury to tackle illegal money lending; the […]
FCA to regulate claims management companies
It was also confirmed in the background notes to the Queen’s Speech that the Financial Guidance and Claims Bill will be brought forward to progress plans previously announced for: FCA to take over the regulation of claims management services. Among other things it will have power to cap fees CMCs charge. FOS will have responsibility for […]
FOS consults on PPI voluntary jurisdiction
In March 2017 FCA announced it was introducing a 29 August 2019 deadline for all PPI complaints to be submitted to firms or ombudsman services (subject to limited exceptions). This rule comes into effect on 29 August 2017 and applies to firms within the FOS’ compulsory jurisdiction (CJ). However, this rule currently will not apply to firms that […]
FOS publishes annual review
FOS has published its annual review for 2016/17, a period which it described as ‘immensely demanding’. Similarly to previous years, FOS reported that much of its activity focused on PPI complaints, but this should finally reduce with the August 2019 time limit for potential claims. The rules and guidance following the Plevin judgement will come into […]
“Law vs morality” – the power of FOS
We have written an article on how the FOS interpreted a complaint on a claim on a life insurance policy in relation to an individual later found to have been in the early stages of dementia when he bought the policy. The case looked at the distinction between where (as was the case here) the insurer […]
FOS updates on plans and caseload
FOS’ latest Ombudsman news highlights its plans for the year ahead and current statistics. Its case updates focus on complaints where mistakes or misunderstandings led to consumer loss, and where financial services providers have helped customers in difficulties when their products did not to what the customer expected.
FCA makes new rules
FCA made several changes to its rulebook at its Board Meeting on 30 March. Key changes include: changes to fees relating to the FOS and periodic fees for exchanges and benchmark administrators; changes to the FSCS management expenses levy limit; implementing the policy proposal for PSR fees; allowing FCA to set fees relating to MiFID […]
Court dismisses judicial review application of FOS decision
The court has dismissed an application for judicial review by Full Circle Asset Management Ltd (FCAM), a firm of financial advisors, of a decision by FOS. FOS had upheld a complaint made by an FCAM’s client, Mrs King, who argued that FCAM had provided her with a portfolio of investments unsuitable for her. Mrs King […]
FOS focuses on complainant age
The latest edition of Ombudsman News looks at the types of complaints FOS addresses from people under 25. PPI is not a concern for them, with the majority of “millennial and post millennial” complaints relating to packaged and current bank accounts (babyboomers make the same proportion of complaints on packaged bank accounts, with Generation X […]
FOS consults on plan and budget
FOS is consulting on its plan and budget for the year ahead. It expects record numbers of PPI complaints, with a steady level of complaints in the banking, insurance and investment sectors. It plans to keep the case fees the same as for the past 5 years – so there is a £550 fee per […]
FOS looks at mental health and complaints
The latest issue of Ombudsman News focuses on complaints firms have received in respect of customers with mental health issues.