The Financial Ombudsman Service is free, independent, and can award more than a firm might voluntarily offer — but a vague complaint rarely gets the outcome a well-documented one does.
The two deadlines that structure every FOS case
Before the FOS will consider your case, the firm generally needs 8 weeks to issue a final response to your original complaint (or you can escalate immediately if 8 weeks pass with no response). Once you receive a final response, you generally have 6 months from that date to refer the complaint to the FOS — miss this window, and the FOS may not be able to consider your case at all, subject to limited exceptions.
What the FOS can actually award
The FOS's maximum award limit is adjusted annually for inflation. As of 1 April 2026, that limit is £455,000 for complaints about acts or omissions by firms on or after 1 April 2019 (an increase of £10,000 on the prior year). The FOS can also direct a firm to take specific non-monetary action — correcting inaccurate records, or issuing a formal apology.
Structuring a complaint that actually gets taken seriously
- A clear, dated chronology. Set out exactly what happened and when, in order — not a general narrative of frustration.
- The specific regulatory rule or standard you believe was breached — whether that's a specific FCA rule, a mandatory reimbursement scheme, or a general standard of reasonable care.
- Your quantified loss. State precisely what you lost financially, not just that you're unhappy with the outcome.
- The remedy you're seeking — a refund, compensation, a specific correction to your record, or a combination.
The evidence that actually moves a case forward
The FOS relies heavily on documentary evidence: your original written complaint, the firm's final response, any communication log showing what was said and when, and any supporting documents specific to your case (transaction records, screenshots, correspondence). A complaint built on a well-organized paper trail is significantly easier for a case handler to assess quickly than one reconstructed from memory during the FOS process itself.
What this means practically
- Wait for the firm's final response, or 8 weeks, before escalating — but don't wait past 6 months after receiving that response.
- Structure your complaint with a clear chronology, the specific rule or standard breached, your quantified loss, and your desired remedy.
- Bring your full evidence file — the FOS's assessment is only as strong as the documentation behind it.
- The FOS is free — never pay a claims management company a percentage of your award for something you can do yourself at no cost.
Related Kibbo Tools
Sources
- Financial Ombudsman Service — official complaints process. financial-ombudsman.org.uk
- Global Regulation Tomorrow — FCA confirms increase to FOS award limits, April 2026. regulationtomorrow.com