This is quite a thread. I just registered to post a similar critical sentiment. My experience of the FOS is: consider it if you've no alternative such as bringing a civil court claim and can wait a long time for a decision. Mine inexplicably took them 18 months plus for a really simple issue. But if you have a good complaint and the compensation involved is material, consider using the courts. The FOS adjudicators are not legally qualified and my experience was they did not properly analyse a complaint into the relevant issues and reach a proper, reasoned decision. The decisions I received didn't adddress much of what I actually complained of and missed the point. It took much longer than a court case would have taken and was of infinitely lower quality compared to the care the average judge devotes to their decision. [edit]