Hi Just thought I would provide some basic details FSA South Quay Plaza 183 Marsh Wall London E14 9SR SWITCHBOARD 020 7964 1000 Consumer Enquiries 0845 080 1800 Technical Help Desk 020 7964 1400 (business and professional consumer advisers only, unless of course we change that) Technical advice desk 0845 080 1800 (consumers only) Chief Ombudsman Walter Merricks Web site http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk where you can browse through earlier editions of the ombudsman news which I refered to earlier. this allows you to search through previous case studies etc. Regarding joncris last comment I agree, you only have to look at the list of board members to see that some of them actually work for or have worked for banks.

Thanks for your comments, I will try and give some good input which only consists of facts and helps members to make their own informed decisions. All the best for the new year Stephen

Hi I have just joined and am pleased to see so many people dedicated to stopping people getting poor advice or getting ripped off. I spent 25 years in financial services and now sadley detest most people in it. I can confirm that the ombudsman lacks expertise and power and all people whom I have dealt with have been incompetent. To back up my claim one instance recently was when progressing a claim for a caravan, FOR WHICH ALL DETAILS had been given to the ombudsman, I got a letter back asking such questions as what size was its engine, the claim lasted well over a year and the whole event was farsical. Many letters from the ombudsman kept asking for details which had been supplied over and over again by myself . I am a member and receive their monthly magazine, which if you read it, spends a lot of the editorial boosting each others egos. Time to put a stop to that and make them accountable