Has the Onbudsman ever been involved?

[MoneyBAGs]

Has anyone ever brought a complaint about illegal charging before the Ombudsman? Has any one ever heard about such a thing.

 

The Ombudsman is concerened with maladministration. Surely it is maladminsitration for the banks to conduct their contractual business in a way which does not comply with the law of the land?

[Anonymous]

Ombudsman doesn't want to know, as he's only concerned with the banks following their own procedures, and those of the voluntary Banking Code. Contractual stuff is beyond him.

[Down and out]

I'm not at all surprised by what you say but can you refer us to any actual cases or decisions or people who have approached the Ombudsman about this.

 

I agree that the Ombudsman is concerned about the Bank's procedures. The Ombudsman wants to know if there has been "maladministration" in those procedures.

Surely it would be maladminstration for those procedures to be implemented in an unlawful way?

 

It's really a bit desparate if none of the authorities are prepared to excercise some control over the banks.

 

It would be interested to see the actual decisions to understand the reasoning behind the Ombudsman's refusal to act.

[mark]

Common misconception.

 

Banks' charges aren't illegal - yet - as a Court hasn't declared them such.

 

Until that happens, we may THINK that they are; and the banks may AGREE with our thinking; but they will carry on unless a Court tells them that they can't.

 

Ombudsman cannot make a ruling on the legality of the banks' position, only on whether the banks have adhered to their own rules and procedures.

 

Be sure that one of these days, all this will come to a head. Til then, keep fighting.

[Russe11]

Has anyone actually had any success with the Ombudsman, I have not bothered as not heard of any success stories, I do not want to waste time if the outcome is going to be pointless.

 

I have stated this to the bank as I'm contesting the legality, and this is the only sutible course of action for me to take.

[gothicf0rm]

i believe the ombudsman says it will not rule on the legality of charges and that that is up to the courts. there are many other routes of attack with the ombudsman though. once ive sued my bank mine will include them failing to get back to me in time with my complaint (7 weeks, they are supposed to take up to 4 to tell me they need more time which they hadnt), failure to give full notice of bank charges (only 7 days rather than the 14 days), lack of sympathy in dealing with problems such as hanging up on the customer who is complinaing about them cancelling his card over money he doesnt owe, and so on... i have a very long list of things.

[Russe11]

yes, but whay did you get ? a satisfactory service afterwards, compensation, ?

[diddled]

The Ombudsman substantially upheld my claim, and recommended compensation to include charges that she considered should not have been debited to the account in the first place,

however

I was prevented from properly considering the offer of compensation due to fundamental flaws in the rules of the Ombudsman scheme.

If you read my post of 29th January in the Ombudsman, the DPA and the Bank section it should clarify

[rorygemwriter]

I am in the process of trying to do so as well as on other matters. I have found the Ombudsman's service (using language appropriate to a public forum) to be somewhat disappointing. I am preparing a formal complaint to the external assessor at the moment. My complaint was initially summarily dismissed and should not have been. I am determined to find out why and cannot get a straight answer. The original matter of the complaint is now with an assessor who will deal with it when he is able. I am not holding my breath.

[BankFodder]

I am in the process of trying to do so as well as on other matters. I have found the Ombudsman's service (using language appropriate to a public forum) to be somewhat disappointing. I am preparing a formal complaint to the external assessor at the moment. My complaint was initially summarily dismissed and should not have been. I am determined to find out why and cannot get a straight answer. The original matter of the complaint is now with an assessor who will deal with it when he is able. I am not holding my breath.

 

Aren't you able to get disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act?

[MoneyBAGs]

This topic was closed on 03/05/19.

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