news updates for 2009

Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec

 

December 2009

Christmas greetings from the ombudsman

December 2009

... and our office opening-times over the festive period

Службата на финансовия омбудсман

30 December 2009

reflecting the global business carried out by UK-based financial services companies covered by the ombudsman – such as money-transfer operators – we add information about our service in Bulgarian to the wide range of languages available on our website

ombudsman news - issue 82

21 December 2009

• complaints case-studies showing the difference between direct debits, standing orders and continuous-payment authorities;
• motor insurance disputes involving keys left in cars;
• an interview with Jane Hingston, lead ombudsman for banking and credit, about her work on consumer-credit complaints; and 
• chief ombudsman (interim), David Thomas, on the season of grievances and goodwill.  

[issue 82 - PDF version opens in new window]

discussing financial skills in Manchester

15 December 2009

the ombudsman takes part in the Financial Services Skills Council's seminar on the importance of professional standards and skills

ombudsman and healthier living

14 December 2009

the Healthier Living guide – promoting informed choices for a healthier lifestyle, and available at NHS surgeries and clinics nationwide – features the ombudsman [PDF format] in its section on finance and health

ombudsman in Sheffield

14 December 2009

the ombudsman sets out the complaints-prevention resources available to life and insurance practitioners at an event held jointly by the Chartered Insurance Institute and Personal Finance Society

Plain English Campaign website of the year

8 December 2009

following nominations from the public, www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk is named Plain English website of the year in the Plain English Campaign's annual awards

ombudsman gives evidence on Financial Services Bill

8 December 2009

David Thomas, chief ombudsman (interim), appears before the Public Bill Committee, to give evidence from the ombudsman service on aspects of the Financial Services Bill currently passing through Parliament

training for advice workers in Milton Keynes

3 December 2009

our latest regional training-day for front-line advice workers takes place in Milton Keynes today – as part of our outreach work with trusted advisers in the community

ombudsman working with Trading Standards in Middlesbrough

3 December 2009

our outreach team runs a complaints-handling training-day for trading standards staff in Middlesbrough – and takes part in a complaints-clinic to help with front-line consumer problems ranging from debt collecting to household insurance

UN international day of persons with disabilities

3 December 2009

to mark International Day of Persons with Disabilities – created by the United Nations (UN) to "promote an understanding of disability issues and to mobilise support for the dignity, rights and well-being of persons with disabilities" – the ombudsman re-affirms its commitment to making its service accessible to everyone, including outreach and partnership with a range disability organisations [see this month's advert in Disability Review magazine - in PDF format]

complaints management seminar

1 December 2009

Caroline Mitchell, lead ombudsman for general investment, sets out the ombudsman's complaints-handling process – as part of an event held by the Association of British Insurers

 

November 2009

ombudsman forum for smaller businesses

30 November 2009

the ombudsman service hosts forum – attended by representatives from over 15 smaller-business organisations – as part of its work in handling complaints both from and about smaller businesses

Money Box, bank charges and the ombudsman

28 November 2009

Tony Boorman, principal ombudsman, interviewed on BBC Radio 4's Money Box about the Supreme Court's ruling on unauthorised overdraft charges

minimising customer grievances in a challenging environment

25 November 2009

Tony Boorman, principal ombudsman, speaks at the Future of Retail Banking annual conference  

bank charges and the Supreme Court

25 November 2009

what does today's decision by the Supreme Court mean for complaints about unauthorised overdraft charges?

tell us what you think!

25 November 2009
we launch our annual online survey on how people rate our website and service

Money Advice Trust conference

25 November 2009

the ombudsman joins delegates at the Money Advice Trust annual conference – to discuss the issues faced by consumers in financial difficulty

FSA confirms position on 15 year "long-stop" on bringing complaints

24 November 2009

Retirement Today

24 November 2009

the ombudsman features in the latest edition of Retirement Today [PDF format] – the lifestyle magazine for people approaching or enjoying retirement – providing tips on travel insurance and complaints

ombudsman news - issue 81

20 November 2009

• complaints about debt-collecting businesses;
• mortgage case studies involving disputes over valuations;
• a welcome to money-transfer operators, covered by the ombudsman service since 1 November 2009; and 
• chief ombudsman (interim), David Thomas, on how the ombudsman is tackling a growing workload and getting tough where slow responses hold us up

[issue 81 - PDF version opens in new window]

ombudsman talks investments

18 November 2009

the ombudsman takes part in the Tax Incentivised Savings Association's annual conference to talk about the ombudsman's approach to investment complaints, including Individual Savings Accounts

training for advice workers in the east midlands

17 November 2009

our latest regional training-day for front-line advice workers takes place in Leicester today as part of our outreach work with trusted community advisers

ombudsman meets business start-ups in Wales

13 November 2009

the ombudsman takes part in New Start Wales at Cardiff International Arena – a two-day event for people setting up or running their own businesses – as part of the service's work with smaller businesses

BBC The One Show and the ombudsman

11 November 2009

Dom Littlewood from BBC's The One Show explains the ombudsman's approach to financial hardship in complaints about current-account charges

ombudsman talks to medical insurance intermediaries

11 November 2009

ombudsman, Melissa Collett, talks about the ombudsman's work on private medical insurance disputes at the autumn meeting of the Association of Medical Insurance Intermediaries

Family Life

9 November 2009

the ombudsman features in this month's Family Life [opens in PDF] – the lifestyle magazine providing tips and information for parents in Scotland

training for advice workers in the north west

4 November 2009

our latest regional training-day for front line advice workers takes place in Manchester today as part of our outreach work with trusted community advisers

complaints about income protection insurance

3 November 2009

new factsheet now available – for consumers with a complaint about income protection insurance

"micro-enterprises" bringing complaints to the ombudsman

2 November 2009

rules change from 1 November 2009 – with a new definition of "micro-enterprises" able to refer complaints to the ombudsman

money-transfer operators covered by the FSA and the ombudsman

2 November 2009

from 1 November 2009 the FSA regulates money-transfer operators – who now automatically come under the Financial Ombudsman Service – bringing 2,700 money-transfer businesses into the ombudsman's remit for the first time

ombudsmen recruitment

2 November 2009

applications invited from appropriately qualified and experienced experts, to join the ombudsman panel on a self-employed, fee-paid basis [Sunday Times job ad opens as PDF] – helping to provide additional flexibility in dealing with rising demand for ombudsman decisions

 

October 2009

debt collecting

30 October 2009

technical note now available – on complaints where a third-party debt-collection agency has been employed to recover a debt

training for advice workers in the south west

30 October 2009

our latest regional training-day for front-line advice workers takes place in Exeter today as part of our outreach work with trusted community advisers

NHS Choices credit-crunch stressline

29 October 2009

the ombudsman works in partnership with the NHS Choices credit-crunch stressline – the free service providing health and well-being advice-tips for people affected by debt or financial problems – as part of its ongoing outreach work in the community

financial difficulties and repossessions

29 October 2009

the ombudsman joins representatives from a number of government agencies to talk about the help available to consumers under threat of repossession

warning! fraudulent phone calls claiming to be from the ombudsman service ...

28 October 2009

"What's On" Student Guide

28 October 2009

the ombudsman features in the latest edition of the "What's On" Student Guide [PDF format] – the annual magazine providing information and guidance on student life – as part of its ongoing awareness-raising work with younger consumers

working with car insurers

27 October 2009

Peter Hinchliffe, lead ombudsman for general insurance, speaks at the Lloyd's Market Association about the ombudsman's approach to complaints involving vehicle theft

black history month

22 October 2009

as part of its targeted work to raise consumer awareness, the ombudsman takes part in Black History Festival on London's south bank - and features in BHM Magazine [PDF format], the official guide to black history month

Disability North

21 October 2009

supporting inclusion, independence and choice for disabled people, the ombudsman takes part in Disability North at Newcastle's Metro Radio Arena – the North East's biggest independent living event

ombudsman talks student money in Llandrindod, Wales

20 October 2009

the ombudsman takes part in a conference organised by further education college association Fforwm – as part of our outreach work with trusted individuals in the student community

Diwali

16 October 2009

the ombudsman – in partnership with Asian media-network ZEE – continues its work to increase Asian consumers' awareness of the service's impartial role in settling financial disputes [see our page in the Diwali/Eid issue of ZEE magazine - PDF format]

ombudsman news - issue 80

15 October 2009

• insurance disputes involving claims for unemployment or sickness benefit
• complaints about bonds and
• Walter Merricks in conversation with journalist, Neasa MacErlean – as he prepares to step down after ten years as chief ombudsman

[issue 80 - PDF version opens in new window]

happy camping

13 October 2009

the ombudsman takes part this week in the Caravan & Motorhome show at Birmingham NEC – to meet consumers face-to-face and help raise awareness of the service among young families and older people

FSA's new measures for PPI complaints

13 October 2009

lead ombudsman, Caroline Wayman, sets out the role of the ombudsman in handling complaints about payment protection insurance (PPI) – as part of a seminar held by the FSA to explain their proposed new measures for smaller businesses dealing with PPI complaints

Fab at 50+!

9 October 2009

the ombudsman joins in the health, wealth and lifestyle show, Fab at 50+! – taking place this weekend at Bournemouth International Centre – as part of the service's outreach-work with women and older consumers who use the ombudsman service less

motor insurance disputes involving keys left in cars

8 October 2009

the latest in our series of technical notes – as part of our online technical resource for businesses and the advice sector – focuses on the ombudsman's approach in motor insurance disputes involving keys in cars

complaints-training for advice workers in Scotland

7 October 2009

the ombudsman runs its latest training-day for community and advice workers – in partnership with Dundee City Council's Trading Standards' team

RSVP

6 October 2009

the ombudsman features in the latest issue of Newslines [PDF format] – the newsletter for the Retired and Senior Volunteer Programme (RSVP) – as part of its outreach work with older consumers

ombudsman talks student money in Shetland

6 October 2009

the ombudsman runs a training-day for student money-advisers – in partnership with the Scottish Further Education Unit – and talks to BBC Radio Shetland about its work with younger people and students

current-account charges and financial hardship

2 October 2009

to help ensure the efficient handling of cases involving current-account charges and financial hardship, the ombudsman service writes to the major current-account providers and claims-management companies – setting out the ombudsman's practical approach to these complaints

ombudsman working with Money Advice Scotland

1 October 2009

as part of its commitment to engage with community workers and debt advisers, the ombudsman runs a complaints-handling event in Stirling in partnership with Money Advice Scotland

 

September 2009

complaints-handling training for East Anglian advice workers

30 September 2009

the ombudsman goes to Ipswich to provide complaints-handling training for community and advice workers – in partnership with Suffolk County Council Trading Standards

FSA announces new measures to protect PPI customers

29 September 2009

the Financial Services Authority (FSA) announces new measures and guidance for financial businesses to help protect consumers in the payment protection insurance (PPI) market – and to tackle the key issue that too many PPI complaints are rejected by businesses and then upheld by the ombudsman

Every Child Matters

24 September 2009

the ombudsman features in the latest edition of Every Child Matters [PDF format] – the annual magazine distributed to parents with children in key-stage one education – as part of its outreach work with young families

training for advice workers in south Yorkshire

22 September 2009

our latest regional training-day for front-line advice workers place in Sheffield today – as part of our outreach work with "trusted individuals" in the community

ombudsman news - issue 79

18 September 2009

looking at the impact of motoring on the ombudsman's workload and including complaints case-studies on:

• hire purchase, leasing agreements and loans to buy cars;
• motor insurance disputes about the quality of repairs and vehicle modifications

[issue 79 - PDF version opens in new window]

update on appointment of new chief ombudsman

18 September 2009

talking finance with brokers

16 September 2009

Jane Hingston, lead ombudsman for banking and credit, speaks at the Association of Finance Brokers about credit-related complaints referred to the ombudsman service

discussing debt in the north east

16 September 2009

the ombudsman takes part in the north-east debt forum in Newcastle – to discuss the experiences of consumers in financial difficulty

Age Concern in the south west

16 September 2009

the ombudsman takes part in a training-day for advice workers in Taunton – as part of our outreach work with "trusted individuals" in the community

ombudsman publishes complaints data on individual financial businesses

15 September 2009

working with loss adjusters

15 September 2009

the ombudsman service takes part in the Chartered Institute of Loss Adjusters' annual technical conference in Coventry – to discuss the types of insurance complaints regularly referred to the ombudsman

making money clear

15 September 2009

the ombudsman service goes to Newcastle to take part in the north-east financial inclusion training-day for community workers

Independent Living Scotland

9 September 2009

the ombudsman takes part in Scotland's leading disability and rehabilitation exhibition, the Independent Living Scotland show – taking place in Glasgow on 9 and 10 September – as part of our outreach work with disabled people

ombudsman hosts forum for larger businesses

8 September 2009

as part of its work to identify and reduce problems that might otherwise lead to time-consuming complaints, the ombudsman (in partnership with the Association of British Insurers) hosts a forum for 36 financial services businesses – to show the ombudsman's complaints-handling process first hand

ombudsman at citizens advice annual conference 2009

8 September 2009

the ombudsman service is taking part in the Citizens Advice annual conference in York (8 to 9 September) – involving more than 1,000 delegates from citizens advice bureaux across England and Wales – to highlight the ombudsman's role and the resources available to advice workers

resources for teachers

7 September 2009

the ombudsman features in the first issue of Re:Source - the essential guide for teachers in Scotland – providing information on the role of the ombudsman, to help teachers raise awareness of the service with younger consumers

publication of complaints data

3 September 2009

FSA publishes aggregate complaints data relating to the firms it regulates – in advance of the ombudsman's own plans to publish data later this month on the number and outcome of complaints to the ombudsman service about named individual businesses

credit where it's due

2 September 2009

the ombudsman's latest regular column in Choice magazine [PDF format] reminds older consumers that they can turn to the ombudsman service if they have a consumer-credit complaint that they can't sort out directly with the financial business involved

 

August 2009

Northern Irish mela

28 August 2009

the ombudsman takes part in this weekend's Belfast mela – the multicultural family festival – as part of the service's outreach work with different local communities, to help raise awareness of consumer rights and the role of the ombudsman

Family Life

24 August 2009

the ombudsman features in this month's Family Life [opens in pdf] – a magazine providing tips and information to parents in Scotland

training for advice workers in south Wales

19 August 2009

our latest regional training-day for front-line advice workers takes place in Cardiff today – as part of our outreach work with "trusted individuals" in the community

Citizens Advice Scotland annual conference

11 August 2009

the ombudsman joins over 400 delegates at Citizens Advice Scotland annual conference – to discuss the impact of the recession on consumers

ombudsman at Cardiff mela

7 August 2009

mela is Sanskrit for "gathering" – and this weekend the ombudsman joins thousands of visitors gathering at Cardiff's multicultural mela – as part of the service's work to maintain awareness of consumer rights and the ombudsman among Asian consumers

training for Blackburn advice workers

6 August 2009

our latest regional training-day for front-line advice workers takes place in Blackburn today – as part of our outreach work with "trusted individuals" in the community

ombudsman news - issue 78

4 August 2009

• claiming back payments made with plastic cards;
• complaints involving stockbroking, foreign currency exchange and spread-betting;
• work on “transparency and openness” at the ombudsman service; and
• Walter Merricks, chief ombudsman, on proposals for financial reform – and redress.

[issue 78 - PDF version opens in new window]

 

July 2009

Jump! Magazine

30 July 2009

the ombudsman features in the latest issue of Jump! – a magazine for parents with young children, distributed to over half a million households in the UK

ombudsman hosts PPI forum for larger businesses

28 July 2009

with complaints about payment protection insurance (PPI) now making up a quarter of the ombudsman's total workload, the ombudsman service hosts a forum for financial services businesses dealing with large numbers of PPI complaints – to explain the ombudsman's approach to PPI and to clarify operational issues [letter to businesses opens in PDF format]

caribbean festival

24 July 2009

the ombudsman joins in the Coventry Caribbean Festival this weekend – as part of its work to help raise awareness of consumer rights and the ombudsman service among black African and Caribbean consumers

complaints-training for advice workers

24 July 2009

the ombudsman runs its latest training-day for community and advice workers – in partnership with Haringey Citizens Advice Bureau in North London

working with disabled consumers in the South West

17 July 2009

the ombudsman takes part in the South West Disability Show in Exeter today – to help promote awareness of the ombudsman and to seek feedback on problems that disabled people may have encountered in financial services

the Festival Guide

15 July 2009
the ombudsman features in the Festival Guide [opens in PDF format] – distributed at music festivals including Glastonbury, V Festival and T in the Park this summer – as part of the service's ongoing work to raise awareness with younger consumers

advice workers in Glasgow

14 July 2009

the ombudsman runs the latest in its series of regional training-days for advice workers – with an event in Glasgow for front-line advisers and "trusted individuals" in the community

melas and the ombudsman

10 July 2009

the ombudsman service is the main sponsor of the Mela UK guide [opens in PDF format] distributed at multi-cultural events across the UK this summer – including this weekend's Oldham mela where the ombudsman is taking part

ombudsman's mini-guide for advice workers launched at Money Adviser conference

9 July 2009

the ombudsman joins over 200 delegates at the annual conference of the Institute of Money Advisers – the professional body for money advisers working across the free money-advice sector in England, Wales and Northern Ireland – and launches a mini-guide to the ombudsman service [opens in PDF format] specially written for advice workers and consumer advisers

BBC Wales' X-Ray

8 July 2009
the ombudsman service features on BBC Wales' consumer show, X-Ray – letting consumers know where they can turn if they have a financial complaint that they can't sort out

technical data on redress for mis-sold pensions

8 July 2009
technical note updated with new assumptions (as from 1 July 2009) – for calculating redress for mis-sold pensions

publishing complaints data from autumn 2009: practical information for businesses

8 July 2009
as part of our work to make more statistical information available about our complaints workload, we issue a set of notes for financial businesses on the practicalities of our publishing business-specific complaints data from autumn 2009

National Association of Student Money Advisers (NASMA)

6 July 2009
the ombudsman joins student money advisers at the NASMA conference – to discuss problems arising from young-consumer over-indebtedness

ombudsman forum for claims-management companies

2 July 2009

with half of complaints about payment protection insurance (PPI) now brought by claims-management companies, the ombudsman service hosts a forum for 20 of these companies – to explain the ombudsman's approach to PPI and to clarify operational issues [letter to claims-management companies opens in PDF format]

ombudsman news - issue 77

1 July 2009

• financial disputes involving the use of the internet;
• recent complaints about private medical insurance;
• frequently-asked questions about the ombudsman service; and
• Walter Merricks, chief ombudsman, on responsibilities, obligations and rights in relation to complaints about financial services

[issue 77 - PDF version opens in new window]

"sale and rent-back"

1 July 2009

the Financial Services Authority’s "interim regime" for "sale and rent-back" schemes (for homeowners who can no longer afford their mortgage but want to stay on as tenants) comes into force today – with the protection of the ombudsman if things go wrong

 

June 2009

chief ombudsman to step down after ten years

30 June 2009

Trading Standards

30 June 2009

ombudsman service joins trading standards professionals, consumer organisations and representatives from business and commerce at this year's national Trading Standards' annual consumer affairs conference and exhibition in Brighton

ombudsman talks debt with Money Advice Scotland

23 June 2009

The ombudsman joins money advisers from across Scotland – to discuss problems arising from consumer over-indebtedness

Glasgow Mela

21 June 2009

joining in the Glasgow Mela – the multicultural family festival at Kelvingrove Park on 21 June – is part of the ombudsman's commitment to raising awareness of consumers' rights among people such as Asian consumers, younger people and women, who use the ombudsman service less

BBC The One Show

19 June 2009

chief ombudsman, Walter Merricks, features on BBC's The One Show - giving his tips on how to make a complaint and the role of the ombudsman

ombudsman in Nottingham

18 June 2009

the ombudsman runs the latest in its series of regional training-days for community and advice workers with front-line advisers and trusted community individuals

ombudsman meets savings and investment practitioners in London

17 June 2009

the ombudsman service takes part in the Tax Incentivised Savings Association (TISA) discussion forum - to explain the figures behind the ombudsman's budget and workplans for the current financial year

warning! fraudulent phone calls claiming to be from the ombudsman service ...

15 June 2009

T20 Magazine

12 June 2009

the ombudsman features in T20 Magazine - the official preview guide to the World Twenty20 cricket tournament which focuses on women in sport - as part of the ombudsman's work to raise awareness of its service with younger women.

ombudsman in Belfast

11 June 2009

the ombudsman runs the latest in its series of regional training-days for community and advice workers – in partnership with Northern Ireland Trading Standards

End of Term magazine

10 June 2009

the ombudsman service features in the latest issue of End of Term magazine – a quarterly magazine for 15 to 18 year olds in Scotland – giving tips on how to avoid travel-insurance problems and reminding younger people about the role of the ombudsman

training for advice and community workers in Essex

05 June 2009

our latest regional training-day for front-line advice workers takes place in Rainham today – as part of our outreach work with "trusted individuals" in the community

"sale and rent-back"

03 June 2009

the Financial Services Authority (FSA) announces plans for "sale and rent-back" (for homeowners who can no longer afford their mortgage but want to stay on as tenants) to be regulated – and covered by the ombudsman – from 1 July 2009

 

May 2009

ombudsman service publishes annual review of personal finance disputes

27 May 2009

consumer-outreach in the Highlands and Islands

19 May 2009

the ombudsman runs a week of drop-in complaints clinics and advice-worker training in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland – in partnership with a range of front-line regional consumer-advice agencies

ombudsman meets insurance practitioners in Manchester

13 May 2009

the ombudsman service takes part in the British Insurance Brokers Association (BIBA) annual conference and exhibition at Manchester Central from 13 - 15 May.

complaints handling, accessibility and transparency

12 May 2009

Tony Boorman, decisions director and principal ombudsman, speaks at ABI complaints seminar

training for community and advice workers in Hampshire

11 May 2009

our latest regional training-day for front-line advice workers takes place in Eastleigh today - as part of our outreach work with "trusted individuals" in the community

Lehman-backed "structured" products

7 May 2009

the ombudsman service and the Financial Services Authority have decided that Lehman-backed "structured" investment-products should be dealt with under the "wider implications" process

advice-worker training in Merseyside

1 May 2009

our latest regional training-day for front-line advice workers takes place in Liverpool today

 

April 2009

ombudsman at Naidex '09 independent living and rehabilitation show

28 April 2009

the ombudsman joins in Naidex '09 at Birmingham NEC - as part of our ongoing work to raise awareness of our service with disabled consumers

Money Box on financial advice and older consumers

25 April 2009

Caroline Mitchell, lead ombudsman for investment and mortgage complaints, interviewed on Radio 4 Money Box about financial disputes involving older consumers

accessibility, transparency and complaints handling

21 April 2009

David Thomas, corporate director and principal ombudsman, speaks at complaints seminar held by the British Bankers' Association

training for community and advice workers in Yorkshire

21 April 2009

our latest regional training-day for front-line advice workers takes place in Leeds today - as part of our outreach work with "trusted individuals" in the community

gadgets and techie stuff

17 April 2009

meet the ombudsman this weekend at the Gadget Show Live at Birmingham NEC - part of the ombudsman's outreach-work with younger consumers who spend a lot (and borrow more on credit)

happy vaisakhi

14 April 2009

asian-community Panjab Radio interviews ombudsman outreach-officer, Mukhtar Singh Rai, in Punjabi [audio-clip, downloads in mp3-format] – and features ombudsman message in its Vaisakhi festival-guide

Women's Health magazine

9 April 2009

as part of its work to raise awareness with older women, the ombudsman features in Women's Health 2009 – a guide distributed at community groups for older women across the UK, with help on health, finance and lifestyle matters

career success and the ombudsman

8 April 2009

ombudsman, Juliana Campbell, gives a presentation to young people, parents and carers at the "Destination Careers Fair" in Peckham, London – as part of the ombudsman's commitment to raising awareness of the service with younger consumers

ombudsman news - issue 76

6 April 2009

• case studies involving the transfer of money abroad – and associated currency exchange;
  
• a selection of recent travel-insurance complaints; and
  
• Walter Merricks, chief ombudsman, on the price of cut-backs by financial services businesses in their customer-service operations. 

[issue 76 - PDF version opens in new window]

ombudsman on Watchdog

6 April 2009

principal ombudsman, Tony Boorman, interviewed on BBC Watchdog – about disputes involving credit-card refunds under "section 75" of the Consumer Credit Act

Ian Sansbury joins ombudsman service as director of business-planning and assurance

6 April 2009

highlands tour

1 April 2009

the ombudsman service is working with a wide-range of front-line consumer-advice agencies on its tour of the Highlands and Islands – offering free drop-in complaints clinics for consumers, to let them know about their rights when making a financial complaint

 

March 2009

training for community and advice workers in the north east

31 March 2009

our latest regional training-day for front-line advice workers takes place in County Durham today – in partnership with Teesdale Citizen Advice Bureau

payment services directive and the ombudsman

30 March 2009

FSA publishes key documents setting out how it will regulate firms under the payment services directive from 1 November 2009 - when money-transfer operators will come under the ombudsman

ombudsman service's budget for 2009/10 finalised and approved

30 March 2009

ombudsman at New Start Scotland, Glasgow SECC

27 March 2009

meet the ombudsman this weekend at New Start Scotland – a two-day event for small-business owners

training for Cornish community and advice workers

26 March 2009

our latest regional training-day for front-line advice workers takes place in Truro today – as part of our outreach work with "trusted individuals" in the community

ombuds"women"

18 March 2009

the ombudsman service's three lead ombudswomen feature in Women, the official guide to International Women's Month – as part of the ombudsman's on-going work to raise awareness with younger women

publication of complaint data on individual financial businesses

18 March 2009

the ombudsman service issues a policy statement summarising public feedback on practical issues about publication of complaint data – and setting out decisions made by the board on publishing complaint data relating to individual financial businesses

our Northern Ireland student-challenge

12 March 2009

in partnership with the Northern Ireland Consumer Council, the ombudsman is challenging students to come up with ideas on how they would promote the ombudsman service to young consumers.

networking with youth

11 March 2009

Network News, the networking forum for young Black and Asian professionals, profiles ombudsman's community-outreach officer, Mukhtar Singh-Rai [feature opens in PDF format] – about the work of the ombudsman and its relevance to younger people

ombudsman on responsible mortgage-lending

9 March 2009

Caroline Mitchell, lead ombudsman, speaks at the Council of Mortgage Lenders' conference on responsible mortgage-lending

Source magazine

6 March 2009

the ombudsman is working with Source magazine to help raise awareness of the service with young consumers based in Scotland – as part of its ongoing work with students and younger consumers

David Baker joins ombudsman service as head of practice

2 March 2009

 

February 2009

International Women's Day

27 February 2009

meet the ombudsman at this Saturday's International Women's Day event (London Docklands) – as part of the ombudman's ongoing work to raise awareness of the service among women

training for community and advice workers in Birmingham

25 February 2009

our latest regional training-day for front-line advice workers takes place in Birmingham today - as part of our outreach work with "trusted individuals" in the community

speech by Tony Boorman, principal ombudsman, at the BBA's seminar on payment protection insurance

24 February 2009

guide for new graduates

23 February 2009

the ombudsman is working with The Graduate Guide to help raise awareness of the service and of consumers' right to complain – as part of its ongoing work with students and younger consumers

ombudsman on You and Yours

18 February 2009

chief ombudsman, Walter Merricks, interviewed on BBC Radio 4 You and Yours – about the role of the ombudsman and who uses the service

ombudsman news - issue 75

17 February 2009

• consumer credit complaints – some recent case studies;
• “Taking forward the ombudsman’s accessibility and transparency agenda” – an article about the discussion group that is helping with our ongoing plans in this area of our work;
• Some recent case studies involving household contents insurance; and
• Walter Merricks, chief ombudsman, on the importance of effective complaints-handling by financial firms, to help re-build trust in difficult times

[issue 75 - PDF version opens in new window]

ombudsman at the ZEE carnival!

13 February 2009

meet the ombudsman this weekend at the ZEE Carnival (London Olympia, 13-15 February 2009) - as part of the ombudsman's ongoing work to raise awareness of the service with Asian consumers

ombudsman at complaints management forum

11 February 2009

Caroline Mitchell, lead ombudsman for general investment complaints, talks about the types of complaints seen by the ombudsman service at the Infoline complaints management forum

ombudsman meets debt collectors in Leicester

11 February 2009

the ombudsman speaks at the Credit Services Association's conference - as part of our external-liaison programme which includes support and resources for the consumer-credit sector

"sale and rent back" schemes

6 February 2009

the Financial Services Authority today published a consultation paper setting out proposals for the regulation of "sale and rent back" schemes - including the proposal to extend the ombudsman's remit to cover these schemes

ombudsman and regional TV

6 February 2009

principal ombudsman, Tony Boorman, interviewed on Kent TV about the role of the ombudsman in settling consumers' financial complaints

accessibility and transparency

5 February 2009

the ombudsman publishes an update [opens in PDF format] on its projects and initiatives relating to "accessibility and transparency" – following its earlier policy statements setting out the strategic approach to these issues

ombudsman working with Citizens Advice in Morecambe

4 February 2009

as part of its commitment to engage with older consumers – and with the "trusted individuals" who work with older consumers – the ombudsman runs a complaints-handling training-day in Morecambe for community and advice workers – and takes part in a complaints-clinic to help with front-line problems

 

January 2009

car modifications and insurance

31 January 2009

ombudsman Peter Hinchliffe interviewed on BBC Radio 4 Money Box – about insurance disputes involving modified cars

students, school-governors and the ombudsman

30 January 2009

as part of its commitment to engage with younger people – and with the "trusted individuals" who work with younger people – the ombudsman raises its profile through the National Governors' Association's magazine, Matters Arising [PDF opens in new window]

ombudsman at regulations seminar

28 January 2009

ombudsman, Chris Tilson, speaks at an Investment and Life Assurance Group (ILAG) seminar about complaints handled by the ombudsman service - as part of the ombudsman's complaints prevention work with industry practitioners

Young Consumers of the Year

23 January 2009

as part of the work to raise awareness of the ombudsman service among students and younger consumers, principal ombudsman Tony Boorman presents the awards at today's Trading Standards regional finals of the Young Consumers of the Year

damage to underground pipes made from pitch-fibre

20 January 2009

ombudsman service publishes technical note setting out its current approach to disputed buildings-insurance claims - for damage to underground pipes made from pitch-fibre

ombudsman consults on corporate plan and 2009/10 budget

15 January 2009

advice-worker training-days planned for 2009 - from Truro to Dundee

12 January 2009

ombudsman's different-needs awareness event

8 January 2009

disability lifestyle-magazine Able covers the ombudsman's recent training event on disability issues

0300 123 9 123

7 January 2009

the ombudsman service has launched an additional helpline number as part of its range of contact numbers – a new-style 0300 number available only to public-service organisations and charities, and cheaper for consumers who phone from mobiles or networks other than BT

travel insurance sold with holidays - now under the ombudsman and FSA

5 January 2009

on 1 January 2009 travel firms and holiday providers selling "connected travel insurance" (travel insurance sold with a holiday) became regulated by the FSA – and automatically covered by the Financial Ombudsman Service