Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman of Ireland

I have a complaint

What should I do first?

1.You need to make a complaint to your provider before making a complaint to us.

2. If you are not happy with the response from your provider let us know

How to complain to us

3. Once you have completed this step you can submit your complaint to us

Online Complaint Form

How to make a complaint about a financial service provider in another EEA country

FIN-NET is the Europe-wide network of financial ombudsmen and consumer-complaints organizations - covering the 30 countries in the European Economic Area. It is responsible for settling consumers' complaints in the area of financial services out of court.

Find out more https://ec.europa.eu/

Looking for information on your consumer rights or personal finance?

The Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman is an independent, impartial, fair and free service that helps resolve complaints with pensions providers and regulated financial services providers.

3 steps to making a complaint to the FSPO
How we deal with your complaint
Need advice about making your complaint? Call our helpline on 01 567 7000.

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Important information about using our services

The Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman (FSPO) provides a free service to complainants and there is no cost for bringing a complaint to the FSPO. Bringing a complaint to us is straightforward but if you choose to hire a solicitor or any other professional assistance to bring a complaint to the FSPO on your behalf, then any costs incurred for using these services are your responsibility.

In circumstances where a provider is directed to pay compensation to a complainant, following the formal investigation of a complaint, the compensation cannot be increased to account for the cost of any professional assistance used by a complainant. Complainants should be aware that costs charged as a percentage of any compensation will have the effect of reducing the compensation paid to them by the provider.

On 27 August 2020, FBD Insurance plc secured an ex parte Order from the High Court, requiring the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman (FSPO) to cease its formal investigation of a complaint. The complaint in question had been made against FBD by a publican policyholder, regarding the decision of FBD to decline the publican’s claim under the policy, for losses caused by business interruption, as a result of the enforced closure of the publican’s premises, following Government guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

This unprecedented challenge to the statutory powers of the FSPO, to investigate a complaint pursuant to the provisions of the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman Act 2017, is one which the FSPO will vigorously oppose. This litigation raises some very serious questions. For this reason both the FSPO and FBD have advised the Court that it is desirable that these issues are determined by the Court, at the earliest date.

Although the FSPO believes that the legal challenge is not well founded, it recognises the entitlement of any such entity to bring the matter before the Court for consideration.

In those circumstances, and in order to limit the prejudice to the publican’s position, pending the determination of these issues by the Court, the FSPO reached an agreement with FBD on 9 September 2020, to vacate the Court Order preventing the investigation of the complaint. As a result, the FSPO will continue to investigate the complaint, but will not issue a Preliminary Decision to the parties until these Judicial Review proceedings against the FSPO have been dealt with by the High Court. This will enable the FSPO to continue examining the issues which arise, so that we will be ready to proceed if the Court rejects FBD’s attempt to prevent this Office from adjudicating on this complaint. The Judicial Review has been listed for hearing by the High Court on Thursday 28 January 2021.

A similar position may be adopted by the FSPO in respect of other complaints made to this Office against FBD, if identical policy terms are at issue. In that event, such complaints will be investigated by the FSPO in the usual manner but, pending the outcome in the High Court of the Judicial Review proceedings by FBD against this Office, a Preliminary Decision will not be issued by the FSPO on such complaints.