Payment Protection Insurance (PPI) complaints
Due to the challenging times we’re all experiencing, we’re dealing with a much higher number of calls from customers than usual and our call waiting times are much longer. So we can support our most vulnerable customers, please only call us if your enquiry is urgent.
The deadline to make a PPI complaint passed on 29 August 2019
If you‘ve already made a PPI complaint to us, you don’t need to do anything else. We’ll make sure your complaint is reviewed.
Leading up to the PPI deadline in August 2019 we received an exceptionally high number of PPI enquiries and complaints. We’re working through these cases as quickly as we can but it's important that we take the time to get the right outcome for you. As a result our final decision may not reach you until summer 2020.
Enquiries and complaints sent to us directly by you
- We’ll send you an acknowledgement letter to confirm we’re looking into your enquiry or complaint.
- Please wait to receive this letter before contacting us for an update.
- If you made an enquiry before the deadline and we find a PPI policy, we’ll automatically open a complaint on your behalf.
- We’ll then review your complaint and if we need any further information we may call or write to you.
- We’ll then write to you with our final decision once we've completed our review.
- If we offer you a payment, it will include compensatory interest which will take into account the time it took us to respond. This means you won’t lose out financially as a result of any delay.
Enquiries and complaints sent to us by a Claims Management Company (CMC) you’ve authorised to act on your behalf
- We’ll keep your CMC informed as we progress your enquiry or complaint.
- If you want an update, please get in touch with your CMC directly.
- If you made an enquiry before the deadline and we find a PPI policy, we’ll automatically open a complaint on your behalf.
- We'll review your complaint and if we need any further information, we or your CMC will be in contact.
- We'll then write to both you and your CMC with our final decision once our review is completed.
- If we offer you a payment, it will include compensatory interest which will take into account the time it took us to respond. This means you won’t lose out financially as a result of any delay.
To find out more, please read our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS). If you’d like to speak to us about something not covered by the FAQs, please call us directly on 0800 151 0293.
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- 1. Jump to You acknowledged my complaint but I haven’t received a final decision. What will happen now?
- 2. Jump to What if I need additional help and support?
- 3. Jump to What if my personal details have changed, such as my address?
- 4. Jump to I’ve received your final decision but I’m still waiting for my refund. When will I receive payment?
- 5. Jump to Can I complain about the delay?
- 6. Jump to My complaint has been closed as no PPI was found. Could my case be re-opened after the deadline?
- 7. Jump to I didn’t provide enough information when complaining. Could my case be re-opened after the deadline?
- 8. Jump to Can I still complain after the deadline?
- 9. Jump to Can I still make a complaint that is not related to the sale of my PPI policy?
- 10. Jump to What happens if I’m unhappy with the response to my complaint, can I challenge this?
- 11. Jump to My complaint has been referred to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS). What will happen now?
- 12. Jump to Will I be compensated for any delays?
- 13. Jump to Is there tax payable on any payment I receive?
- 14. Jump to What happens if I need another copy of the PPI Questionnaire?
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1.
You acknowledged my complaint but I haven’t received a final decision. What will happen now?
Your case is in the queue and we’re working through these cases as quickly as we can but it's important that we take the time to get the right outcome for you. Leading up to the PPI deadline in August 2019 we received an exceptionally high number of PPI enquiries and complaints. As a result our final decision may not reach you until summer 2020.
The delay will not impact the outcome of your complaint. If we offer you a payment, it will include compensatory interest which will take into account the time it took us to respond. This means you won’t lose out financially as a result of any delay.
We’ll provide you with updates as your case progresses.
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2.
What if I need additional help and support?
If you need more support because the delay is having a significant impact on you, such as you’re experiencing difficulties in your personal or financial circumstances, please get in touch on 0800 151 0293.
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3.
What if my personal details have changed, such as my address?
If any of your personal details have changed since you submitted your complaint, please get in contact with us on 0800 151 0293.
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4.
I’ve received your final decision but I’m still waiting for my refund. When will I receive payment?
If you’re still waiting for your payment and it’s been more than 28 days since you received our decision letter, please call our helpline on 0800 151 0293.
If your case is complex it may take us longer and we’ll keep you regularly updated.
In all cases, any interest due will be adjusted right up until the date of payment.
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5.
Can I complain about the delay?
We're sorry for the delay. You can contact us to make a complaint about the time taken for your complaint to be resolved.
If you’re unhappy with the delay and we received your complaint more than eight weeks ago, you may refer your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
We suggest awaiting our final response before contacting the Ombudsman as it's unlikely to result in a quicker decision on your complaint. If you're unhappy when you receive our final decision, you'll still have a further six months to contact the Ombudsman.
The Ombudsman offers a free independent review service. You may wish to contact the Ombudsman first before deciding on what action to take or review the frequently asked questions on its website.
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6.
My complaint has been closed as no PPI was found. Could my case be re-opened after the deadline?
Yes, if further evidence is provided and you made the complaint before the PPI deadline of 29 August 2019. You have six months from the date of our final response letter to provide any further evidence.
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7.
I didn’t provide enough information when complaining. Could my case be re-opened after the deadline?
Yes, if further evidence is provided. If you received a letter asking for more information and saying your complaint was closed, as long as you made the complaint before the PPI deadline of 29 August 2019, you have six months from the date of our final response letter to provide any further evidence.
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8.
Can I still complain after the deadline?
The deadline to submit a PPI complaint passed on 29 August 2019. If you think there were exceptional circumstances or you’re unhappy about a declined claim (dated after 29 August 2017), then you can make a PPI complaint by using our online complaint form, writing to us or calling us.
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Can I still make a complaint that is not related to the sale of my PPI policy?
If you have any other concerns not related to the sale of your PPI policy, you can still make a complaint. This could be a concern about the way we handled your PPI policy, such as a delay with a claim on your policy, an administration error, or charging you an incorrect amount.
Please call the number provided within your PPI policy booklet or visit our Existing PPI customers page for further information.
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10.
What happens if I’m unhappy with the response to my complaint, can I challenge this?
Yes, please contact us within six months of the date of our final response letter and we’ll take another look at your complaint if you have additional information about your complaint.
You can also refer your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS), but you must do so within six months of the date of our final response letter.
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11.
My complaint has been referred to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS). What will happen now?
We’ll work with the Ombudsman and provide them with all of the relevant case notes to allow them to complete their investigation. We’ll also liaise directly with the Ombudsman to deal with complaints as quickly as we can.
In the meantime, we’ll be unable to discuss the complaint with you, whilst the Ombudsman completes their investigation.
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12.
Will I be compensated for any delays?
The delay will not impact the outcome of your complaint. If we offer you a payment, it will include compensatory interest which will take into account the time it took us to respond. This means you won’t lose out financially as a result of any delay.
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13.
Is there tax payable on any payment I receive?
The 8% interest is called compensation interest. When we pay compensation interest we’re asked by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to take off income tax. We do this at the basic rate of 20%. If we’ve taken more tax than you should pay you might be able to get some or all of it back from HMRC. If you pay a higher than the basic rate of tax it is your responsibility to get in touch with HMRC to pay the extra amount.
You should keep your final response letter to show how much interest has been paid to you and the amount of tax that has been taken.
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14.
What happens if I need another copy of the PPI Questionnaire?
You can download extra copies of our PPI Questionnaire using the Download our PPI Questionnaire (PDF) link.
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How to make a PPI complaint after 29 August 2019
Even though the PPI deadline has passed, there are a small number of scenarios where we may still look at a PPI complaint submitted after the PPI deadline. These include:
Exceptional Circumstances
If the reason you did not complain before the deadline is due to exceptional circumstances. This means something really important happened. Such as, you were seriously ill for an extended period before the deadline. For PPI complaints with exceptional circumstances, please tell us why you are submitting your PPI complaint after the deadline in as much detail as possible. This includes any relevant dates. We’ll consider the circumstances on a case by case basis and we may request additional information from you if required.
Declined Claim
If you made a claim on your PPI policy that was live after 29 August 2017 and the claim was rejected. For PPI complaints relating to a declined claim, please provide as much detail as possible. This includes the date of your declined claim and why you’re unhappy with the PPI policy.
If you think your PPI complaint falls into one of the above scenarios, you can make a PPI complaint by:
- Using our online complaint form. You’ll need any information you require to hand, as our online form will time out after a 15 minute period of inactivity and you’ll have to start the form again.
- Writing to us at Customer Relations, PO Box 816, Leeds, LS1 9NY.
- Calling us on 0800 151 0293 (lines open 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday) or +44 (0)207 649 9014 if you're calling from abroad.
Accessibility information
We’re aware our customers may require different levels of assistance and are committed to making our products and services as accessible as possible. Our PPI complaints process has been designed to make it as easy as possible for everyone wishing to make a complaint.
Our websites are designed to be compatible with assistive technology, this includes screen readers, text-to-speech software and reading aids. You can also change the colour of our websites to help make the text clearer to read.
Can we help make things easier? Please tell us if you require additional support (e.g. someone helps manage your affairs), or you have a physical or mental health condition. Also, if you need us to communicate with you in a different format (e.g. large print), please let us know. You can contact us by phone on 0800 151 0293 or use the appropriate section within our PPI online complaint form.
If you have a speech or hearing impairment, you can contact us using the Next Generation Text Service. If you’re Deaf and a BSL user, you can talk to us live through a BSL interpreter online using our BSL SignVideo Service.
For more information on our commitment to assisting our customers please visit the Accessibility section of our website.
Other organisations offering information and help with PPI complaints
The following bodies have information relating to PPI complaints and/or advice on making a complaint:
The Financial Ombudsman Service is a free, independent service for settling disputes between financial businesses and their customers. They can deal with complaints about a wide range of financial issues, including PPI. If you're not happy with our final response, or haven’t received a final response within 8 weeks, you have the right to refer your case to the Ombudsman. We recommend waiting for our final response before deciding what to do next. Once you’ve received our final response, if you’re not happy with our decision, you'll still have a further six months to contact the Ombudsman.
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) regulates the financial sector and protects consumers. They provide information about PPI and can help you understand it, but can't give you advice about your individual circumstances or complaint.
The following bodies have information relating to PPI complaints and/or advice on making a complaint:
Prudential Regulation Authority
Citizens Advice
Which?
Financial Services Compensation Scheme
Money Advice Service