Complaints
Procedure.
If we have got something wrong, you are entitled to a clear answer inside a known timescale. This page sets out exactly what happens, and by when.
Four stages, with dates attached
A complaints procedure without deadlines is not a procedure. These are the timescales we hold ourselves to, and we tell you if we are going to miss one before we miss it.
Day 0
You tell us
Contact us by any route that suits you — phone, email, the contact form, or the report page. You do not need to use the word "complaint" or any particular form of words for it to be treated as one.
Within 3 working days
We acknowledge it
You receive written acknowledgement with a reference number and the name of the person handling it. If we can settle the matter inside those three days, we will simply do that instead.
Up to 15 working days
We investigate
We review the account records, call recordings and correspondence, and we come back to you if we need anything further. If the case is complex we tell you before the deadline passes, explain why, and give a revised date — we do not simply go quiet.
By day 35 at the latest
We give you a final response
You receive our decision in writing: what we found, whether we uphold your complaint, what we will put right, and what to do if you disagree. A final response says so explicitly, so you always know where you stand.
What you can expect from us
Independence
Your complaint is not reviewed by the person whose decision you are complaining about.
No charge
Complaining is free. We never charge for handling a complaint, at any stage.
A single reference
One reference number follows the case from start to finish, whoever you speak to.
No disadvantage
Making a complaint does not affect your accounts, your rates, or how we treat you afterwards.
Escalating beyond us
If our final response does not resolve matters, ask for the case to be reviewed by a senior manager who has not been involved. Say that you want a second-stage review and quote your reference number.
If you remain dissatisfied after that, you are entitled to take the complaint to the independent financial ombudsman or dispute-resolution scheme for the jurisdiction in which your account is held. Our final response will name the relevant scheme, tell you how to contact it, and state the deadline for doing so — usually six months from the date of that response.
Referring a complaint onward is free, and it does not remove any legal right you would otherwise have.
Helping us resolve it faster
Tell us your account or reference number, the dates and amounts involved, what you think went wrong, and what you would like us to do about it. That last point matters more than people expect — a complaint that says what a fair outcome looks like is usually settled sooner.