Our commitment to you
We take pride in providing our customers with service and products of the highest standard. We are committed to dealing professionally and personally with customers at all times, and that includes when they feel we have not lived up to their expectations. We have established procedures to help us ensure that any complaints we receive are dealt with quickly and fairly.
Your rights
As a customer, you have the right to make a complaint to us if you are unhappy with our service or financial products.
How you can help us to help you
You can help us deal promptly with your complaint by sending us a letter explaining the issue and how we can put things right for you. The letter should also contain your name, account number, address and daytime telephone number. We will ensure that your complaint is handled by people with appropriate knowledge and authority.
How we will deal with your complaint
Once we have received your letter we will do our best to resolve your complaint straightaway.
Within three working days
- We will acknowledge receipt of your complaint, give consideration to your complaint and if possible, provide a suitable explanation and/or offer appropriate redress such as an apology or financial compensation.
If we have been unable to resolve your complaint in this time, then
Within twelve working days
- We will write to you confirming that we have received your complaint
- Let you know why we haven’t been able to resolve the problem
- Tell you when we expect to be able to give you a full and conclusive response.
Most complaints will be resolved within this time, however particularly complex cases may take longer. In this case
Within four weeks
- We will write giving you a full explanation of the action we took, including any advice given to us, as a means of clarifying and concluding the issue
- If appropriate, we will offer redress in the form of an apology or financial compensation.
In the unlikely event that we can’t reach an agreement with you, then
Within a further four weeks (eight weeks from receiving your complaint)
- We will send you a letter containing our final response, explanations and any offer of redress.
What next?
If you are not happy with the reply you receive from us within eight weeks
- You must let us know and we will provide you with a formal letter of deadlock
- You can ask the Financial Ombudsman for a free individual review of your case. Please bear in mind that not all cases are eligible for review as there are some limitations on what the Ombudsman can look into. We can tell you if we believe your case is eligible. If you want the Ombudsman to look into your case, you must contact them within six months of receiving our final response letter.
Where to send your letter of complaint
Complaints Officer
FirstSave
PO Box 1195
Newcastle Upon Tyne
NE99 1DE
Tel: 0845 601 2211
Where to go for further information
Financial Ombudsman Service
South Quay Plaza
183 Marsh Wall
London E14 9SR
Consumer helpline: 0845 080 1800
Tel: 020 7964 1000
Email: enquiries@financial-ombudsman.org.uk
www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk
Financial Services Authority
25 The North Colonnade
Canary Wharf
London E14 5HS
Tel: 020 7676 1000
www.fsa.gov.uk
FirstSave (10) July 07