How do I complain about PPI?

It's easy and free to complain about PPI - for example, if you think you were mis-sold it. You don't need to use a claims management company.

Complain to the business you think is responsible. You need to do this by 29 August 2019. Other time limits might apply - so if you think you've got a complaint, act as soon as possible.

If the business agrees something went wrong, you should get compensation.

If you don't agree with the business's answer, you can contact us. You need to do this within six months of the business's response.

Find out how to complain - and how the ombudsman can help.

How do I complain to the business about PPI?

If you want to complain about PPI, the first thing to do is to contact the business that you think is responsible, telling them why you're unhappy. It's easy and free to do this yourself - you don't need to use a claims management company.

Just tell the business in your own words why you're unhappy. They'll have the chance to put things right for you - and they have to give you an answer within eight weeks.

You can send the business a completed copy of our PPI questionnaire (either Word or PDF) when contacting them, as a helpful way to organise the key information about your complaint. Find out more about our forms here.

Remember - you'll need to complain to the business by 29 August 2019. Other time limits might apply - so if you think you've got a complaint, act as soon as possible.

If you need help, phone us on 0800 121 6222 or email [email protected].

If you don't have the business's contact details, you can find them on the FCA's website.

What if I'm unhappy with the business's answer?

If you're unhappy with the business's answer to your PPI complaint, you can ask us to look into it for you. If we think the business has acted unfairly, we'll explain how we think they should put things right. You'll need to bring your complaint to us within six months of getting the business's answer.

You can do this is over the phone on 0800 121 6222.

Or you can complete our online complaint form or fill out our PDF form and post or email it to us. We'll also need some details about your PPI - which you can give us by completing our PPI questionnaire (Word or PDF).

There's more information about these forms here.

We make it as easy as possible to use our service. There's no need to use a claims management company. If you do, they will take some of any compensation you might get.

We can explain anything you're not sure about - and you can talk to us in the way that works best for you. If you want someone else to talk to us on your behalf - like a family member or friend or - just let us know. 

The business offered me compensation - how do I know if it's fair?

If a business decides to uphold your complaint - either in full, or in part - we'd usually expect them to put you in the position you'd be in if you'd been treated fairly.

In practice, this will be different depending on the kind of PPI policy you were sold, how you paid for it and any interest you paid on top - and the reason your complaint is upheld. Any compensation - such as a refund of all or some of your PPI - should also take your individual circumstances into account. For example, it might be fair to take into account the fact someone made a successful claim on their PPI, or fell behind with repayments towards the credit the PPI was added to.

If you're unsure if the offer you've received is fair, get in touch with us. You can call us on 0800 121 6222 or email [email protected].

If you want more information now, you can read more about how we expect businesses to compensate people who've made a successful PPI claim.

What if the business says I didn't have PPI?

Sometimes businesses say their records don't show that PPI was sold - or that the credit was taken out so long ago there are no longer any records about it. They might also say that they don't have enough information to track down the details of a PPI policy.

If a business says you didn't have a PPI policy - or that you didn't pay any premiums towards it - we have some questions to help you work out if you might have had PPI.

If you're still not sure, phone us on 0800 121 6222 or email [email protected].

What if I haven't heard back from the business?

A business has eight weeks to answer your complaint about PPI. If you haven't heard back after that time, then get in touch with us.

You can do this is over the phone on 0800 121 6222.

Or you can fill out our PDF form and post or email it to us. We'll also need some details about your PPI - which you can give us by completing our PPI questionnaire (Word or PDF).

There's more information about these forms here.

We make it as easy as possible to use our service. There's no need to use a claims management company. If you do, their fees will come out of any compensation you might get.

We can explain anything you're not sure about - and you can talk to us in a way that works best for you. If you want someone else to talk to us on your behalf - like a family member or friend or - just let us know.

What if my complaint is about the commission on my PPI?

The amount of commission included in the cost of PPI might have been unfair in some circumstances. There was a court case about this known as Plevin. In August 2017, the FCA - the financial services regulator - brought in new rules and guidance for businesses to follow when looking at PPI complaints.

If you've complained about PPI already, but you didn't get a refund, you might be able to complain again about commission. You can find out more about this here.

I used my PPI policy - can I still complain?

If you've used your PPI - for example, if you claimed successfully when you were off work-you can still make a complaint about PPI.

But if you get a refund of your PPI because it was mis-sold, it's likely that any payout you got when you claimed will be taken off your compensation.

Read more about how we expect businesses to compensate people who've been mis-sold PPI.

If you tried to use your PPI policy, but your claim was rejected, you can also still make a complaint about PPI.

Need help? How to contact us

How to contact us If you need help or have any questions, phone us on 0800 121 6222 or email [email protected] (DOC 219KB).

If you're ready to bring a complaint to us, it's easy to get in touch. You can find more options here.