The FSA has this week granted an extension to Lloyds TSB, RBS, Barclays & HSBC for dealing with mis-sold payment protection insurance complaints. These lenders now have up to 16 weeks to investigate new complaints: the standard 8 week period will be back in force in January 2012. Cases that were submitted before April 2011 should however be responded to by end August 2011.
We hope that the banks do not abuse this extension of time as historically, many banks took longer than the specified 8 weeks to settle a complaint. Under the guidelines, lenders can respond within 8 weeks to say that they have been unable to provide a final response and keep sending updates until the case is resolved. Does this therefore mean that lenders will now take up to 16 weeks to say “We are sorry that we are not in a position to provide a final response yet….”, and take even longer?
If a lender does not respond within the prescribed time frame, the client has the option refer their complaint to the FOS. However, with the FOS inundated with complaints, this move could mean that the client will wait in excess of 12 months for their complaint to be resolved.
Seems that consumers are yet again stuck between a rock and a hard place, and despite guidelines that are in place, lenders can within reason take as long as they want to resolve complaints.