CPP mis-selling – are you due £100s?

If you tried going to your bank and didn't have any success, whether or not you had a policy before or after 2005, don't assume that's the end of the matter. You have a right to take ANY complaint that's turned down to the independent Financial Ombudsman Service.

This is the official body for settling disputes between individuals and financial companies. It's a free service that acts as an impartial adjudicator. Present it with the facts, and it'll decide whether the circumstances your protection plan was sold under were unfair.

If it finds in your favour, it'll then decide what redress is required. In most successful mis-selling cases, this means a refund.

BUT it's important to note it won't look at your complaint until you've contacted your bank and given it eight weeks to respond. Once you have a response, or haven't been given one within eight weeks, only then will it be able to investigate your complaint.

To get the ball rolling, you'll need to fill in its complaints form below, which must be signed by hand and posted. Make sure you enclose any paperwork that backs up your case.

As with the first letter to the bank, which you could always copy and paste into here, don't feel you have to be formal. Explain the point clearly, concisely and honestly, all in your own words, just as if you were explaining the situation to a friend.

It's quite simple to fill in, though take care. If you need help filling this out, you can call it on 0300 123 9123 or 0800 023 4567, and it'll guide you through the claim, or use our step-by-step guide above.

It's written in Microsoft Word so you can easily cut and paste sections or print it and have it next to you as you're filling in the Ombudsman's form.

How long will this take?

Sometimes this will take a long time. Possibly around a year, but maybe even longer as the Ombudsman deals with huge numbers of complaints - especially with the current avalanche of PPI mis-selling issues. But don't worry - you can leave the matter to the Ombudsman to resolve and it will contact you with any offers from your lender.

What happens if I get turned down by the Ombudsman?

The Ombudsman's decision is usually made by an adjudicator. If you disagree with the result, you can ask for a formal decision to be made by one of the official ombudsmen at the service. This usually takes several months as it involves a detailed investigation, but don't be afraid to push your complaint if you think the initial decision isn't right.

After that, while the finance company must accept the Ombudsman's decision, you still have the right to take the company to court if you don't agree with the result.

It's also worth noting that if you feel the Ombudsman hasn't handled your case correctly, eg, there were unnecessary delays, you can ask for a senior manager to review it. If that doesn't resolve things, you've a right to go to the Independent Assessor (though this is only about quality of service, not the actual decision made).

For other complaints the Ombudsman can help with, see the Your Financial Rights guide.