It’s our job to sort out individual complaints that consumers and financial businesses haven't been able to resolve themselves.

We were set up by parliament to do this – as independent experts – and our service is free to consumers.

We can look at complaints about a wide range of financial matters – from insurance and mortgages to investments and credit. Each year we deal with a million enquiries and settle over 150,000 disputes.

We’re completely independent and impartial. This means that when we decide a complaint, we look carefully at both sides of the story and weigh up all the facts.

If we decide a business has treated the consumer fairly, we will explain why. But if we decide the business has acted wrongly – and the consumer has lost out as a result – we can order it to put things right.

Depending how complicated a case is, we can sort out some complaints within just a few months – but some can take over a year.

Consumers don’t have to accept any decision we make. They are always free to go to court instead. But if they do accept an ombudsman's decision, it is binding both on them and on the business.

We don't write the rules for businesses – or fine them if rules are broken. That is the job of the regulator.

we can look at complaints about most financial problems involving:

• 
  banking
• insurance
• mortgages
• credit cards and store cards
• loans and credit
• pensions
• savings and investments
• hire purchase and pawnbroking
• money transfer
• financial advice
• stocks, shares, unit trusts and bonds.

But there are some complaints we cannot deal with. And rules and restrictions may apply – for example, on the time limits for bringing a complaint (so it is very important that you complain as soon as possible).

The rules can be complex. But we will always give you the chance to query anything you don't understand or agree with.