Barclays still most complained about bank, yet gripes decrease
BARCLAYS Bank saw the highest number of complaints to the Financial Conduct Authority between July and December 2013, figures showed yesterday.
Overall, the bank notched up 309,494 complaints – which was down 17 per cent compared to last year, followed by Lloyds Bank with 256,656, which was a decline of one per cent.
The FCA announced yesterday that 2,479,029 complaints were opened against financial service firms in total for the six month period.
The figure is down 15 per cent from the 2,911,154 complaints reported in the previous six month period.
PPI claims saw the greatest number of complaints, with 1,390,756 opened during the period. That number is down 22 per cent on the first half of 2013.
Total redress paid in the second half of 2013, however, is up, from £2.55bn to £2.65bn, while 94 per cent of all redress payments were paid for GI and pure protection products which include PPI, according to the FCA.
FCA chief executive Martin Wheatley said: “No firm wants to top this particular list and they all should be striving to ensure that customers are being treated fairly and not given cause to complain.
“There is clearly more for us all to do to show consumers their interests come first.”
Complaints fell by 10 per cent at MBNA to 213,311 and by 18 per cent at Bank of Scotland to 181,353.
Complaints were five per cent lower at NatWest, which received 175,731 complaints.