Newsletter archives
Quick Update March 2012
We have just produced a new quick guide to mortgagee sales. We also have quick guides available on a range of other topics.
Current Account February 2012
Our year has started with a hiss and a roar. We've received more new disputes for resolution than usual in January, and February is hitting record levels.
Current Account December 2011
It's nearly holiday time and some of you will be heading overseas. So here's another opportunity to learn from easily made mistakes!
Current Account November 2011
As we closed the books at the end of the financial year, a clear trend was emerging - enquiry and complaint levels were at historic highs while dispute levels were dropping.
Current Account September 2011
Key topics covered in this issue of Current Account are: resolving customer complaints, the financial summit on responsible lending, irresponsible lending, cancelling direct debits, and the latest independent review of the Banking Ombudsman Scheme.
Current Account June 2011
This issue of Current Account contains a montage of news stories from the Banking Ombudsman Scheme.
Current Account April 2011
April 1 signals a new era as the last piece of the Financial Service Providers (Registration and Dispute Resolution) Act 2008 takes effect. For the Banking Ombudsman Scheme, however, it's not so much a case of business as usual, but business as usual.
Current Account February 2011
As the new year progresses, the Banking Ombudsman also enters a new era. We have cleared out waiting list, all but completed the ING cases, expanded membership in the Scheme and welcomed a new Deputy Ombudsman.
Current Account November 2010
In 2009/10, the Office of the Banking Ombudsman completed more than double the number of investigations than in any previous year and facilitated $14.5 million in compensation to complainants.
Current Account August 2010
The winter months have heralded some changes here at the Office of the Banking Ombudsman - we have new faces to welcome, and familiar faces to sadly farewell. We remain busy investigating ING/ANZ cases. Meanwhile a range of other banking issues continues to cross our desks.
Current Account March 2010
It has been six months since Deborah Battell became the Banking Ombudsman. She took over the reins at a time of economic turmoil. The office was dealing with an unprecedented caseload at this time.
Newsletter No. 25 February 2009
The second half of 2008 saw a dramatic rise in the number of complaints coming to my office, and in January 2009 we took in a record number of complaints and enquiries.
Newsletter No. 24 June 2008
The main event of the past few months has been an influx of complaints about investment advice, almost all from investors in two funds provided by ING (NZ) Ltd.
Newsletter No. 23 December 2007
From a year packed with significant events and trends, this newsletter provides a few of the highlights.
Newsletter No. 22 May 2007
On 1 July 2007, the Banking Ombudsman scheme will have been in operation for fifteen years. It will not only be our fifteenth birthday but will be a very special occasion of another kind.
Newsletter No. 21 December 2006
Since the reviews of our procedures earlier this year, we have been working on measures to cut down the time taken to resolve complaints.
Newsletter No. 20 June 2006
Although the Banking Ombudsman’s investigative process is regularly examined by an independent reviewer, this was the first comprehensive review of the Banking Ombudsman Scheme.
Newsletter No. 19 December 2005
There has been a good deal of publicity in recent weeks about banks’ lending practices. It has been said that banks are increasing their customers’ credit card limits unnecessarily.
Newsletter No. 18 May 2005
The Code of Banking Practice is due for review this year, and the New Zealand Bankers’ Association will shortly be calling for public submissions to assist in the review.
Newsletter No. 16 May 2004
Complaints to the Banking Ombudsman are still going down. It is sometimes said that the complaints business is the only one in the world where the objective is to make one's own position redundant.
Newsletter No. 15 December 2003
After a year which started with an influx of complaints to be investigated, it is pleasing to report that the number of complaint investigations commenced in November 2003 was the lowest for more than two years.
Newsletter No. 14 May 2003
The first half of 2003 has seen a continuation of the 2002 influx of complaints about investment advice and investment products.