Our mandate

There are six important principles that underlie everything we do.

We are completely independent of banks, consumer groups and government, yet our processes remain fair to both complainants and the banks.

There is no cost to the complainant and our processes are accessible and easy to use.

We give clear accountable reasons to each decision we make. We publish information about both the numbers and types of complaints, and we also publish our case notes.

Our effectiveness means we can often resolve complaints quickly with little formality. When formal recommendations are made, banks nearly always accept them. If a bank does not accept a recommendation, the Banking Ombudsman can make an enforceable award of compensation.

We aim to work efficiently to produce a fair outcome in every case. If there is going to be a delay, we will tell you about it and about when you can expect the next action.