Lloyds Banking Group has been named as the most complained-about UK financial institution in H2 2010, with Financial Ombudsman figures showing that more than 22,000 of the 97,000 complaints made by dissatisfied customers related to the bank. The figures also showed that Santander attracted the highest number of pure banking and credit-related complaints, with 4,574 new cases registered, followed by Barclays with 4,067.
Financial Ombudsman Service received 410 mortgage-related complaints concerning Clydesdale Bank in H2 2010, following a system error which saw the bank miscalculate mortgage repayments. The calculation error was caused by a system 'tweak' and resulted in around 18,000 variable rate mortgage customers underpaying. Those customers affected are now being asked to make up the difference.
FSA chairman, Lord Turner, has announced his intention to investigate the way in which banks' retail sales staff are paid, over concerns that incentive structures foster a culture of mis-selling. The watchdog intends to conclude whether or not such a risk is adequately controlled, as it acknowledges that banks have been seeking to generate higher profits by pushing customers on to premium products or services.
FSA has expressed concern that banks are becoming increasingly focused on selling products, including complex investments, insurance and packaged accounts, in order to replace lost revenue from the sale of payment protection insurance and a drop in mortgage income. It said evidence of misconduct is 'beginning to emerge from some firms' in these areas, especially amongst the wealth management arms of banks where the unwarranted use of complex investment products and poor record keeping has been identified.