Legals

Complaint resolution

If you have a problem, please try to resolve it with us in the first instance. If you are not happy with the way in which we handle your complaint or the result, you may be able to complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS). If you do not take up your problem with us first you will not be entitled to complain to the FOS. We can provide details of how to contact the FOS.

Your views are important to us. If we do not deliver the standard of service you expect, or if we make a mistake, we want to know. We will investigate the situation and set about putting things right as quickly as possible. Where appropriate, we will also take steps to avoid making similar mistakes in the future.

We hope that you will never need to progress beyond the first step. However, we wish to give you every opportunity to present your case where you remain unsatisfied.

Step 1

Contact us and provide us with the details of your complaint. Where possible, we will try to give you an answer there and then. If not, we will take full details from you and arrange for the problem to be investigated. We will respond to you within five business weekdays. Where a full response is not possible at this stage, we will contact you and advise you how long our investigations are likely to take.

Step 2

In the unlikely event that your complaint is not resolved to your satisfaction you can contact the Manager of the department concerned:

We will issue you with a response within five business weekdays. Where a full response is not possible at this stage, we will contact you and advise you how long our investigations are likely to take.

Step 3

Our aim is to resolve all your concerns internally. However, if you are not satisfied with our final response, or if eight weeks have passed since you first raised your complaint with us, you have the right to refer your complaint to the FOS.

You can write to:

Financial Ombudsman Service
South Quay Plaza
183 Marsh Wall
London
E14 9SR

We intend to resolve your concerns fairly and quickly. In most cases this can be done if you allow the department involved to listen to your concerns, understand the problem and then deliver an effective solution to you.

first direct is a division of HSBC Bank plc which is a public limited company registered in England and Wales, company number 14259, registered office: 8 Canada Square, London E14 5HQ. HSBC Bank plc is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority and is registered in the Financial Services Authority Register with the registration number: 114216. You can check this by visiting the FSA's website or by calling the FSA on 0845 606 1234. In the UK, HSBC Bank is also licensed by the Office of Fair Trading to carry on a customer credit business, license number 6343. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, on any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of first direct.

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