The Financial Ombudsman Service: not just an alternative to court

The Financial Ombudsman Service is a statutory body offering a dispute resolution service to consumers and firms. The purpose of this paper is to outline the service as an alternative to the civil courts.

The paper compares the style, objectives and operation of the service with those of civil court proceedings.

The Financial Ombudsman Service has developed a very different model from that of the civil courts and is the preferred alternative for most retail consumers of financial services.

The comparison in style, process, institutional systems and legal approach may offer observers food for thought about potential developments in the civil courts themselves.