Payment Protection Insurance complaints guide

There are two types of PPI related complaint:

• Mis-sale complaints - A complaint about the mis-sale of the PPI policy
• Commission only (Plevin) complaints - A complaint in relation to undisclosed commission on the PPI policy

We are committed to investigating your complaint fully and fairly and each complaint is dealt with in the same way. The following steps are taken to ensure that all complaints are dealt with fully and fairly.

Acknowledgement

Once your complaint has been registered on our systems we will issue you an acknowledgement letter which will provide you with your unique PPI complaint reference.

Investigation

We collect all relevant information relating to your complaint before conducting a thorough investigation. During this time we may contact you to gather any further information to assist us with investigating your complaint fully.

Final decision

Once a final decision has been made regarding your complaint, we will notify you in writing.

Payment may be processed in one of the following ways:

• By credit to your Ulster bank account
  
• By cheque
• For credit card complaints, directly to your credit card if the account is still open and has a debit balance

Yes, all you will need to do is provide a letter authorising you to act for them. This is known as a Letter of Authority (LOA). Alternatively, if you hold Power of Attorney for them or act as an executor you can provide the relevant certified documents.

We have online forms which you can use to complaint about PPI mis-sale and to complain about PPI Commission.

For customer’s who no longer live in the UK or Channel Islands, when completing your form, please enter the following in the post code field:

A1 1AA

Generally, if you didn’t make a complaint on or before 29 August 2019, you can no longer claim money back for PPI by complaining to us or the Financial Ombudsman Service. However, you may be able to complain after the deadline if:

• There is a significant reason or exceptional circumstance as to why you couldn’t complain before this date, or
• You have tried to use Payment Protection Insurance, and your insurance claim has been rejected in the last 3 years

If your credit card and/or related PPI policy closed prior to August 2001, it is likely that the bank will not be able to locate any details of PPI premiums you may have paid. This is because the bank has limitation on the data it holds in relation to historic credit cards. Therefore, if you are able to provide statements from this time, this will assist the bank in identifying any policies held and/or premiums you may have paid.

Please see the "How to complain" section on this page.

We may request information about you from third parties to help verify your identity to comply with laws that apply to us. This request will not affect your ability to obtain credit in the future. You have certain legal rights to control what we do with your information and we may need to use third parties to verify your details.

To find out more about how we use your information, please see our full privacy policy.

We're aware some of our customers are contacted by fraudsters who make promises around PPI payments, but also look to gather personal and payment details, which are then mis-used. 

Always make sure you are aware of who it is you are talking to and be careful with what information you provide.

Read more about PPI refund scams.

We deal with all complaints in the same way, regardless of your financial situation. Any compensation we have offered in relation to your complaint may be affected. For example, if you have any debts outstanding on the account or are/have been subject to an Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA), Protected Trust Deed, Bankruptcy or Sequestration, the refund is likely to be offset against the debt and/or paid to your insolvency practitioner. Please let us and your insolvency practitioner know when making a complaint.

Please be assured that neither your relationship with the bank or your credit score will be affected by complaining about PPI.

If you require any further information about PPI or making a PPI complaint, more information can be found on the following sites:

• The Financial Conduct Authority
  The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) regulates the financial sector and protects consumers. They provide information about PPI and can help you understand it, but they cannot give you advice about your individual circumstances or complaint. 
• The Financial Ombudsman
  The Financial Ombudsman Service is a free, independent service for settling disputes between financial businesses and their customers. They can deal with complaints about a wide range of financial issues, including PPI.
  
  If you aren’t happy with the final response, including if your complaint is rejected,or you do not hear back within 8 weeks, please contact us for more information. If you still aren’t satisfied after contacting us about your issue, you can complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
• Financial Services Compensation Scheme
• Money Helper
• Citizens Advice