Not upheld: Service failures generally complaint against British Friendly Society Limited

Decision detail

Summary

Mr C complained to the Financial Ombudsman Service about his treatment by British Friendly Society Limited during calls related to his income protection policy claim in 2022. He alleged that BF's representative was emotionally abusive, controlling, and made him feel gaslighted during the initial call, and that subsequent complaint calls were also poorly handled. BF accepted that customer service was inadequate and paid £150 in total compensation. The ombudsman found that while the representative could have been more empathetic and should have respected Mr C's request for written questions, the conduct did not constitute emotional abuse. The ombudsman concluded that the £150 compensation already paid fairly reflected the distress caused and did not uphold the complaint.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman found that while BF's representative could have been more empathetic and should not have continued asking for information after Mr C requested written questions, the representative was not emotionally abusive or controlling as alleged. However, the ombudsman accepted that Mr C was unnecessarily caused distress at a vulnerable time and that the subsequent complaint call could also have been handled better. The ombudsman concluded that the £150 compensation already paid fairly reflected the distress and inconvenience experienced. The ombudsman noted that the FOS has no power to direct disciplinary action against staff members, which is an internal matter for the firm.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website