Not upheld: application process delays and lack of transparency complaint against Norfolk and Waveney Enterprise Services (Nwes)

Decision detail

Summary

Ms A complained that Nwes caused unnecessary delays in her business start-up loan application by failing to provide clear information about the process and repeatedly requesting documents. The application process began in November 2024 and extended over several months, during which Nwes requested additional documents including a full credit report and clarification on inconsistencies between Ms A's application and supporting documents. Ms A claimed she missed a promotional opportunity due to the delays. The ombudsman found that Nwes had properly explained the multi-stage process and that delays were largely due to Ms A's late document submissions and inconsistencies in her application rather than Nwes's conduct. The complaint was not upheld.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman found that Nwes acted as a support partner for a government-backed scheme and properly explained the multi-stage application process. While Nwes could have provided greater clarity about overall timescales, the delays were largely attributable to Ms A not providing all required documents promptly and inconsistencies between her application and supporting documents. The request for a full credit report was reasonable given the name discrepancies and specialist nature of the lending. The loan panel's additional questions were justified by genuine inconsistencies in the application, particularly regarding business start date and financial records. Nwes was not responsible for the lending decision itself and acted fairly in seeking clarification on these points.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website