Upheld: poor claims handling, failure to provide documentation, unreasonable delays, broken promises complaint against Society of Lloyd's
Financial Ombudsman decision DRN-6382159 of 2026-06-03T00:00:00+00:00. poor claims handling, failure to provide documentation, unreasonable delays, broken promises complaint against Society of Lloyd's. Outcome: Upheld.
Decision detail
| Reference | DRN-6382159 |
|---|---|
| Decision date | 2026-06-03T00:00:00+00:00 |
| Firm | Society of Lloyd's |
| Product | insurance |
| Claim type | poor claims handling, failure to provide documentation, unreasonable delays, broken promises |
| Outcome | Upheld |
| Remedy | SOL must: (1) reimburse Miss S's cost for obtaining a copy window certificate upon sight of proof of payment, within 14 days; (2) apply 8% simple interest per annum from the date Miss S paid the fee if reimbursement is not made by day 15; (3) pay Miss S £500 compensation for upset caused by delays and service failures. |
Summary
Miss S complained about Society of Lloyd's' handling of a subsidence claim spanning from 2018 to 2025. The main issues were: (1) failure to ensure window certificates were properly provided, resulting in reissue fees; (2) unreasonable one-year delay in issuing the Certificate of Structural Adequacy after works completion in April 2024; (3) a broken promise to contact the local authority regarding tree mitigation; and (4) a roof guarantee with exclusions that differed from the previous guarantee. The ombudsman upheld the complaint, finding SOL failed to handle the window certificate process fairly and caused unjustified delays in issuing the CSA, requiring reimbursement of the certificate fee and £500 compensation for the cumulative upset caused.
The Ombudsman's reasoning
The ombudsman found that SOL failed to handle the window certificate process fairly and reasonably. If SOL had properly informed Miss S to expect certificates and advised her to check spam folders, she would have either found the original certificate or obtained a replacement without a fee in a timely manner. The delay in issuing the CSA for approximately one year after works completion was unjustified, particularly as SOL was satisfied the property was structurally sound. While the promise regarding tree mitigation was unrealistic and not enforceable, the claims handler's failure to honour it caused frustration. The roof guarantee, while containing exclusions, did not materially worsen Miss S's position. SOL's reliance on prior compensation to offset liability for 2024 delays was unreasonable. The cumulative impact of delays, service failures, and broken promises throughout 2024/2025 warranted compensation.
How this compares
| Group | Decisions | Uphold rate |
|---|---|---|
| Society of Lloyd's, all decisions | 596 | 32% |
Source
Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website