How to File a Complaint with the Banking Ombudsman?
By Anupama Deshpande | June 19, 2019

Banking Ombudsman is a body appointed by the RBI to resolve customers' complaints regarding banking services. Bank Ombudsman Scheme was first introduced by RBI India in 1995 to provide expeditious and inexpensive forum to bank customers for resolution of their complaints relating to deficiency in banking services.

Banks listed below are covered under the Banking Ombudsman Scheme, 2006:

• All Scheduled Commercial Banks
• Regional Rural Banks
• Scheduled Primary Co-operative Banks

Complainant can file a complaint before the Banking Ombudsman in any of the following cases:

1. If the complainant does not receive any reply from the bank within a period of 1 month after the bank concerned has received his/ her complaint
2. If the bank rejects the complaint
3. If the complainant is not satisfied with the reply given by the bank

Process of How to File a Complaint with the Banking Ombudsman?

Outlined below is a step-by-step process to explain how to file a complaint with the Banking Ombudsman?

1. If you have any complaint against the bank then the first step is to contact the bank itself and register a complaint.
2. If the bank rejects the complaint or if you are not satisfied with your bank's reply then you can approach to Banking Ombudsman for complaint redressal.
3. You need to file the complaint to the banking ombudsman under whose jurisdiction the bank branch complained against is situated.
4. File a written complaint to the banking ombudsman. You will have to mention following items in your complaint:
   • Name and address of the complainant
   • Name and address of the branch of the bank against which the complaint is made
   • Facts related to the complaint supported by documents
   • Nature and extent of the loss caused to the complainant
   • Relief sought from the Banking Ombudsman
   • Declaration about the compliance with conditions which are required to be complied with by the complainant under Clause 9(3) of the Banking Ombudsman Scheme.
5. You can also lodge an online complaint by clicking here.
6. Once your complaint has been filed, the ombudsman will initially try for a settlement between you and the bank.
7. In case, the complaint is not settled/ resolved within a period of one month, then the ombudsman will ask the complainant and the bank to present their case.
8. The banking ombudsman will examine the case and will then make an award. It will take into account the loss of the complainant's time, expenses incurred by the complainant, harassment and mental anguish suffered by the complainant while making the award. It is up to the complainant to accept the award in full and final settlement of or to reject it.

Banking Ombudsman Power to Make an Award

• The ombudsman has the power to award you up to Rs.20 lakhs or the actual amount of loss suffered, whichever is lower.
• It can also award up to Rs.1 lakh for mental agony and harassment.

Careful Watch Outs

• You can also write an e-mail to the ombudsman on their respective e-mail IDs to file a complaint.
• The Banking Ombudsman does not charge any fee for filing and resolving customer's complaints.
• If your complaint is pending with any other court like a consumer court, then the banking ombudsman will not take your complaint into consideration.
• If you are dissatisfied with the ombudsman's order, you can move the consumer courts.

Anupama is a Co-Founder of CodeForBanks.com. She is an MBA (Finance) and Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA). She also carries a Fellowship degree in Life Insurance Sector and is a Master of Computer Application (MCA). She is an expert in Finance Field with an experience of over 18 years on different managerial positions in finance industry including Stock Market, Depository and Mutual Fund Sectors. Apart from that she has remained for few years in the field of marketing as well. Her suggestions and advice for investments have been very useful to many people.
Her vast interest & expertise in the field of finance have encouraged her to write the articles so that others can also get benefitted out of them. She never loses any opportunity to learn and be creative. She is a valuable asset for CodeForBanks.com & important resource to all those around her.

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