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Payment Protection Insurance (PPI)

The PPI complaints deadline of 29 August 2019 has now passed

The current circumstances have put extra pressure on our PPI teams so unfortunately it may take longer to get back to you than normal – we’re really sorry if this causes you any problems.

We know these are difficult times so we’re working really hard to make sure we support all our customers, especially those who are struggling so please only call us about PPI if it’s urgent. If you have to call, you may find it takes longer to get through but please bear with us.

If you’re facing financial difficulties due to Coronavirus, please take a look at our support page which has lots of information about how we can help.

The Financial Conduct Authority set a deadline of 29 August 2019 for PPI complaints and delivered a nationwide communications campaign to raise awareness of this deadline among consumers.

Generally, if you didn’t make a complaint to first direct before 29 August 2019, you can no longer claim money back for PPI by complaining to us or to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

After you’ve complained about PPI / Complaints made on or before 29 August 2019

If you complained to us about the sale of PPI on or before 29 August 2019, we will firstly acknowledge that we have received your complaint.

Please note that in the run up to the deadline we have received extraordinarily high volumes of PPI enquiries and complaints. As such, there may be a delay in your final response being received which may stretch well beyond 24 weeks.

Within 8 weeks of first direct receiving your complaint, you should also either receive a final response, or a communication outlining when you can expect a final response.

What to do if you’re unhappy with your final response

If you aren’t happy with the final response, including if your complaint is rejected, or you do not hear back, you should speak to us directly.

If you still aren’t satisfied after contacting us about your issue, you can complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

Deadline for complaints to the Financial Ombudsman Service

If you received a final response letter and wish to complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service, you must refer your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service within 6 months of the date the letter was sent.

Exceptional circumstances

If you feel you had ‘exceptional circumstances’ before the deadline which prevented you in making a complaint, please contact us on 03 456 100 100 to discuss in more detail or submit a complaint via our Online PPI form (within the form, please describe the exceptional circumstances which led you to be unable to submit a complaint by the 29th August deadline date).

The Financial Ombudsman Service has more on ‘exceptional circumstances’ Opens an overlay [Will show a security message first].

Additional support and information is also offered by the following bodies:

FAQs

The Financial Conduct Authority set a deadline of 29 August 2019 for PPI complaints and delivered a nationwide communications campaign to raise awareness of this deadline among consumers.

Generally, if you didn’t make a complaint to first direct on or before 29 August 2019, you can no longer claim money back for PPI by complaining to us or to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

Please note: This page includes frequently asked questions for topics relevant before the deadline.

Exceptional circumstances

If you feel you had ‘exceptional circumstances’ before the deadline which prevented you in making a complaint, please contact us on 03 456 100 100 to discuss in more detail. The Financial Ombudsman Service has more on ‘exceptional circumstances Opens an overlay [Will show a security message first]’.

What is PPI?

PPI is designed to cover the monthly repayments of your loan or credit card if you become unemployed, have an accident, become ill or die.

We stopped selling PPI in April 2008 - but before that we sold four main products:

Personal Loan Protection Plan
Balance Protector
Flexiloan Repayment Protection
Mortgage Repayment Protection.

Commission complaints

When a bank, lender or other provider sold a PPI policy, the PPI provider would pay them 'commission' for arranging or making the sale. The money for this commission would come out of the payments you made for the PPI policy.

The FCA have introduced new rules that mean customers can complain that their lender earned a high level of commission from the sale of PPI but didn't make this clear when it was sold.

A 'high level of commission' typically means it was more than half of what you've paid for your PPI policy, but you do not need to know how much was earned from the sale of PPI.

Other brands within the HSBC Group

Within the HSBC Group, PPI was also sold by HSBC Bank plc and M&S Bank. If you think you may have been sold PPI by one of these companies, visit their PPI pages:

HFC Bank Limited, Endeavour Personal Finance and Sterling Credit Limited trading names

Beneficial Finance
Household Bank
Marbles
GM Card
Hamilton Direct Bank
HFC Direct
Endeavour Personal Loans
EPF
EPF Homeloans
EPF Direct
Sterling Credit
Sterling Loans

Where else can I get more information and help on PPI complaints?

For more information regarding PPI complaints, please contact us on the below to tell us what additional help you may need.

By Post

40 Wakefield Road,
Leeds,
LS98 1FD

By Phone

Call us 24/7 on 03 456 100 100

By Online

Submit a complaint via our Online PPI form (within the form, please describe the exceptional circumstances which led you to be unable to submit a complaint by the 29th August deadline date).

Alternatively, if you would like further information relating to PPI, please review the below external websites:

A Claims Management Company has offered to handle my complaint for me. What should I do?

We will assess complaints sent directly to us in exactly the same way and in the same timescale as complaints sent in by a CMC, so there is no need to use their services. For independent guidance on how CMCs work visit the Which? website Opens an overlay [Will show a security message first].

How long will I have to wait before I receive a response?

Clearly, we always want to be able to resolve any concerns you raise with us. Please note that in the run up to the deadline we have received extraordinarily high volumes of PPI enquiries and complaints.

Although you have the right to refer your case to the Financial Ombudsman Service at 8 weeks, we would ask that you be patient in receiving a response from us given these volumes. There may be a delay in your final response being received which may stretch well beyond 24 weeks. Please contact us directly for more information.

The FCA has published details of the timescales for the handling of complaints relating to PPI, these are available on the FCA website Opens an overlay [Will show a security message first].

If you have already made a complaint, there's no need to do anything further. We will review it as soon as possible and then write to you confirming the outcome of our investigation.

What to do if you aren't happy with your complaint outcome or decision

If you aren’t happy with our final response, or haven’t received a final response within eight weeks, you can complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service about this.

You will still be able to complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service after the 29 August 2019 deadline if:

you complained to your provider on or before 29 August 2019
your provider gives its final response on or after the 29 August 2019
you had exceptional circumstances which prevented you making a complaint before the 29 August 2019.

You will need to submit your complaint within six months of receiving your PPI provider’s final response.