Who should I complain to?

The right complaint route depends on what went wrong, who did it and what outcome you need.

A regulator, ombudsman, ADR scheme and court do different jobs. Start by identifying the organisation, the product or service, the nature of the problem and whether you need individual redress, regulatory action, correction of information, or a legal remedy.

Most external schemes expect you to complain to the organisation first. The correct route can also change where one dispute contains several issues - for example, a telecom billing complaint, inaccurate credit-file data and a data-protection concern may engage different bodies.

Key points

Use the organisation’s own complaint process first unless an urgent or exceptional route applies.
Choose by jurisdiction, not by which body sounds most powerful.
Regulators usually supervise markets and compliance; ombudsmen usually resolve individual disputes.
One set of facts can legitimately engage more than one route, but each complaint should be framed for that body’s role.

A quick routing guide

Financial firm	Complain to the firm, then usually the Financial Ombudsman Service; FCA issues can also be reported where there is a wider regulatory concern.
Telecom provider	Complain to the provider, then its approved ADR scheme after deadlock or the applicable waiting period; Ofcom regulates the sector.
Personal-data problem	Complain to the organisation/controller, then the ICO if unresolved.
FOI or EIR request	Use the authority’s review/complaint route where appropriate, then the ICO.
Council or adult social care	Complete the local complaint process, then LGSCO where within jurisdiction.
NHS in England / UK government body	Complain to the organisation first, then PHSO where eligible; government-department complaints have an MP referral requirement.
Poor legal service	Complain to the legal service provider, then Legal Ombudsman if eligible. Serious professional-conduct concerns may separately be reported to the SRA.
Social landlord	Use the landlord’s complaint process, then Housing Ombudsman where the landlord is in the Scheme.

Individual redress and regulatory action are not the same thing

If you want a refund, compensation, account correction or a decision on your individual dispute, an ombudsman or ADR scheme may be the relevant route. If the concern is wider misconduct, market rules or professional standards, a regulator may be interested but may not resolve your personal loss. Ask: “What can this body actually order or decide for me?”

Mixed complaints need issue-mapping

Do not force every issue into one route. Separate the issues first, then map them. A provider’s billing error may be an ADR issue; inaccurate credit reporting may engage the provider, a credit-reference agency, the ICO and sometimes an ombudsman; solicitor service may be for the Legal Ombudsman while serious conduct may be for the SRA.

In practice

Write one sentence stating who you are complaining about and one sentence stating what you want corrected.
List each issue separately and note the body that has power over it.
Check the scheme’s eligibility and time limits before waiting for another process to finish.
Keep final responses/deadlock letters because they often trigger or evidence eligibility.

What to do

A practical next-step plan

Complain to the organisation and ask for a final response where appropriate.
Identify the sector and the legal/process issue.
Check jurisdiction, waiting period and referral deadline.
Choose the body that can provide the outcome you need.
If several routes apply, keep each complaint focused on that body’s remit.

Common traps

Things that often confuse the issue

Sending the same undifferentiated complaint to every regulator.
Assuming a regulator will obtain compensation for you.
Missing an ombudsman referral deadline while waiting for another body.
Using the wrong sector scheme because a company operates in more than one market.

Evidence worth keeping

Primary documents

Dated correspondence

Notes made at the time

Relevant screenshots

Any formal decision or response

Where to go next

Use ConsumerWise’s regulator and ombudsman finder as a starting point, then confirm current jurisdiction and deadlines on the official scheme website.

When two routes overlap, map the issue rather than choosing blindly.

A financed car can create a Consumer Rights Act dispute with the dealer and a financial complaint against the lender. A telecom default can involve provider ADR, credit-reporting rules and data accuracy. A solicitor dispute can involve service redress and regulatory conduct. Write down each respondent, legal relationship, issue and desired remedy, then assign the correct route.

Route map.

Respondent → issue → governing rules → internal complaint → external body → deadline → remedy. Keep one row for each distinct relationship.

Check geography and sector boundaries.

Public-service complaints are particularly sensitive to location: LGSCO and PHSO cover specified English/UK functions, while PSOW, SPSO and NIPSO cover their respective devolved jurisdictions. Housing, pensions, property and professional complaints also have specialist boundaries.

Regulator and ombudsman are not interchangeable.

A regulator looks at compliance, markets, professional standards or systemic risk. An ombudsman/ADR body resolves eligible individual disputes. Sometimes the same facts justify both, but the objectives differ. Do not send a compensation claim to a regulator and then assume your personal complaint is preserved.

Start with the remedy you need, then choose the body.

Problem	Likely route to check first
Bank, lender, insurer or regulated financial complaint	Business complaint → Financial Ombudsman Service if eligible; FCA for regulatory intelligence.
Broadband/mobile/phone dispute	Provider complaint → its Ofcom-approved ADR scheme (Communications Ombudsman or CISAS); Ofcom for regulation.
Energy supplier dispute	Supplier complaint → Energy Ombudsman; Ofgem for regulation.
Solicitor service/cost complaint	Firm complaint → Legal Ombudsman; SRA for serious professional conduct.
Personal-data complaint	Organisation complaint → ICO; court/settlement for compensation where appropriate.
Council/adult social care in England	Local complaint → LGSCO where within jurisdiction.
Social landlord service complaint	Landlord complaint → Housing Ombudsman where within jurisdiction.
NHS England / UK government service	Local process → PHSO; government-service complaints normally require MP referral.
Rail passenger service complaint	Operator complaint → Rail Ombudsman if eligible.

Official sources

Check the rules behind this guide

These are official or primary sources for this topic. Rules, scheme terms and deadlines can change, so check the live source before relying on a formal time limit or procedure.