They said this… · Complaints & ombudsmen

“The regulator has not taken action, so our conduct must be lawful”

Generally incorrect

Regulatory non-action does not prove that an individual complaint has no merit.

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Why this answer

What actually matters

  • Regulators prioritise systemic enforcement and may not determine individual civil rights.
  • An ombudsman or court can have a different function.
  • Absence of enforcement is not a factual finding in your case.

What you could say

Keep the response tied to the actual rule.

Evidence

What to have beside you

  • Original complaint with numbered issues
  • Final response or decision
  • Chronology and evidence index
  • A comparison showing which issues were answered, partly answered or omitted

If they still refuse

Move the dispute forward.

  1. Separate disagreement with an outcome from a factual/process error in how it was reached.
  2. Check the scheme’s jurisdiction, time limits and internal review/challenge route before escalating.
  3. Do not assume a regulator and an ombudsman perform the same function.

Read the full rules

Go deeper before escalating.

Primary guideRead the detailed ConsumerWise guidance.Failure-to-answer analysisRead the full guide.Challenging a decisionRead the full guide.How ombudsmen workRead the full guide.