16 Banking Ombudsman Scheme
Checklist
This checklist is intended to help banks assess whether their complaint handling process is
consistent with this guide.
Complaint Process – system overview
□ Do staff understand what amounts to a complaint and what must be dealt with
through the bank’s internal complaint process?
□ Is there a clearly documented internal complaint process?
□ Does the bank have a culture that values complaints and understands the
importance of effective complaint handling?
□ Do senior management support and oversee the complaint process and provide
sufficient resources to do the job well?
□ Does the bank ensure complaint staff are skilled in complaint handling and approach
complaints with a resolution mindset?
□ Do complaint staff have the necessary authority to resolve complaints?
Accessibility of information about the complaint process
□ Do all staff, especially frontline staff, know about the bank’s complaint process and
do they offer this information to customers who complain?
□ Do all staff, including frontline staff, know about BOS and about customers’ rights to
complain to BOS, or seek advice from BOS at any time, and that BOS services are
free and independent?
□ Do staff offer this information to customers who complain?
□ Does the bank have a clearly labelled complaints section on its website that includes
information about BOS, and ideally the logo?
□ Does the bank have information about making a complaint (to the bank and to BOS)
readily available in all branches?
□ Does the bank display the current BOS brochure in all branches?
Making a complaint is easy to do
□ Can complaints be made in different ways including through the bank’s website, over
the phone, in person, by letter, by email or through social media?
□ Does the bank have a freephone complaint number and is it easily found on the
bank’s website, published in information about the bank’s complaint process and
made known to frontline staff?
□ Does the bank provide access to translation or interpreting services for non-English
speaking customers to help them make a complaint?
□ Is the complaint process accessible to all customers, including people with
vulnerabilities such as people who cannot read or write and people with health
issues, injuries or disabilities that affect their ability to communicate?
□ If a complainant has special requirements for accessing the process, or
communications, does the bank have a system to ensure these requirements are
followed as far as reasonably practicable?