2015/2016
Complaints data
overview
Legal Ombudsman 2015/16
1
Each year the Legal Ombudsman publishes data about the complaints we
have resolved. This is available for you to use on our CMC Data and Decisions
page but we have also put together a commentary of the overall picture.
If you have any questions about the data please contact Katherine Wilson,
Policy and Research Associate, [email protected].
Complaint volumes
Chart 1 shows the volume of Claims Management Company (CMC) complaints
resolved in the last financial year. The first chart shows the overall number of cases
accepted and resolved and the second and third charts show how this is spread
across the most frequently complained about areas of service.
There is always a difference between the number of accepted and resolved cases,
due to the length of time it takes to resolve cases. For example a case could be
accepted for investigation in one year but may only be resolved in the following year.
Accepted and resolved CMC complaints
3000
2500
2438
2000
1708
1500
1000
500
0
2015/16
Chart 1: Numbers of accepted and resolved complaints 2015/16
Legal Ombudsman CMC Complaints data overview 2015/2016
2
Complaint volumes by area of service
1720
1700
16
1680
28
Other*
1660
1640
33
Personal Injury
1620
1600
Employment matters
1631
Financial
products/services
1580
2015/16
Chart 2: Number of resolved complaints 2015/16 by area of service
Complaint volumes by area of service
2% 2%1%
Financial
products/services
Personal Injury
Other*
95%
Employment matters
Chart 3: Percentage of resolved complaints 2015/16 by area of service
*Other areas of service have been combined for analysis purposes. It includes:
accident management, criminal injuries, housing disrepair and industrial injuries.
Financial products and services accounted for 95% of CMC complaints resolved in
2015/16. This area of service can be broken down as follows.
Legal Ombudsman CMC Complaints data overview 2015/2016
3
Financial products breakdown (%)
1%
2%
PPI
Packaged bank
accounts
Mis-sold mortgages
Investments
Other
97%
What were complaints about?
We collect data to show what complaints the consumer has made about their service
provider. Consumers will often complain about more than one issue which means we
will always have more complaint types than cases. The most frequently complained
about areas are shown in Chart 4.
Nature of complaint for all CMC complaints
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
Failure to refund Delay/Failure to Failure to advise Unjustified fees Failure to keep
fees
progress
informed
Chart 4: Percentage of 5 most common complaint types received 2015/16 (shown as percentages of
all complaint types not of all complaints resolved)
Legal Ombudsman CMC Complaints data overview 2015/2016
4
Resolving complaints
How we closed complaints
There are two ways in which a case can be resolved by the Legal Ombudsman. An
informal resolution means that our investigator has been able to negotiate a
resolution which both parties are agreeable to. However if this does not happen a
case will be forwarded to an ombudsman who will make a final decision on the
complaint.
Cases may also be closed if the complaint is abandoned or withdrawn, or if it has
been dismissed as outside of our jurisdiction.
How cases were closed 2015/16
32%
36%
Ombudsman
Informal
Closed
32%
Chart 5: Percentage of how CMC cases were closed in 2015/16
Legal Ombudsman CMC Complaints data overview 2015/2016
5
Remedy bands 2015/16
Ombudsman's Decisions
Financial Remedies 2015/16
1%
14%
20%
£1 - 299
Between £300 and £999
£1,000 - £4,999
65%
£15,000 - £19,999
Chart 6: Ombudsman’s Decisions Remedies and Financial Remedies (this includes all types of
financial payment from compensation for loss, compensation for emotional impact, as well as refunds
or reductions of costs).
For CMC complaints, most financial remedies were between £300 and £999.
Legal Ombudsman CMC Complaints data overview 2015/2016