Martin Lewis

You do not have to accept the claims management firm as the adjudicator of what the get out of it contract fee is.

You have a right to go to the ombudsman.

There are two ombudsmen

Is it ombudsmen?

Is it ombudsmans?

I don't know.

You've got the claims management ombudsman, which is part of the financial ombudsman.

So that's for firms that are regulated by the FCA.

Then you've got the legal ombudsman, which is for firms regulated by the solicitor's regulation authority.

So you need to look at which is the regulating authority.

It shouldn't be this complicated.

Which is the regulating authority of your claims management firm?

And that's the one you'll complain to.

The template letter will help.

The firm should be telling you this if it rejects your complaint, which ombudsman to go to.

I mean, just as a side note, sorry, frustratingly, if you were passed from an FCA regulated claims firm to a solicitor, you may then need to complain separately to each firm and then go to both ombudsmen.

I know.

Either way, big picture on this.

If your claims management firm, you're not happy with it, you can complain and either get out of it for free if it misled you or get out of it for a reasonable fee if it didn't.

Do be aware, though, if you have to pay the fee, you'll have to pay the fee now.