A practical guide on how to file a complaint against a Bank

One of the most essential gears in the banking mechanism is customer care. No bank in the history of its existence would want a customer to withdraw their account. Maintaining an excellent customer relationship is a priority. That being said, it isn’t always necessary that the customer is happy and satisfied with the services. Learn about when, where, and how to file a complaint against a bank.

When can you file a bank complaint?

Failure to refund a failed transaction, if the bank refuses to change soiled currency, loan related issues, non-adherence to working hours, any matter related to ATM, credit and debit cards or net banking and so on. For any incident where a bank has wronged you, you can complain.

How to file a complaint against a bank?

Register the complaint with your bank

All banks, big or small, have an extensive customer care routine. The time of redressal varies from bank to bank, depending on the size and urgency of your issue. You can call on your bank’s toll-free number or send an email to them. Some banks also provide online tools to register your complaint.

If you receive no redressal from the customer care, contact the nodal officer. In case your complaint still hasn’t been addressed within 10 days, you can contact the principal nodal officer.

Must Read: How to file a complaint against SBI?

File a complaint with the banking ombudsman

If your bank has not provided you with any form of redressal after 30 days of filing a complaint, you can approach the banking ombudsman. The banking ombudsman is appointed by the RBI and no fee is charged to file a complaint with them.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has launched an online portal that helps you to file a complaint against a bank from the convenience of your home. The complaint will directly reach the ombudsman or the regional office of RBI. This CMS (Complaint management system) will help in quicker redressals even though the form is lengthy, requiring lots of detailed information.

In a situation where the redressal provided by the banking ombudsman is not satisfactory, you can contact the appellate authority (RBI’s deputy governor) within 30 days.

Can the banking ombudsman reject a complaint?

Your bank complaint can be rejected by the banking ombudsman if you have not registered the complaint with your bank first. They can also reject it if –

more than one year has passed since you last contacted the bank, or
you are already waiting for a verdict about the matter in the court.

Before you get all worked up about the long procedures, know that you can file a complaint, escalate and manage it with Resolver. It’s free, it’s easy and all you have to do is submit your complaint with us!

Written by Nishtha Sethi