FOS lead ombudsman challenges 'myth' of consumer favouritism

Caroline Mitchell speaks out

Scott Sinclair
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Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) lead ombudsman Caroline Mitchell has challenged the 'myth' its adjudicators are pre-disposed to finding in favour of the consumer when settling advice complaints.

"More often than not we do support the adviser," Mitchell (pictured) told advisers at a conference examining alternative investments in London on Thursday. Mitchell reiterated the FOS receives few advice complaints, pointing out it had only 850-odd open complaints related to unregulated collective investment schemes (UCIS) or non-mainstream pooled investments (NMPI) recommendations. This is against a rate of more than 4,000 new PPI gripes it receives each week. Mitchell said clearly communicating risk - and recording that this has taken place - remained the most important thing adv...

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