Mortgage and banking disputes fuel 30pc increase in consumer complaints

In its annual review of the 2007/08 financial year, the FOS handled 123,089 new complaints and a record 794,648 consumer enquiries. Mortgage and banking disputes more than tripled in total, with a ten-fold increase in complaints about charges on current accounts. Banks accounted for 59pc of the businesses complained about. Insurance disputes doubled, with a six-fold increase in complaints about payment protection insurance, and a growing number of disputes about motor and household insurance. Complaints about mortgage endowments fell by 70pc; a significant drop from earlier years, whe...