Which banks are best at dealing with ombud complaints?

18 November 2022 - 20:05
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Capitec and Discovery Bank have been found to be the two best banks at dealing with complaints lodged with the ombudsman for banking services.
Capitec and Discovery Bank have been found to be the two best banks at dealing with complaints lodged with the ombudsman for banking services.
Image: 123RF/SCAN RAIL

If you’re unhappy with the way your bank has treated you, and you lodge a complaint with the ombudsman for banking services (OBS), which bank is most likely do the most to resolve the complaint fairly?

Based on their 2022 performance, of the big banks that’s Capitec and of the smaller banks, it’s Discovery Bank, according to the OBS.

The OBS revealed that on Friday at a function in Johannesburg, its findings being based on the quality of the bank team's written responses to specific complaints, their response times and the overall fairness of their responses.

It was a first-time win for both banks.

“Our office is uniquely positioned to understand the dynamics involved in resolving bank related disputes,” said ombudsman Reana Steyn.

Steyn said due to the uniqueness of the complaints received, investigated and resolved by the OBS, each matter was decided on its own merits and the effort required to address the complaints sometimes differed.

“The amendments to certain laws and regulatory frameworks make up this variance. It’s vital that we celebrate banks that go out of their way to resolve disputes in a fair and equitable manner.

“We set measurable standards for the banks which reflect our values to enable us to honour our promise to deliver free, impartial and speedy dispute resolutions.”

The OBS also celebrates an individual in each banking category who stood out in terms of dispute resolution by going out of their way to ensure that complaints were quickly and “appropriately” resolved.

This year’s winners were Shalan Rampiara from Standard Bank in the big bank category and Investec’s Aisha Laher in the smaller bank category.

“These disputes are stressful, and recognition needs to be given to individuals who not only put their best effort into resolving disputes but take special care to constantly communicate with complainants,” Steyn said.

A special award was presented to Brett Erasmus of FNB for his exceptional contribution towards bank customer dispute resolution.

 GET IN TOUCH: You can contact Wendy Knowler for advice with your consumer issues via e-mail: consumer@knowler.co.za or on Twitter: @wendyknowler.

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