They said this… · Complaints & ombudsmen

“You must accept our goodwill payment before you can escalate”

Generally incorrect

An organisation cannot generally make access to an external statutory/ADR complaint route depend on accepting settlement of the dispute.

Not sure which right applies? Check your situation →

Why this answer

What actually matters

  • A full-and-final settlement can affect what remains to escalate if accepted.
  • An unconditional payment is different from a settlement offer requiring acceptance.
  • Check the scheme’s own eligibility rules.

What you could say

Keep the response tied to the actual rule.

Evidence

What to have beside you

  • Original complaint with numbered issues
  • Final response or decision
  • Chronology and evidence index
  • A comparison showing which issues were answered, partly answered or omitted

If they still refuse

Move the dispute forward.

  1. Separate disagreement with an outcome from a factual/process error in how it was reached.
  2. Check the scheme’s jurisdiction, time limits and internal review/challenge route before escalating.
  3. Do not assume a regulator and an ombudsman perform the same function.

Read the full rules

Go deeper before escalating.

Primary guideRead the detailed ConsumerWise guidance.Failure-to-answer analysisRead the full guide.Challenging a decisionRead the full guide.How ombudsmen workRead the full guide.