bcsbi.org.in Lodge Complaint Against Bank : Banking Codes & Standards Board of India

Organization : Banking Codes & Standards Board of India
Service Name : Lodge Complaint Against Bank
Country: India

Website : http://www.bcsbi.org.in/GrievanceRedressal.html

Grievance Redressal:
To get your grievance redressed, this is what you must do:
Lodge a complaint, in writing, with the branch concerned.

If your grievance is not redressed at the branch, you may approach the higher authorities of the bank (Regional / Zonal Manager) whose contact details should be available at the branch.

If you do not receive a reply within 30 days of lodging your complaint with the bank or you are not satisfied with the reply, you may approach the Banking Ombudsman under whose jurisdiction the branch falls. The contact details of the Banking Ombudsman should be available at the branch as also at www.bankingombudsman.rbi.org.in

Banking Codes and Standards Board of India endeavours to bring about systemic changes in the member banks so as to ensure that these banks will at the minimum, render banking services as committed in terms of the Codes. BCSBI does not deal with individual complaints.

Banking Ombudsman Scheme:
1. What is the Banking Ombudsman Scheme?:
The Banking Ombudsman Scheme enables an expeditious and inexpensive forum to bank customers for resolution of complaints relating to certain services rendered by banks. The Banking Ombudsman Scheme is introduced under Section 35 A of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 by RBI with effect from 1995.

2. Who is a Banking Ombudsman?:
The Banking Ombudsman is a senior official appointed by the Reserve Bank of India to redress customer complaints against deficiency in certain banking services.

3. How many Banking Ombudsmen have been appointed and where are they located?:
As on date, fifteen Banking Ombudsmen have been appointed with their offices located mostly in state capitals. The addresses and contact details of the Banking Ombudsman offices have been provided in the annex.

4. Which are the banks covered under the Banking Ombudsman Scheme, 2006?:
All Scheduled Commercial Banks, Regional Rural Banks and Scheduled Primary Co-operative Banks are covered under the Scheme.

5. What are the grounds of complaints?:
The Banking Ombudsman can receive and consider any complaint relating to the following deficiency in banking services (including internet banking):
** non-payment or inordinate delay in the payment or collection of cheques, drafts, bills etc.;
** non-acceptance, without sufficient cause, of small denomination notes tendered for any purpose, and for charging of commission in respect thereof;
** non-acceptance, without sufficient cause, of coins tendered and for charging of commission in respect thereof;
** non-payment or delay in payment of inward remittances ;
** failure to issue or delay in issue of drafts, pay orders or bankers’ cheques;
** non-adherence to prescribed working hours ;
** failure to provide or delay in providing a banking facility (other than loans and advances) promised in writing by a bank or its direct selling agents;
** delays, non-credit of proceeds to parties accounts, non-payment of deposit or non-observance of the Reserve Bank directives, if any, applicable to rate of interest on deposits in any savings,current or other account maintained with a bank ;
** complaints from Non-Resident Indians having accounts in India in relation to their remittances from abroad, deposits and other bank-related matters;
** refusal to open deposit accounts without any valid reason for refusal;
** levying of charges without adequate prior notice to the customer;
** non-adherence by the bank or its subsidiaries to the instructions of Reserve Bank on ATM/Debit card operations or credit card operations;
** non-disbursement or delay in disbursement of pension (to the extent the grievance can be attributed to the action on the part of the bank concerned, but not with regard to its employees);
** refusal to accept or delay in accepting payment towards taxes, as required by Reserve Bank/Government;
** refusal to issue or delay in issuing, or failure to service or delay in servicing or redemption of Government securities;
** forced closure of deposit accounts without due notice or without sufficient reason;
** refusal to close or delay in closing the accounts;
** non-adherence to the fair practices code as adopted by the bank or non-adherence to the provisions of the Code of Bank s Commitments to Customers issued by Banking Codes and Standards Board of India and as adopted by the bank ;
** non-observance of Reserve Bank guidelines on engagement of recovery agents by banks; and
** any other matter relating to the violation of the directives issued by the Reserve Bank in relation to banking or other services.

A customer can also lodge a complaint on the following grounds of deficiency in service with respect to loans and advances :
** non-observance of Reserve Bank Directives on interest rates;
** delays in sanction, disbursement or non-observance of prescribed time schedule for disposal of loan applications;
** non-acceptance of application for loans without furnishing valid reasons to the applicant; and
** non-adherence to the provisions of the fair practices code for lenders as adopted by the bank or Code of Bank’s Commitment to Customers, as the case may be;
** non-observance of any other direction or instruction of the Reserve Bank as may be specified by the Reserve Bank for this purpose from time to time.

The Banking Ombudsman may also deal with such other matter as may be specified by the Reserve Bank from time to time.

6. When can one file a complaint?:
One can file a complaint before the Banking Ombudsman if the reply is not received from the bank within a period of one month after the bank concerned has received one s representation, or the bank rejects the complaint, or if the complainant is not satisfied with the reply given by the bank.

7. When will one s complaint not be considered by the Ombudsman ?:
One s complaint will not be considered if:
a. One has not approached his bank for redressal of his grievance first.
b. One has not made the complaint within one year from the date one has received the reply of the bank or if no reply is received if it is more than one year and one month from the date of representation to the bank.
c. The subject matter of the complaint is pending for disposal / has already been dealt with at any other forum like court of law, consumer court etc.
d. Frivolous or vexatious.
e. The institution complained against is not covered under the scheme.
f. The subject matter of the complaint is not within the ambit of the Banking Ombudsman.
g. If the complaint is for the same subject matter that was settled through the office of the Banking Ombudsman in any previous proceedings.

8. What is the procedure for filing the complaint before the Banking Ombudsman?:
One can file a complaint with the Banking Ombudsman simply by writing on a plain paper. One can also file it online (at “click here to go to Banking Ombudsman scheme” or by sending an email to the Banking Ombudsman. There is a form along with details of the scheme in our website.However, it is not necessary to use this format.

9. Where can one lodge his/her complaint?:
One may lodge his/ her complaint at the office of the Banking Ombudsman under whose jurisdiction, the bank branch complained against is situated.

For complaints relating to credit cards and other types of services with centralized operations, complaints may be filed before the Banking Ombudsman within whose territorial jurisdiction the billing address of the customer is located.

Address and area of operation of the banking ombudsmen are provided in the annex.

10.Can a complaint be filed by one s authorized representative?:
Yes. The complainant can be filed by one s authorized representative (other than an advocate).