FOS - ignored details on form

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I lodged a complaint over the phone with Halifax in early May and obtained a reference number. Halifax failed to issue any correspondence or response to the complaint and after more than eight weeks I referred the complaint to the FOS. I received back a letter saying I must first take up the matter with Halifax and my complaint had been referred back to Halifax for handling. I phoned the case handler and he said that because I had not included the final response or any other evidence of making the complaint, he wasn't going to take the complaint forward. This despite me saying that I hadn't received the response within the eight-week period, nor anything else at all.

 

Halifax is proceeding to re-ignore my complaint (assuming it was ever sent back to them in the first place). Any ideas on what to do next?

[ims21]

Write to FOS with the reference number you received for the initial complaint and the date on which you received that reference number.

 

Tell them that the bank have 8 weeks to investigate a complain and give you a final decision. If they fail to do that within the time scale, you are entitled to refer the matter to fos.

 

Tell them that you are surprised by their response that they will not open a file on this matter since the bank are clearly outside the time scale for issuing a response.

 

If you know the name of the person you spoke to at fos, name them in the letter and say that you wish to escalate this complaint since not only arte the bank not responding to a formal complaint but also it would appear that fos are trying to fob you off.

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In the event, I forgot about this for a couple of weeks due to being away and subsequently ill, and today Halifax rang me to offer £20 distress and inconvenience payment and say they will send a final response in the post.

 

It appears that my complaint had been marked as closed on the date I raised it, by the original customer service person. I wonder is this a habit they have in order to avoid complaints becoming reportable as I understand the FCA doesn't count complaints that are closed by the end of the working day after they're raised?