FSA extends PPI complaint deadline

The FSA has extended by five months the time customers can make complaints to the Ombudsman over purchasing payment protection insurance(PPI).

The introduction of the temporary rule - which suspends the existing six-month time limit for referring complaints to the ombudsman - comes into effect today and will run for five months until 27 October.

It applies to recent PPI complainants who have already been sent a final response from a firm between 28 November 2009 and 28 April 2010.

"This action has been taken to ensure recent PPI complainants are not disadvantaged by running out of time to refer their complaint to the Ombudsman while the FSA works to resolve a long term solution to ensure customers are treated consistently and fairly when complaining about the sale of a PPI policy, or when buying a new one," says the regulator.