Useful Contacts & Resources
All the key contacts in one place.
Ombudsman Services (Free Dispute Resolution)
| Service | Covers | Website | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) | Banks, lenders, insurers, investments | financial-ombudsman.org.uk | 0800 023 4567 |
| Energy Ombudsman | Gas & electricity suppliers | energyombudsman.org | 0330 440 1624 |
| Ombudsman Services: Communications | Broadband, phone, TV | ombudsman-services.org/communications | 0330 440 1614 |
| CISAS | Telecoms (alternative to above) | cedr.com/consumer/cisas | 020 7520 3827 |
| Housing Ombudsman | Social housing landlords | housing-ombudsman.org.uk | 0300 111 3000 |
| Property Ombudsman | Estate agents, letting agents | tpos.co.uk | 01onal722 333306 |
| Rail Ombudsman | Train companies | railombudsman.org | 0330 094 0362 |
| IBAS | Betting & gambling | ibas-uk.com | 020 7347 5883 |
Regulators
| Regulator | Covers | Website |
|---|---|---|
| FCA (Financial Conduct Authority) | Financial services | fca.org.uk |
| Ofcom | Telecoms, broadband, post | ofcom.org.uk |
| Ofgem | Energy | ofgem.gov.uk |
| ICO (Information Commissioner) | Data protection | ico.org.uk |
| Gambling Commission | Gambling | gamblingcommission.gov.uk |
| CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) | Airlines | caa.co.uk |
Compensation Schemes
| Scheme | Covers | Website |
|---|---|---|
| FSCS | Failed financial firms (up to Ā£85k) | fscs.org.uk |
| Pension Protection Fund | Failed pension schemes | ppf.co.uk |
Government Services
| Service | What For | Website |
|---|---|---|
| Money Claim Online (MCOL) | Small claims court | moneyclaim.gov.uk |
| GOV.UK | Official government guidance | gov.uk |
| Marriage Allowance | Transfer tax allowance | gov.uk/marriage-allowance |
| Personal Tax Account | Check tax, claim refunds | gov.uk/personal-tax-account |
| VOA (Council Tax) | Challenge council tax band | gov.uk/council-tax-bands |
| Action Fraud | Report fraud | actionfraud.police.uk |
Tenancy Deposit Schemes
| Scheme | Website |
|---|---|
| TDS (Tenancy Deposit Scheme) | tenancydepositscheme.com |
| DPS (Deposit Protection Service) | depositprotection.com |
| MyDeposits | mydeposits.co.uk |
Parking Appeals
| Body | Covers | Website |
|---|---|---|
| Traffic Penalty Tribunal | Council tickets (England outside London) | trafficpenaltytribunal.gov.uk |
| POPLA | Private parking (BPA members) | popla.co.uk |
| IAS | Private parking (IPC members) | theias.org |
Free Advice Services
| Service | What They Offer | Website |
|---|---|---|
| Citizens Advice | Free advice on all topics | citizensadvice.org.uk |
| Money Helper | Financial guidance | moneyhelper.org.uk |
| StepChange | Debt advice | stepchange.org |
| National Debtline | Debt advice | nationaldebtline.org |
| Shelter | Housing advice | shelter.org.uk |
| LEASE | Leasehold advice | lease-advice.org |
Credit Reference Agencies
Check your credit file for free:
| Agency | Free Access |
|---|---|
| Experian | experian.co.uk |
| Equifax | equifax.co.uk |
| TransUnion | transunion.co.uk |
| ClearScore | clearscore.com (uses Equifax) |
| Credit Karma | creditkarma.co.uk (uses TransUnion) |
AI Tools (Free)
| Tool | Best For | Website |
|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | General drafting, explanations | chat.openai.com |
| Claude | Longer documents, reasoning | claude.ai |
| Gemini | Google integration, quick answers | gemini.google.com |
| Copilot | Web search, Microsoft integration | copilot.microsoft.com |
| Perplexity | Research with citations | perplexity.ai |
Useful Websites
| Website | What It Offers |
|---|---|
| MoneySavingExpert | Consumer guides, template letters |
| Which? | Consumer rights advice |
| Resolver | Free complaint tool |
| FCA Register | Check if firm is authorised |