Overall complaints numbered 3149 and the report noted that financial hardship was a recurring theme in the Banking Ombudsman Scheme's latest annual report released this morning. Covid heightened the need to give customers financial hardship support and other forms of help, she said. The report said when hardship complaints started to rise with the Covid outbreak, the Banking Ombudsman developed new policies that saw half of hardship complaints resolved within 20 working days. It gives the example of "Naomi" who lost her job and requested hardship assistance for her $10,000 bank credit card debt. Complaints involving financial hardship or difficulty should be responded to promptly, and with clear and careful communication.

Source: New Zealand Herald September 05, 2021 17:00 UTC