Complaints handling procedure

We regard a complaint as any expression of dissatisfaction about our action or lack of action, or about the standard of service provided by us or on our behalf. 

Who can complain

Anyone affected by something done by AiB, or who is unhappy with our actions or service can make a complaint to us, including the representative of someone who is unhappy with our service.

What can I complain about

You can complain about our actions, including something you think we should have done but have not done, or a delay in carrying out any of our functions.

You can complain about things like:

• treatment by, or attitude, of a member of our staff
• our actions as supervisor of insolvency practitioners in bankruptcies and protected trust deeds
• our actions as the trustee in a bankruptcy
• our actions as the administrator of the debt arrangement scheme
• our actions in carrying out reviews of decisions about bankruptcies and the debt arrangement scheme
• our policies or procedures

What can I not complain about

There are some things we cannot deal with through our complaints handling procedure. These include:

• routine queries about rules or procedures where nothing has gone wrong and where we are able to provide an answer to your query immediately. However, if you tell us you are unhappy about the rule or procedure itself or how it has been applied to you, we will treat it as a complaint
• decisions made by the courts or by AiB as an officer of the court, such as a decision to award bankruptcy or to appoint a trustee
• any other matter in which the law says that you have a right of appeal or statutory review. Where these rights exist, you must follow that process
• where we have decided under the laws around access to personal data, or freedom of information, or environmental information. If you are unhappy with how we have handled this type of request, you have a statutory right to review, and can complain to the Information Commissioner
• if you have a complaint about a bankruptcy that is being administered by one of the providers under the contracted-out insolvency services contract and are acting on behalf of AiB as trustee. You must first write to the provider detailing your complaint. If you are unhappy with the outcome, you can complain to AiB. AiB will not consider a complaint unless the provider has been given an opportunity to deal with it

If other procedures or rights of appeal can help you resolve your concerns, we will give information and advice to help you.

Complaints about insolvency practitioners

AiB has a general statutory duty to supervise trustees of bankruptcies and protected trust deeds and may investigate matters where there is reason to think that the trustee has failed, without reasonable excuse, to perform one of their statutory duties as a trustee.

You can complain to AiB if you think that a trustee has failed to carry out the duties properly. AiB will investigate complaints like this, but they are not complaints about AiB and are not handled under the AiB complaints procedure.

A trustee must be a licensed insolvency practitioner. You can make a complaint about an insolvency practitioner with their recognised professional body (RPB). Complaints to RPBs should be made using the Complaints Gateway on gov.uk.

The Insolvency Service provide further guidance on how to complain about an insolvency practitioner.