Consumer Complaints and Escalation

Why this is on a data and AI site: a complaint file holds personal data, and the DPDP Act adds its own grievance duty. From 13 May 2027 you must run a grievance system and publish a response period not exceeding ninety days (Section 8(10), Rule 14(3)). Finance complaint routes sit on top of that duty.

If you run a financial product in India, grievance redressal is not a courtesy feature — it's a duty. You must let every customer find your complaint channel without hunting for it. Once a customer complains, they are entitled to a written response within a defined time. Pending confirmation

Complain to the firm first

Complain to your bank, NBFC or payment provider first, in writing, and keep the reference number.

Law (banks with 10 or more banking outlets in India on 31 March 2025): the bank must send you its final decision within 30 days of getting your complaint (Commercial Banks – Internal Ombudsman Directions, 2026, clause 14(9); applicability in clause 3(1)). Wait for that decision, or for the 30 days to pass, before you escalate.

Before the RBI Ombudsman, there is an Internal Ombudsman

On 14 January 2026 the RBI issued Internal Ombudsman Directions for commercial banks, NBFCs and other firms. For a covered bank:

• It must run a fully automated complaints system. Complaints it partly resolves or rejects go up to its Internal Ombudsman automatically (clause 14(1)).
• It may record a decision only as Fully Resolved, Partially Resolved or Wholly Rejected (clause 14(2)).
• The same branch or unit cannot close the complaint (clause 14(4)).
• If the Internal Ombudsman also rejects or partly resolves it, the bank must tell you that you can go to the RBI Ombudsman (clause 14(12)).

Clauses 7(2), 14(2) and 14(4) had to be in place by 30 June 2026; the rest applied at once (clause 1(2)). NBFCs have their own Directions with their own coverage test.

Source: RBI/CEPD/2025-26/381, CEPD.PRD.No.S1027/13.01.019/2025-26, 14 January 2026, opened on rbi.org.in on 9 October 2026. Status checked 2026-10-09.

How to escalate to the RBI Ombudsman

If the firm does not resolve your complaint, you can take it to the RBI Ombudsman under the Reserve Bank – Integrated Ombudsman Scheme. File at cms.rbi.org.in. Pending confirmation

We have not read the Scheme itself, so check the RBI site before relying on any detail here.

For product teams, this comes down to three concrete assets:

• A visible complaint channel.
• A service level for responses that you actually enforce.
• Standard language telling the customer what to do next when the response isn't enough.