Deadlock Letter
A deadlock letter (also called a final response letter) is a written statement from a company confirming that a complaint has reached an impasse and that it cannot resolve the matter to the complainant's satisfaction. Receiving a deadlock letter (or waiting eight weeks from the initial complaint) typically triggers the right to refer a complaint to an ombudsman such as the Energy Ombudsman or Financial Ombudsman Service.
A deadlock letter (also called a final response letter) is issued when a company has concluded its internal complaints process without satisfactorily resolving the matter. In regulated sectors such as energy, financial services, and communications, firms must issue a final response within 8 weeks of receiving a complaint. The letter must inform you of your right to refer to the relevant ombudsman or ADR scheme. Once received, you typically have 6 months to refer to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FCA-regulated firms), or the timeframe specified by the applicable scheme. If no final response arrives within 8 weeks, treat the complaint as deadlocked and refer directly. Keep all correspondence dated — missing the referral window means losing your right to free ombudsman review.
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A deadlock letter — sometimes called a final response letter — is a formal written notice from a company stating that it has reached the end of its internal complaints process and cannot offer any further resolution. Receiving one is important: it is your trigger to escalate the complaint to an ombudsman without waiting the usual 8 weeks.
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