Eligible SMEs with long-standing banking complaints must register their case with the BBRS before the Historical Scheme closes to new registrations on 14 February 2023. Professional services firms should also check to see if their current and previous clients’ banking disputes can be tackled.

The Historical Scheme has been open since the BBRS launched in February 2021 and covers banking complaints first registered in the period from 1 December 2001 to 31 March 2019. Businesses may qualify for support if they had turnover between £1 million and £6.5 million per annum at the time of their complaint, and their case has not already been settled, been subject to an independent review, or gone to court. This includes businesses which have since closed, merged or been sold.

SMEs can check whether the BBRS can help with their complaint by using our online tool: https://thebbrs.org/lets-see-if-we-can-help/

The BBRS will remain open following the closure of the Historical Scheme to process complaints already in the system and to receive new complaints for the Contemporary Scheme. The Contemporary Scheme reviews complaints relating to incidents (acts or omissions on the part of the bank) that took place on or after 1 April 2019.

Dirk Paterson, Customer Director at the BBRS said: “The BBRS’ Historical Scheme closes in 1 month on 14 February 2023, and we would like as many eligible SMEs as possible to make use of this free dispute resolution service. If you have a longstanding standing business banking complaint, we urge you to register this with us via our website – we are available by phone, online chat, call back service and email. The BBRS will remain open from 14 February 2023 so if you have a contemporary business banking complaint, please also get in touch with us and we’ll see if we can help.”

To register a complaint with the BBRS, visit: https://thebbrs.org/register