Consumers hit by four-year delay as PPI complaints overwhelm Financial Ombudsman Service.Consumers caught up in the recent NatWest/ Royal Bank of Scotland computer meltdown had better hope their bank offers no-quibble refunds or they face an 18-month wait if they have to take their case to the Financial Ombudsman Service. Guardian Money has been told the organisation is still beset by long delays that have seen some claims take four years to resolve. This week, one small campaigning organisation from Nottingham which is in dispute with Lloyds TSB was told it would be at least another 12 months before an ombudsman would look at their case, four months after they first applied to the service. Part of the problem is that banks and other financial firms are increasingly appealing the initial rulings made by the FOS, which is adding to the delays caused by a tidal wave of payment protection insurance (PPI) claims that has swamped the service. There are even some unsubstantiated claims that the banks are using the long delays to persuade customers to settle disputes rather than take their complaint any further.....Read more here: Financial ombudsman swamped by PPI complaints deluge