Authorities
You may also seek assistance from the following authorities:
The Finnish Consumer Agency and the Consumer Ombudsman
The Consumer Ombudsman oversees and promotes the legal protection of consumers, as well as supervising the marketing of financial services and the fairness of contractual terms. Financial services include different forms of investment undertaken by private households.
At his own discretion, the Consumer Ombudsman may also assist private consumers in a court of law. Anybody – a consumer, a self-employed person or an authority – may report for example false or misleading marketing or unfair contractual terms to the Ombudsman.
The Finnish Insurance Complaints Board
The Finnish Insurance Complaints Board reviews disputes over the interpretation and application of the law and policy terms arising from the contractual relationship between the insurer and the policyholder. The Board also, on request, issues opinions on voluntary insurance. The Board does not, however, review issues concerning workers' compensation insurance or patient insurance, while issues concerning third party motor insurance are reviewed by the Board only where special grounds are seen to exist.
The Board issues its opinion free of charge in the form of a recommended decision.
The Financial Supervisory Authority
The Financial Supervisory Authority (FIN-FSA) is the new authority for supervision of Finland’s financial and insurance sectors and, from 1 January 2009, responsible for most of the supervisory functions previously undertaken by the Financial Supervision Authority and the Insurance Supervisory Authority. The entities supervised by the new authority include banks, insurance and pension companies as well as other companies operating in the insurance sector, investment firms, fund management companies and the Helsinki Stock Exchange.
The FIN-FSA consumer helpline for users of banking, investment and insurance services.
Phone number 0800-0-5099 (free of charge, within Finland) Tuesdays, 9 to 10 am, and Thursdays, 2 to 3 pm.
General courts
In a civil dispute, only a court may issue a decision that is legally binding on you and your adversary. Disputes are often concerned with the contents or interpretation of customer contracts, or with the bank's, investment firm's or fund management company's potential liability for damages. In these cases you are advised to seek assistance from either a public legal aid attorney at your domicile, or other legal expert.
Updated 22 December 2009