There are hundreds of different ways to borrow, save or invest and, once you step beyond the doors of your high street bank, the financial world can look very daunting - even finding out where you can go to get expert advice isn't as simple as it could be.

There are, however, a good number of government and non-government bodies you can turn to for advice, guidance and protection and many of these organisations are accessible on the Internet.

Banking

The British Bankers' Association (BBA) website has answers to some common questions about such topics as bank and interest charges, how to move your account to another bank and where to go if you've got a complaint.

The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) can help you resolve a complaint you might have against your bank. The service is free and the Ombudsman has the power to award damages to you, if appropriate. If you don't feel your complaint has been resolved satisfactorily, you still have the right to go to court.

Credit

The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has pages in the consumer advice section of its website which cover issues like buying on credit, cancelling a credit agreement and getting extra protection when you're buying on credit.

The OFT site also gives contact details for the two main credit reference agencies in the UK and and explain how they work, the sort of information they might keep about you and what rights you have if you are refused credit.

Investments

The Financial Services Authority (FSA) website provides information and advice on financial products and services, including a range of user-friendly factsheets and booklets available online or free from the FSA leaflet line (freephone 0800 917 3311). The website provides advice on how to check with the FSA Central Register that a company is authorised to do investment business, guidance on what to do if you want to make a complaint about a financial services company or how to get compensation if a company cannot meet its liabilities.

Mortgages

Buying a home for the first time? The chances are that you will need a mortgage.

The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) is the trade association for mortgage lenders in the UK, including banks, building societies and other residential mortgage lenders. The CML's website has a useful list of leaflets and factsheets which can give you guidance on topics like how to buy a home, tax and home buying and how to get help if you have trouble paying your mortgage.

The Mortgage Code Compliance Board (MCCB) website has details of the Mortgage Code which provides valuable safeguards for customers, helping them understand how lenders and brokers are expected to deal with them.

The Building Societies Ombudsman (BSO), Millbank Tower, Millbank, London SW1P 4XS, Tel: 020 7931 0044, considers complaints against UK building societies and their associated bodies, including complaints about mortgages and other loans.

The Financial Ombudsman Service can consider complaints against banks, and the mortgage code arbitration scheme, operated by the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators can consider complaints against mortgage lenders which are not building societies or banks.

Pensions and life insurance

The FSA has published on its website a series of user-friendly factsheets and booklets covering such areas as choosing a pension, boosting your occupational pension, getting financial advice and individual savings accounts (isas). there is also advice on what to do if you think you have been mis-sold a personal pension. All of the FSA's consumer publications are available free from the FSA leaflet line (freephone 0845 606 1234).

The Association of British Insurers (ABI)'s consumer information website can give you information and help on all the different kinds of pensions and life insurance policies you can get and where you can go for expert advice.

Last updated:19 March 2004