The ombudsman has been consulting on a proposed case fee for professional representatives, which would see them charged up to £250 to bring a case, reduced to £75 if the outcome is determined in favour of the consumer.
It has also streamlined the process for CMCs to submit client complaints, rolling out a new online form to gather all the required information in one place, helping allocate and investigate cases quicker.
Unsurprisingly, the industry that has grown fat on this latter day form of ambulance chasing, is strongly objecting to the proposed case fee, predictably claiming that it would penalise consumers.
The Association of Consumer Support Organisations says that it amounts to a stealth tax for consumers, with no mention of the threat to the considerable profits of its members that such a regime poses.
It acknowledges that there may be what it terms "unmeritorious claims", but asserts that CMCs are in the business of filtering these out.
Given the quantity and tone of the adverts that consumers are subject to on a daily basis, many would beg to disagree.
Lenders and the bulk of consumers can only hope the Fos does not buckle in the face of such questionable objections and water down what most would agree are pretty moderate proposals.
David Wylie is commercial director of Lending Metrics
