Complaints and the RBI Ombudsman
Complain to the lender in writing first. If 30 days pass without a satisfactory answer, the RBI Ombudsman is free and takes complaints online.
Verified context. Sources last checked
emi.me cannot take up a dispute with a lender for you. The official route can, and it costs nothing.
The scheme
The Reserve Bank - Integrated Ombudsman Scheme, 2026 came into force on 1 July 2026. RBI’s FAQ states: “RB-IOS, 2026 replaces the Reserve Bank - Integrated Ombudsman Scheme, 2021.”
The steps
- Complain to the lender first, in writing. Keep a copy and note the date.
- Wait up to 30 days. You can go to the Ombudsman if the lender rejects the complaint, replies unsatisfactorily, or you have “not received any reply within 30 days”.
- File within 90 days after that. The FAQ gives the window as “within 90 days from the date on which the above timeline expires or the date of the last communication from the concerned Regulated Entity, whichever is later.”
- File online, by email or by post. “Online: through the CMS portal at https://cms.rbi.org.in.” The FAQ also gives an email address, crpc@rbi.org.in, and a postal address for the Centralised Receipt and Processing Centre in Chandigarh.
What it costs
Nothing. “There is no charge or fee for filing or resolving complaints under RB-IOS, 2026.” You do not need an agent or a lawyer.
Who is covered
According to the FAQ: commercial banks, regional rural banks, state and central co-operative banks, scheduled urban co-operative banks and larger non-scheduled ones, many NBFCs, non-bank prepaid payment issuers, and credit information companies. For NBFCs the FAQ refers to those with “customer interface with asset size of Rs 100 crore and above”.
Housing finance companies are not covered. The FAQ describes coverage as “all NBFCs registered with RBI, excluding Housing Finance Companies, Core Investment Companies” and certain others. We did not verify where customers of housing finance companies should complain, so we do not say.
What the Ombudsman can award
The FAQ says the Ombudsman may award “compensation up to Rs 30 lakh”, and in addition “up to Rs 3 lakh for loss of the complainant’s time, expenses incurred, harassment / mental anguish”.
Help by phone
“The IVRS facility on Toll Free No. 14448 is available 24x7.”
What we could not confirm
We could not open the complaints portal itself or the full Scheme document when preparing this page; both are cited in RBI’s own FAQ and press release, which is what we relied on. Check the portal address against rbi.org.in before entering personal details anywhere.
Sources
- Frequently Asked Questions: Reserve Bank - Integrated Ombudsman Scheme, 2026. Reserve Bank of India, July 2026. All details on this page come from this FAQ. We could not open the Scheme text itself.
- Press release on the Reserve Bank - Integrated Ombudsman Scheme, 2026. Reserve Bank of India, 16 January 2026.
Quotations are from these documents as retrieved on 10 November 2026. Paragraph numbers shift when RBI updates a Direction, so we cite sections by name. This page is general information, not legal advice. For your own loan, the agreement and the lender's written reply are what count.