Guidance

How to complain about an insolvency practitioner

Updated 23 December 2025

If you have a concern about an Insolvency Practitioner (IP), the complaints process works in 3 stages:

Complain directly to the IP

Start by raising your complaint with the IP themselves. Many issues can be resolved at this stage.

Submit a complaint to the IP Complaints Gateway

If you are not satisfied with the IP’s response, you can escalate your complaint to the IP Complaints Gateway. The Gateway will review whether this is a disciplinary matter and if it should be referred to the relevant Recognised Professional Body (RPB).

Referral to an RPB for investigation

If the Gateway decides that your complaint may lead to disciplinary action, it will pass the details to the appropriate RPB. The RPB will then carry out its own investigation.

1. Will the Gateway consider my complaint?

If you’re dissatisfied with the conduct of an authorised IP in Great Britain and Northern Ireland, or others acting on their behalf, you can complain to the Gateway.

We receive complaints from customers, consumers, creditors, employees, directors, shareholders, and others. However, there are some matters which the Gateway cannot consider.

2. What complaints will the Gateway be unable to consider?

The Gateway cannot consider complaints if:

1. You disagree with a decision in an insolvency case.  You’ll usually need to challenge a decision or action taken through the Court. 

2. It’s a commercial or legal dispute within the insolvency proceedings. 

3. It’s not about an IP. For example, complaints about solicitors, auditors or accountants who are not acting for an IP.          

4. It’s about an IP doing work that isn’t insolvency related. For example, acting as Law of Property Act (LPA) Receiver.   

5. The issue is more than 3 years old. If you first became aware of the matter over 3 years ago, we can’t consider it.     
                                                                                                                            
6. It’s about an Official Receiver or Insolvency Service staff. These complaints follow a different process.                            
7. You’ve already complained about this to the Accountant in Bankruptcy (Scotland).

3. Why might the Gateway be unable to consider my complaint?

The Gateway might be unable to consider your complaint if:

1. You haven’t given the IP a fair chance to respond. You’ll need to show that you raised the issue with the IP before coming to the Gateway and gave them a chance to resolve the issue.

2. You previously submitted a complaint to the Gateway. The Gateway will not consider the same complaint again, unless you can provide new evidence which was not previously given to the Gateway.

4. What do you mean by commercial and legal disputes within insolvency proceedings?

IPs are required to take action such as recovering assets, considering creditors’ claims and enforcing terms of the insolvency proceedings.

These include matters, amongst others, which are commercial and legal in nature and are viewed by the Gateway as commercial disputes and/or legal disputes.

If you are unhappy with an IP taking steps to recover money or property from you (or someone else), you’ll usually need to challenge it through the Court, rather than addressing them through the Gateway process. 

You should consider seeking independent legal advice before taking any Court action.

5. Will my complaint lead to me receiving compensation?

No. This complaints process does not lead to an IP paying compensation for any financial loss you believe you’ve suffered. If you’re seeking compensation, you will need to consider seeking legal advice.

6. Will my complaint lead to changes in my/the insolvency case?

No. Such actions can only be considered upon application to the Courts.

7. Why should I complain?

Making a complaint helps maintain the strong regulatory and professional standards that IPs must follow. Your complaint can highlight potential breaches of those standards and support the bodies that oversee IPs in taking action where necessary.

8. Why can’t I complain directly to the RPB?

The RPBs have agreed that complaints should be made firstly to this single Gateway which is operated by the Insolvency Service. It provides consistency and certainty for all customers.                                  

If a complaint is sent directly to an RPB, they will pass it to the Gateway.

9. I’ve never spoken to the IP. Can I still complain?

Yes. If you have followed the IP’s formal complaint process, and can provide evidence of this, the Gateway can consider your complaint.

10. What do I need to do to allow the Gateway to consider my complaint?

If your complaint is one which the Gateway can consider, you will need to provide evidence that you have formally complained to the IP and allowed a fair amount of time for them to respond.

If you can provide evidence to support your complaint (see point 12), you can complete and submit the online complaint form.                                                                                                                       

If you can’t access the online form, contact the Insolvency Service Enquiry Line at insolvency.enquiryline@insolvency.gov.uk or call 0300 678 0015 to discuss other ways you can submit the form.

11. What will the Gateway do with my complaint?

Based on the information and evidence you have provided, the Gateway will consider if the complaint concerns conduct that is likely to lead to disciplinary action by the RPB.
Within 15 business days, the Gateway will either:

• send the information on to the RPB for further consideration, or
• tell you that your complaint has been rejected

12. What will happen if I cannot provide evidence to support my complaint?

If you cannot provide evidence, the Gateway will be unable to refer your complaint to an RPB. RPBs can only investigate if you provide evidence supporting your complaint against the IP. This will need to include:

• your formal complaint to the IP, and their reply
• any relevant letters, documents, or further correspondence with the IP or their staff

13. Should I send the Gateway all the documents I have?

The Gateway does not conduct a full investigation into your complaint. Instead it provides an initial assessment of the complaint to decide whether it should be referred to the relevant RPB.

The Gateway can assess your complaint more effectively if you send it the most relevant documentation.

14. I’ve complained to the IP. Why won’t the Gateway open my complaint?

The IP should have the chance to resolve your formal complaint first. If, after a reasonable timeframe  they have not responded or their response does not resolve your concerns, the Gateway can then open your complaint.

The Gateway’s position on the reasonableness of the time taken for an IP to respond will be based, where applicable, on the IP’s published complaints process,

15. Won’t the Gateway secure evidence to support my complaint?

No. The responsibility for providing evidence falls on you as the complainant. The Gateway will not interact with the IP or third parties to secure evidence. It can access open source documentation, for example Companies House filings. 

16. Can a third party submit a complaint on my behalf?

Yes. If someone submits a complaint for you, they must provide your written or emailed consent. Case details may be shared with them. We’ll also request their contact information for verification.

17. What will happen if the complaint is passed on to the RPB?

When a complaint is referred to an RPB through the Gateway, each RPB has its own disciplinary and complaints process. They will tell you the next steps and what updates you will receive.

18. What will happen if the RPB’s complaint is upheld?

Any outcome from an RPB applies only to the IP involved and depends on the case facts. RPBs use the Common Sanctions Guidance (CSG) framework to determine the type and level of any sanction or financial penalty.

This can include an IP being reprimanded, severely reprimanded or having their licence withdrawn.

19. How can I challenge the Gateway’s decision?

The Gateway will not reassess a complaint. However, it will consider any new evidence or new matters of concern you raise.

There is no appeal against a Gateway decision.                                             

If your complaint is not referred, you can still consider a Court application.

As explained in point 4, a Court application may help you to achieve the outcome you wanted. For example, if you are seeking to challenge, or change, an outcome within a specific insolvency case.

20. What can I do if I don’t think the Gateway dealt with my complaint in line with its published procedures?

The Gateway is provided by the Insolvency Service. If you think we have not met appropriate standards you can follow our complaints process.                                       

This process cannot overturn the Gateway’s decision. However, if any procedural irregularities are found, the matter may be returned to the Gateway for further review.

21. Can I complain about how the RPB handled my complaint?

Yes, but only after the RPB has completed its investigation and you’ve used all the steps in their process to challenge or escalate the outcome.
Once you’ve completed all the steps in the RPB’s process, you can raise your concerns with the Insolvency Service. Guidance on what you can do at this stage is available in Making a complaint about an Insolvency Practitioner’s Recognised Professional Body (RPB).

22. Who are the RPBs?

The RPBs are:

• Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW)
• Insolvency Practitioners Association (IPA)
• Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS)

23. What is the CSG?

All RPBs use the Common Sanctions Guidance (CSG) when an IP’s actions or errors warrant disciplinary action. The CSG sets out possible sanctions for proven misconduct or breaches after an RPB investigation.

The CSG helps to ensure consistent outcomes across RPBs. This can help you to understand the types of sanctions that may apply for specific breaches. 

24. On what basis does the Gateway operate? 

The Gateway service is provided in agreement with the RPBs to provide a single point gateway through which complaints about IPs can be made.  It ensures that complaints are dealt with consistently and provides certainty for all customers.