The PPI countdown clock is ticking – here is what you need to know about making a claim.

– When is the PPI deadline?

The deadline for complaining to financial firms is August 29 2019. The cut-off point is at the end of the day – at 11.59pm.

– How can I get in touch with a firm?

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has firms’ contact details on its website.

Many firms also have complaints tools on their websites.

With time running out, bear in mind phone lines may be busy.

If you complain by post, you need to leave time for it to be received by the deadline. You may want to use a tracked postage service to show that it was.

– Complaining sounds like it could be a hassle. Should I bother?

It may be easier than you think – and you could get a handy windfall to plug holes in your finances caused by summer holidays or to start a Christmas savings pot.

You could use a claims management firm, but they will take a chunk of any payout – and there is a lot of free help available – such as a guide on the MoneySavingExpert.com website -https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/ppi-loan-insurance/.

– Can’t I just leave it until the last minute?

There is always the risk that a website could go down or a phone line has closed for the day or you just cannot get through because everyone else is trying. So the sooner you sort it, the better.

– I can’t find my paperwork. Can I still complain?

Having paperwork handy may make it easier to track down your policy.

But if it has disappeared down the back of the sofa, you can still contact the firm and ask it to check whether you had PPI. It will help if you can give your previous addresses while you had PPI as well as your date of birth.

After August 29 it will be too late to complain – so just make sure you register your gripe with the firm.

– I’ve been turned down before. Can I still claim?

You may still be able to complain because of a high level of commission earned from the sale of a policy – even if a previous mis-selling claim has been turned down.

This is due to a court case called Plevin. If you have not heard from your financial firm about this, ask them.

– Do I need to go to the ombudsman before August 29?

Not necessarily – but you must have complained to the firm by then.

People can take their PPI complaints to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) – but only after the financial firm that sold them the policy has been given the chance to sort it out – which could take up to eight weeks.

The service is expecting to have some PPI complaints escalated to it after August 29.

To have their case heard by the ombudsman, consumers must have complained to the business that originally sold them the PPI cover before the  August 29 deadline.