A consumer refusal to accept poor service and lower quality complaint resolution from financial providers, have driven up gripes across the board, including complaints about mortgage lenders.

The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) told Your Mortgage the vast majority of mortgage complaints are about poor communication from high street banks on issues like arrears.

FOS said: “Trust is at an all-time low and the only way to deal with this is to listen to consumer criticism. We will always get complaints in grey areas, but it is the lack of resolution in clear cut situations that is most disappointing.”

With the full results out tomorrow, the total number of complaints the service received in 2012-13 is likely to be more than 450,000, with an estimated 171,000, or 38%, coming from high earners including doctors, lawyers, accountants and businessmen, the Times reported. This figure is up from an estimated 90,000, or 34%, in 2011-12.

In signs the downturn is impacting all stratas of society, high earners have increasingly turned to ultra-high interest payday loans, from companies such as Wonga.com, to try to fill holes in their finances.

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FOS chief executive Natalie Ceeney said: “The fact that more people in the managerial or professional demographic are seeking our help – or telling us they are struggling – only emphasises that few people are immune from [the] effects of the economic crisis.”

Complaints made to financial services businesses can be referred to the FOS if a resolution has not been reached between the consumer and provider.