Complaints about nuisance calls saw drop of 57% in 2022

This information comes per a FOI (freedom of information) request issued by technology company Quadient.

The ICO received 56,015 complaints about nuisance calls and texts in 2022, less than half the 131,491 received in 2021 and fewer than in any year since 2019. 

Overall, there were 32,317 complaints about live calls (down 35%), 13,790 about automated calls (down 74%) and 9,908 relating to SMS text messages (down 57%).

One potential reason Quadient sight for this severe drop is due to record number of consumers using Open Banking regulations to call it a day with their existing bank, while the new consumer focused FCA rules improving customers’ relationships with their insurer was also highlighted.

Andrew Oldham, the firm’s UK CXM director, said: “It might seem fantastic to see the number of complaints more than halve, especially regarding often intrusive and impersonal automated calls – however we cannot know for sure until we know the reason for it,”

“This may be a new era in business-consumer relations, it could be a one-off due to external factors, or it may even be because consumers are so disheartened with nuisance calls that they have given up complaining. 

“Regardless of the reason, organisations cannot rest on their laurels. They need to remain firmly focused on their customers and follow best practices to ensure the numbers don’t shoot back up.”