Loans, credit reports and recovery guides
RBI Ombudsman as of 1 July 2026: Bank, certain NBFC, prepaid-instrument and credit-information complaints go under the Reserve Bank - Integrated Ombudsman Scheme, 2026, which replaced RB-IOS 2021 from 1 July 2026. First complain to the entity. If there is no reply in 30 days (or the longer NPCI/card-network window, if it applies) or you reject the reply, file free at cms.rbi.org.in within 90 days. The Ombudsman can award up to Rs 30 lakh for consequential loss and up to Rs 3 lakh for time, expenses and harassment. Complaints received before 1 July 2026 stay under the 2021 scheme. Source: RBI FAQ, updated 1 July 2026 and the RB-IOS 2026 FAQ PDF dated 1 July 2026.
Quick Reply: Closed loan still showing active? CERSAI lien not removed? Lost NOC or an auction notice? RBI Ombudsman and CIBIL dispute routes, step by step.
Reviewed on: 2026-06-12.
A loan creates three kinds of records, and each can go wrong after you repay. The lender's own books can keep the loan alive. The CERSAI charge registry can keep a lien on your property. And the credit bureaus, CIBIL, Experian, Equifax and CRIF, can keep reporting dues you cleared years ago. This category covers the paperwork and records of borrowing: closure proofs, NOCs, lien removal, credit report corrections and recovery action such as auction notices. For EMI disputes and lender conduct during a running loan, see banking and finance.
Two deadlines do most of the work here. After full repayment, the lender is expected to release property documents and update CERSAI within 30 days of closure. A credit bureau dispute usually gets 30 days too, and under the RBI's 2023 directions, compensation of Rs 100 per day can apply when a dispute stays unresolved beyond that. When the lender stalls, the route is its grievance cell first, then the RBI Integrated Ombudsman at cms.rbi.org.in, which now also covers credit information companies.
Banks and NBFCs are private bodies for RTI purposes, but RBI is not. RTI to RBI about action taken on your complaint is often the lever that works.
Guides in this category
Browse the full practical guides index for other topics.