CURRENT accounts and mortgages cause more complaints than any other financial products, the British Consumers' Association said yesterday. Yet many people give up too soon when trying to sort out problems, it added.

A survey of the association's Which? magazine readers uncovered "a disturbing picture of unresolved financial complaints".

Complaints about bank and building society current accounts usually involved mistakes such as incorrect credits or debits, while mortgage complaints tended to centre on allegedly misleading or incorrect advice.

Few complaints are taken to ombudsman schemes, even though they can order large payouts. Today's findings came two weeks after new banking and mortgage codes setting out standards of good practice were unveiled by banks and mortgage lenders. These will be effective from July this year.

The survey of 837 which subscribers found that if complaints were not resolved at the first attempt, a third of people gave up.

"If at first you don't succeed, don't give up - the ombudsmen are there to help," said the magazine.