•Irish NationwideThe building society's total refund bill to commercial loan customers who were charged six months' penalty interest could be as high as €6 million, according to Financial Services Ombudsman Joe Meade.
The current estimate is €3 million, with about 1,200 customers thought to be eligible for a refund.
The case arose when Meade ruled that Irish Nationwide must refund €30,000 of a €74,000 early loan redemption charge it had imposed on a commercial borrower.
The ombudsman ruled that these penalty charges were unlawful.
The building society initiated judicial review proceedings, but eventually dropped them last May, after an agreement at the High Court that the charges would in future be "a genuine pre-estimate" of the losses it incurred.
That move triggered applications for refunds from customers who had been charged early repayment penalties in the previous six years.
Earlier this year the customers were sent letters giving details of a settlement that fell short of the High Court agreement. Meade subsequently met with Irish Nationwide to ensure that the correct sum is paid back.
•Ulster Bank
This case could potentially give rise to the highest refunds to be made as a direct result of the ombudsman's investigations into a complaint.
The ombudsman has directed that the bank pay €7.4 million in compensation to customers who saw the value of their investments in the bank's international share portfolio drop by 15 per cent in November 2004.
The ombudsman had received nine complaints from disgruntled investors about the "deferred tax asset" adjustment and he asked the financial regulator to review the practice at the bank and any other financial service provider.
Ulster Bank launched an appeal to the Supreme Court last December in relation to the scope of its case. The bank is seeking to introduce new evidence in its action against Meade. The appeal has yet to be heard.
•Quinn Direct
Insurance company Quinn Direct is taking a High Court challenge against a recent ruling by the ombudsman that it must refund motor insurance customers an administration fee that was not specified in the policy document.
Meade ordered Quinn Direct to make repayments to customers who had been charged around €25 when they switched cars on the basis that there was no mention of the fee in policy documents issued before last June. The High Court hearing is scheduled for Monday.
