The Australian Financial Complaints Authority is a free and independent ombudsman service that resolves complaints by consumers and small businesses about financial firms.
An ombudsman is an independent person who investigates and resolves complaints between parties.
An ombudsman is fair and impartial when considering complaints.
Learn more about AFCA's Ombudsman
Who can complain to an AFCA ombudsman?
As an ombudsman service, we accept complaints from consumers and small businesses (defined as businesses with fewer than 100 employees) about a financial service or product.
We accept complaints online, via email, over the phone and in writing.
What AFCA does:
- We accept and consider complaints about financial products or services.
- We act fairly and impartially, considering all aspects of a complaint without taking sides.
- We make decisions based on the facts and circumstances of each complaint.
- We work productively and cooperatively with the complainant and the financial firm to reach a fair resolution.
- We resolve complaints in an efficient and timely manner with minimum formality and technicality.
What AFCA cannot do:
- We can't provide financial or legal advice. If you need assistance, we may be able refer you to a community legal centre or financial counselling service.
- We can't deal with a complaint that has already been dealt with by a court, tribunal, arbitrator or a predecessor external disputes resolution (EDR) scheme including the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS), Credit and Investments Ombudsman (CIO) and Superannuation Complaints Tribunal (SCT).
- We can't accept complaints about certain insurance products, including private health insurance and some commercial general insurance products. For complaints about private health insurance, you should contact the Commonwealth Ombudsman.
Remedies AFCA can provide:
We can decide that a financial firm should:
- pay a sum of money
- forgive or vary a debt
- release security over a debt
- repay, waive or vary a fee or other amount paid, or owing, to a financial firm or its representative or agent, including varying the applicable interest rate on a loan
- reinstate, rectify or properly perform a contract
- in cases of financial hardship, vary the terms of a credit contract
- meet a claim under an insurance policy.
For superannuation complaints, we have specific powers that provide for placing a person in a position that means any unfairness and unreasonableness (in the operation of a superannuation provider's decision or conduct) no longer exists
