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Make a financial services provider complaint

How can you make a complaint to resolve an issue with a financial services firm, a financial adviser or a pensions administrator?

If you are unhappy with the service provided by a financial services provider (such as a financial adviser or financial services firm), you have the right to complain.

How can the CCPC help you?

The CCPC can provide general information on how to make a complaint, but we do not investigate individual complaints.

Use our 3-step guide below to follow the correct process to make a complaint. If you cannot resolve your complaint with the financial services provider, please refer to Step 3 on referring your complaint to the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman.

3-step guide to making a complaint

Step 1: Try to resolve your complaint with your provider first

  • Contact the person you normally deal with as soon as possible. This could be your local branch manager, your broker, financial adviser or your pension scheme administrator. You can also contact the provider’s customer care department.
  • Explain the problem and state clearly the solution you want – an explanation or apology or a specific action. Tell them how they can fix the problem for you.
  • If you contact the provider by phone or in person, follow up with an email to outline your conversation and any agreements made.
  • Many problems can be sorted out quickly and simply in this way. But if you are not happy with the response, you can make a formal complaint.

Step 2: Complain formally to your provider

  • All regulated financial services providers must have a complaint handling system in place under the Central Bank of Ireland’s Consumer Protection Code.
  • Ask about the process to make a formal complaint. If the person you are dealing with is not sure how to handle your complaint or where to direct you, ask to deal with a manager or supervisor.
  • You can make a complaint in person or by telephone, but a written complaint is usually most effective because you can keep copies of your correspondence with the provider.
  • Make sure you include your account, policy or reference number when you contact your provider with your complaint. Set out the facts, relevant dates and names of people you have dealt with. Again, be as clear as you can about the solution you want.
  • Attach copies of any relevant documents and always keep the original copies of everything for yourself.

Is there a standard complaint handling process for financial providers?

There is a standard complaints process if the provider you are dealing with is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.

  • If the provider cannot resolve your complaint within 5 business days, they must acknowledge it in writing and give you a contact name that you can use until the complaint is resolved.
  • The provider must let you know how your complaint is progressing within 20 business days.
  • The provider must make a decision on your complaint within 40 business days.

If the financial services provider cannot make a decision within 40 business days, they must:

If the provider is not regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland, you may need to seek independent legal advice.

Step 3: Refer your complaint to the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman if needed

If you are not happy with the provider’s response to your complaint or if the provider does not respond to your complaint within 40 business days, you can take your complaint to the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman (FSPO).

The FSPO is an independent office that deals with unresolved complaints between consumers and financial service providers. The service is free. You can get detailed information on how to make a complaint and what issues can be considered from the FSPO website, www.fspo.ie.

What to do if your provider is located outside Ireland

Some financial service providers that operate in Ireland are governed by the laws of another EU country. These include some popular fintech providers.

The FSPO cannot handle complaints about consumer contracts that are not governed by Irish law. If you have an issue with a financial service provider based in another EU country, the FSPO will refer you to an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) body for that country. See the FSPO website for further details about cross-border referrals.

You can also learn how to complain about financial service providers outside Ireland from the European dispute resolution network, FIN-NET.

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