How to complain about a financial adviser 

Making a complaint about investment advice or financial services

If you are unhappy with the investment advice you received or the service provided by a financial adviser or financial services firm, you have the right to complain. You should first raise your complaint directly with the provider in writing and can also request any relevant information they hold about you, such as call recordings or emails.

All regulated financial services firms must have a complaints handling system in place under the Central Bank’s Consumer Protection Code.

The provider must acknowledge your complaint, keep you informed and has up to 40 working days to resolve it or issue a final response letter. If you are not satisfied and the provider is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland, you can escalate your complaint to the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman (FSPO). If the provider is not regulated, you may need to seek independent legal advice.

What if you are not satisfied with the provider’s response?

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, your next steps depend on whether the financial services provider is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.

 If the provider is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland

You can escalate your complaint to the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman (FSPO). The Ombudsman is an independent, free service that investigates complaints about financial services and pension providers in Ireland. You will need to provide a copy of your final response letter from the provider when submitting your complaint.

If the provider is not regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland

You may need to seek independent legal advice to pursue your complaint further.

Where can you get more help?

For more information on your rights and the complaints process, go to the CCPC’s guide on how to complain.