Last updated: 1^st October 2024

We’re sorry that we may have let you down. Sometimes things can go wrong, and we encourage customers to let us know so that we can try and put it right.

How to make a complaint

By email

You can also send an email to complaints@afinbank.com. To help us resolve your complaint as quickly as possible, please include:

• Details of your complaint; the more information you can provide the better please.

• How you’d like us to contact you to discuss your complaint.

How we’ll handle your complaint

• It’s important we properly understand what’s gone wrong so we will ensure your complaint is fully investigated. If we need any additional information to help this process, we will reach out to you.
• If you’re satisfied that we’ve resolved your complaint within three working days of receiving your complaint, we’ll send you what’s called a ‘summary resolution communication.’
• If we can’t resolve the complaint by the fifth working day, we’ll send you confirmation of the actions we are taking.
• Once we’ve fully investigated your complaint, we will send you a ‘final response letter’. This will explain what we’ve decided to do in response to your complaint and the reason for this.

How long does the complaint process take?

We aim to resolve all complaints as quickly as possible, but some complaints may take longer than others depending on the complexity. The Financial Conduct Authority gives us a maximum number of days to send a final response: 

• If your complaint is about a payment service (for example a Direct Debit or account statement), we aim to send a final response within 15 working days after receiving your complaint. If we expect the process to take longer than 15 days, we’ll get in touch to let you know why the issue hasn’t been fixed yet, and when we’ll be in touch again. Almost all complaints about payment services are resolved within 35 business days, unless there are exceptional circumstances.
  
  
• For all other complaints, we have eight weeks to send you a final response, although we aim to close any complaint much sooner than this. If we expect it to take longer, however, we’ll get in touch to let you know why the issue hasn’t been resolved and when we believe we’ll be able to give you our decision. We’ll also give you a breakdown of our process and details of how to refer your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
  
  

What to do if you’re unhappy with the outcome

If you are not happy with the outcome, we hope that you will come back to us in the first instance. Alternatively, you may be able to refer your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS). The FOS a dispute resolution service for complaints under the FCA’s dispute resolution rules and they provide free and independent support.

If this option applies to you, we’ll let you know within our communications.

If you’d like to refer your complaint, you’ll need to do so within six months of receiving your final response letter or summary resolution letter.

Details of the FOS can be found here:

Telephone         

0800 023 4567

Online                 

www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk

Email complaint.info@financialombudsman.org.uk

The FOS has also prepared a useful guide to assist consumers in referring a complaint to them and you can read it here: consumer_leaflet_easy-read.pdf (financial-ombudsman.org.uk)