Complain about your financial services provider

If you have a problem with your bank, insurance company, broker, buy now pay later provider or financial adviser, you can make a complaint.

Financial services providers

A financial service provider is any person or business who manages or advises you on your money matters. This includes:

  • investment and financial advisors or mortgage brokers
  • banks, lenders, finance companies, credit card and buy now pay later providers
  • investment managers, KiwiSaver providers or sharebrokers
  • insurance companies and brokers.

It does not include accountants or tax consultants.

Buy now pay later (BNPL)

The BNPL service lets you pay in instalments, often interest free, but it’s still a form of credit. BNPL providers must follow responsible lending rules, and you have the right to complain if something goes wrong.

Complain to your financial service provider

Start by contacting your service provider directly to make a complaint.

All financial services providers in New Zealand are required to have a formal complaints process. You can usually find their complaints process on their website or by contacting them directly.

Be clear that you’re making a complaint and not just giving feedback.

Include in your complaint:

  • what happened
  • why you’re unhappy
  • the outcome you want — for example, refund, fee reversed or contract change.

Use Consumer Protection’s complaint guidance and templates to help you contact the business with your complaint.

Contacting the business with a complaint — Consumer Protection

Complaint not resolved — disputes resolution

If your complaint is not resolved, you can escalate it to take it to the next level. You can take your complain to a free and independent dispute resolution scheme.

All financial service providers must belong to one of these:

To find out which dispute resolution scheme your provider belongs to, ask them or check:

  • their website
  • your contract, under the section called ‘Dispute resolution’
  • the Financial Service Providers register.

Search the Financial Service Providers Register — NZ Companies Office

Escalate to the Disputes Tribunal

If you’re still not happy, you can take a claim to the Disputes Tribunal — they can make a binding decision that can be enforced by the courts.

How to make a claim — Disputes Tribunal

Get more help

You can get free advice from:

Utility links and page information

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