Dispute Process
We aim to provide the very best service for our customers. In the event that you are unhappy regarding any part of our service, our internal resolution process provides that your complaint will be handled efficiently, honestly and fairly.
Complaints about Southern Cross Broker Network or one of its finance broker members who is also a credit representative of Southern Cross Broker Network should be directed to:
First point of contact for a complaint:
Complaints Officer
Name: Troy Howell
Phone: 1300 886 100
Email: compliance@mqga.com.au
Second point of contact for a complaint:
Deputy Complaints Officer
Julie Ryburn
Phone: 1300 886 100
Email: compliance@mqga.com.au
Mail: Southern Cross Broker Network Complaints Officer, GPO Box 263, Flinders Lane Vic 8009.
Should a complainant not be satisfied with the outcome of our investigation of your complaint you have the option of contacting the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (of which Southern Cross Broker Network is a member) on:
- Freecall: 1800 931 678
- Email: info@afca.org.au
- Mail: GPO Box 3 Melbourne Vic 3001
- Website: afca.org.au
AWARENESS
All staff and consultants who deal with (or are likely to deal with) customers, are aware of the names, titles and telephone numbers of our Complaints Officer and Deputy Complaints Officer. Each staff member and consultant is also instructed in how to transfer a customer who has a complaint to our Complaints Officer or Deputy Complaints Officer; and what customer details to record if the Complaints Officer and Deputy Complaints Officer are for any reason unavailable (this information will include a minimum of the name, telephone number, and description of the product or transaction to which the customer’s complaint relates).
We do not charge a fee in respect to any complaint.
INVESTIGATING A CUSTOMER’S COMPLAINT
A customer’s complaint will not be investigated by the Complaints Officer or Deputy Complaints Officer if they are in any way involved in the subject matter of the complaint.
TIMELINESS
We will provide a written acknowledgement of receipt of your complaint within five business days, unless the complaint is otherwise resolved in the meantime. We will ensure that a final response is given to your complaint as soon as possible, but within twenty one (21) or forty five (45) days of receipt of your complaint. For certain types of complaints, involving “default notices” or urgent disputes such as “applications for hardship”, a final response must be provided within twenty one (21) days.
If Southern Cross Broker Network is unable to deal with the complaint as it relates to a third party (for example, a lender), we may ask the client to contact the relevant party. If we cannot respond to your complaint within the relevant timeframes, Southern Cross Broker Network will inform the complainant of the reasons for the delay and of your right to refer the complaint to the Credit Ombudsman Service.
We will have provided a final response to the complaint if we:
- Accept the complaint and, if appropriate, offer redress, or offer redress without accepting the complaint; or
- Reject the complaint.
WRITTEN RESPONSE TO A CUSTOMER
We will give the complainant a written response to their complaint and the reasons for reaching a particular decision on the complaint. We will adequately address the issues that are raised in the complaint. Where practicable, our response will refer to applicable provisions in legislation, codes, standards or procedures.
REMEDIES
If we accept the complaint and are of the view that it is appropriate to offer redress to the complainant, that redress may be non-financial as well as, or instead of, financial. If we consider that a financial remedy is appropriate then we will provide compensation for any direct loss or damage caused. We will, when determining an appropriate remedy, take into consideration the extent of loss or damage suffered by the complainant, relevant legal principles, EDR Scheme Rules, the MFAA Code of Practice and other relevant codes of conduct and concepts of fairness and relevant industry best practice.
DATA COLLECTION
We will keep data concerning the complaint in such form and manner as we think fit and will enable analysis according to: Type of complaint; Subject of complaint; Outcome of complaint; Timeliness of response; so that we can identify any systematically recurring problems, we will classify complaints accordingly. Subject to legal constraints including constraints as to privacy, we will make available data collected in respect of the complaint upon request to our EDR and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission.
REVIEW
We will review our Internal Dispute Resolution Procedures at least every three (3) years to ensure that our complaints systems are operating effectively. This document was reviewed on 7th April 2019.