The Financial Services Regulatory Authority provides the following guidelines to consumers on handling complaints against individuals and entities operating under the FSRA's supervision:
Step One: The complaint must first be addressed with the entity.
The entity has the responsibility of providing the customer with the necessary information regarding its established complaint process. All complaints from customers should be recorded and maintained in a complaints register.
Consumers should consider documenting their interactions with entities during this initial stage to create a paper trail. This also ensures that key information including the dates and persons interacted with are accurate. Where the company has made decisions regarding the complaint request that these decisions be put into writing to include in the documentation process.
Step Two: The customer should revert to any guidance from documents received from the entity
These documents including policy documents or membership documents that may provide insight on the entity’s complaint process.
Step Three: Contact the Financial Services Regulatory Authority
After an attempt has been made to settle the complaint with the entity directly, the Financial Services Regulatory Authority can be contacted. Please be mindful of the following tips when lodging a complaint with the Authority:
• All complaints must be made in writing and addressed to:
Executive Director
Financial Services Regulatory Authority
6th Floor, Francis Compton Building
Waterfront, Castries
• The complaint must provide all the necessary information that would substantiate further investigation including relevant dates and the points validating. Also, attach any correspondence sent to or received from the entity. A valid return address must be provided.
• Upon the receipt of a complaint the Financial Services Regulatory Authority will acknowledge that it has been received within two (2) weeks. After further consideration and investigation, the Authority will state its position to the complainant in writing. During the investigation it may be necessary for the Authority to provide details of your complaint to the company, however, all complaints will be handled in the strictest professional manner.
Complaints Not Handled by the Financial Services Regulatory Authority
Under certain circumstances the Financial Services Regulatory Authority would be unable to address a complaint received. These circumstances include but are not limited to:
i. The complaint has been or is under judicial review or an alternate dispute resolution process.
ii. The complaint does not fall under the merit of the powers conferred to the Authority through its governing legislature.
iii. The Authority has not received adequate information to allow the Authority to investigate the complaint.