Complaints Handling – Anova Advice Group

Client Compliaints Policy

Date of issue: 1 September 2022

Anova Advice Group Pty Ltd

ABN 40 653 741 247| AFSL 537916

Last Updated 1 September 2022

Version 1.0

1.0 Introduction

2.0 What is a complaint?

3.0 Who can make a complaint?

4.0 How to make a complaint

5.0 Client accessibility – If you need help making a complaint

6.0 How we will deal with your complaint

7.0 Escalating your complaint

Introduction

The purpose of this policy is to provide Anova Advice Group, its customers, its Authorised Representatives, employees and officers with a clear and consistent understanding of the legislative requirements and our business requirements applicable to complaints management.

As a holder of an Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL), we have obligations to comply with the regulatory requirements in relation to complaints management.

This policy explains how you can make a complaint, our measures for handling your complaint, and the steps you can take if you are not satisfied with our response to your complaint or the time that it takes for us to respond.

When we use the term “IDR”, we mean “internal dispute resolution”.

We acknowledge the importance of having an effective and efficient complaints handling and IDR framework, and we adopt a customer-focused approach. While we acknowledge your right to make a complaint, we expect that you will treat our staff with respect when they are dealing with your complaint.

The purpose of this Complaints Policy is to set out the information required to be in a Complaints policy by ASIC Corporations, Credit and Superannuation (Internal Dispute Resolution) Instrument 2020/98 (“the Instrument”). The Instrument is a legislative instrument made by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (“ASIC”).

This policy has been developed to provide a framework for complaints management. The main objectives of this policy are to ensure that we have an effective complaints management framework in place to:

Acknowledge and record complaints in a timely manner;
Assess and investigate complaints to determine appropriate resolutions, which may include assessment of any appropriate compensation;
Monitor complaints to track the progress of their resolution; and
Report complaints to management, Responsible Managers, and the Anova Advice Group Board.

We adopted the current version of this Complaints Policy on 1 September 2022.

What is a complaint?

A complaint is:

“An expression of dissatisfaction made to or about Anova Advice Group; related to our products, services, staff or our handling of a complaint, where a response or resolution is explicitly or implicitly expected or legally required”.

Types of complaints

Complaints usually fall into two categories- service related or advice related. In either case the process to follow is the same.

Service-related complaints

A service-related complaint is one where, you, the client, complains about the way the adviser conducts themselves or their business.

Advice related complaints

An advice related complaint is one where you complain about the advice you have been provided which has caused you to suffer a financial disadvantage; you believe that the adviser has misled you about what to expect from the products; you complain that the adviser has made an administrative error that has caused a financial loss or a complaint that the adviser has breached your privacy.

Who can make a complaint

Complaints can be made by any person or third parties on behalf of customers, or directly to the Authorised Representative. Where a complaint is received from a third party, the adviser needs your consent to discuss with the third party unless it is clear that you have provided authority – for example where a complaint is lodged by a solicitor on your behalf or by another party (e.g., your new financial adviser) and you are copied into the complaint notification and we have verified that your contact details are correct. Best practice is to get your consent in writing but this is not mandatory. A verbal complaint carries as much weight as a written complaint.

How to make a complaint

Complaints should be lodged through the financial adviser, or through the following channels:

Mail: PO Box 6147 GCMC QLD 9726
Phone: (07) 5655 1099 (if calling from within Australia)
Email: info@anovaadvicegroup.com.au

To assist us in handling complaints in a timely and efficient manner we require the following information:

Full name and contact details;
Description of the issue;
how you wish us to contact you (for example, by phone, email)
Investor/account number;
Service/Product provider if complaint relates to a product;
Authorised Representative's name;
Provide all supporting documentation; and
Clearly identify the resolution they are seeking.

A complaint notification form is attached at Appendix 1. Note this form is not mandatory to use, but contains the information required.

If a formal complaint is made to your financial adviser(s), they are required to forward it immediately to info@anovaadvicegroup.com.au, in the same manner in which it was received.

Once received the complaint will be acknowledged within one business day. The acknowledgement will include:

Contact details of Anova Advice Group;
Overview of the complaints handling process; and
Expected timeframes for response.

Client accessibility – If you need help making a complaint

If you need help to make or manage your complaint, you can appoint someone (for example, a relative or friend) to represent you. Please note that we will need your authority to speak to any representative that you appoint.

Not all clients have strong English language skills. Where a suitable person is not available to support your complaint or you are unable to express your complaint, you will be referred to the Australian Government’s Translating and Interpreting Service, at (https://www.tisnational.gov.au/).

Where you may have a disability, which makes expression of the complaint difficult, we will assist you where possible and encourage you to bring along a support person.

How we deal with your complaint

6.1 Acknowledgement

We will acknowledge receipt of your complaint and try to resolve it as quickly as possible.

Generally, where your complaint is made:

verbally – we will acknowledge your complaint in the same manner (and, in writing, within one business day, or as soon as practicable);
in writing – by email or via social media, we will acknowledge your complaint, in writing, within one business day or as soon as practicable thereafter.

When acknowledging your complaint, we will also have regard to any preferences you have communicated to us in relation to the way in which you wish for us to communicate with you.

6.2 Investigation of your complaint

If we cannot resolve your complaint immediately, we will need some time to investigate your concerns.

We may also request that you provide us with further information to assist with our investigation.

3.3 IDR Response

We will provide you with our written reasons for the outcome of your complaint (“IDR Response”) within the following timeframes where:

your complaint is not resolved within 5 business days of us receiving your complaint;
if you request a written response; or
if your complaint is about a declined insurance claim; the value of an insurance claim or if your complaint is about a decision of a superannuation trustee.

Standard complaints	No later than 30 calendar days after receiving your complaint
Traditional trustee complaints	No later than 45 calendar days after receiving your complaintⁱ
Superannuation trustee complaints, except for complaints about death benefit distributions	No later than 45 calendar days after receiving your complaint
Complaints about superannuation death benefits	No later than 90 calendar days after the expiry of the 28calendar day period for objecting to a proposed death benefit distribution referred to in section 1056(2)(a) of the Actⁱⁱ

Our IDR Response will also inform you of your right to escalate your complaint to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA). AFCA offers a free and independent dispute resolution for financial complaints to individuals and small businesses.

If we reject your complaint (whether in full or in part), our IDR Response will:

identify and address the issues you raised in your complaint;
set out our findings on the material questions of fact raised in your complaint, making reference to the relevant supporting information; and
provide a sufficient level of detail in order for you to understand the reasons for our decision so that you can decide whether to escalate the complaint to AFCA or another forum.

We are not required to provide you with an IDR Response if:

your complaint is resolved to your complete satisfaction within 5 business days and you have not requested an IDR Response; or
within 5 business days of receiving your complaint, we have given you an explanation and/or apology in circumstances where we cannot take any further action to reasonably address your complaint.

6.4 Delay in providing an IDR Response

If we are not able to provide our IDR Response to you on time because your complaint is complex or because of circumstances beyond our control, we will write to you to explain the reasons for the delay, and inform you of your right to complain to AFCA and provide you with AFCA’s contact details.

Escalating your complaint

If you do not feel that your complaint has been resolved in a satisfactory manner, or if a response has not been received after 30 days, a complaint can be lodged with the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA).

AFCA provides fair and independent financial services complaint resolution that is free to consumers. AFCA accepts complaints in regards to either:

a financial planning or advice matter;
a credit assistance matter; or
a superannuation matters

We will provide in writing details of how to access AFCA to all complainants. If you are` not fully satisfied with our response to your complaint, you do have the right to take the complaint directly to AFCA. Contact details for AFCA are: for