Updated: 30 October 2023

AFCA has amended its Rules to provide clarity for consumers and financial firms regarding AFCA’s jurisdiction to receive complaints about the conduct of an authorised representative of an AFCA member. 

The Rules change is a result of a legislative instrument issued by ASIC on 5 January 2021 requiring AFCA to update its Rules.  

The Rules change follows the judgment of the NSW Supreme Court in DH Flinders Pty Limited v Australian Financial Complaints Authority in November 2020. This case related to AFCA’s jurisdiction to consider a complaint against a licensee in relation to the conduct of its corporate authorised representative, specifically where the conduct of the representative was without or outside authority. 

The judgment highlighted that AFCA’s Rules needed to be clearer to ensure that they reflected the same obligations and liabilities for licensees as set out in the Corporations Act.

At ASIC’s direction, the Rules now clearly reflect the same statutory liability for licensees regarding their authorised representatives as set out in the Corporations Act and the National Consumer Credit Protection Act.

The updated AFCA Rules apply to complaints received by AFCA from 13 January 2021 onwards.  

Complaints received before 13 January 2021 will be handled by AFCA under the previous Rules. As the vast majority of complaints AFCA considers are between parties with a direct relationship (e.g. a bank to a bank customer) these complaints are not impacted by the Rules change. 

AFCA is currently reviewing a very small number of complaints received before 13 January 2021 which are potentially impacted by the judgment and is in contact with those complainants and financial firms to discuss the specifics of their complaint.
 
For the small number of complaints which may be outside AFCA’s Rules, AFCA will be encouraging the financial firms involved to consent to AFCA considering the complaint to achieve an early resolution and avoid the prospect of potential court or other action by the complainant.

AFCA’s Rules can be read here.

More information about the ASIC Corporations (AFCA Regulatory Requirement) Instrument 2021/0002 can be found at www.legislation.gov.au.

 

Published: 21 January 2021

 

Media enquiries media@afca.org.au

About AFCA

The Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) is a non-government ombudsman service providing free, fair and independent help with financial disputes. It is a one-stop-shop for consumers and small businesses who have a dispute with their financial firm, over things such as banking, credit, insurance, advice, investments or superannuation. Where an agreement cannot be reached between parties, AFCA can issue decisions that are binding on financial firms.

Sorry, we’re currently offline.

Would you like to end your chat with AFCA?

Please bear in mind that your conversation will not be saved.

AFCA chat service terms and conditions

Welcome to our live chat help service.

Please be advised we cannot provide you with financial or legal advice. However, we may be able to refer you to a community legal centre or financial counselling service if you need help.

Our live chat is operated by Genesys Cloud on behalf of AFCA. Any personal information provided in this chat will be captured by both organisations in accordance with their privacy policies, available at www.afca.org.au/privacy and www.genesys.com/company/legal/privacy-policy

Offline

We provide consumers and small businesses with fair, free and independent dispute resolution for financial complaints.

Please enter your details to start your chat with an AFCA representative.

Please enter your name
Please enter a valid email address
Please enter a valid phone number

We provide consumers and small businesses with fair, free and independent dispute resolution for financial complaints.

Welcome to our live chat help service.

An agent should be with you shortly.