How to register a dispute

1. Talk to your credit union or building society

	You must first try to resolve your complaint with your credit union or building society. The FCDRS cannot accept a complaint if you have not attempted to resolve it directly with your credit union or building society.
	It is recommended that you contact the Complaints Officer or the Member Services Manager of your credit union or building society to discuss your complaint.
	You should then put your complaint in writing so that your credit union or building society can understand the nature of your complaint and how you would like it resolved. (If you are unsure about how to make a complaint to your credit union or building society, contact the Office of the Ombudsman and a case officer will assist you.)

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2. Contact the Ombudsman

	If you do not receive a response and/or you are not satisfied with your credit union or building society's response, then you can file a complaint with the Office of the Ombudsman.
	The FCDRS will then investigate your complaint (if it falls within the Terms of Reference) and facilitate a negotiated settlement between you and your credit union or building society. If a negotiated settlement cannot be reached between you, the Ombudsman will make a determination.
	If this office cannot assist you with your complaint, we will try to identify another organisation or service that may be able to assist you.

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Important points

	When you contact the office of the Ombudsman, you have a chance to discuss your complaint with someone independent;
	If you make a complaint to the Office of the Ombudsman the only cost is that of a local phone call;
	By bringing your dispute to this office, you lose none of your legal rights;
	You will not be bound by any decision that the Ombudsman makes if you do not agree with the outcome; and
	Your participation in the dispute resolution process is completely voluntary and you are free to withdraw at any time.

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Does your complaint fall within the Terms of Reference?

The Ombudsman will be able to help you if your complaint concerns a product or service of a financial services provider which is a member of the FCDRS. Some examples of possible complaint areas are:

	withdrawal or deposit errors
	unauthorised transactions
	ATM or EFTPOS malfunctions
	incorrect application of fees and charges
	delays and other contractual issues
	breaches of privacy or confidentiality
	breaches of relevant Codes of Practices & the EFT Code of Conduct

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There are a number of ways in which your complaint may fall outside the capacity of the Ombudsman to assist e.g.

	The Ombudsman cannot look into your complaint if it relates to actions that took place more than 6 years ago, or if the amount of your claim exceeds $280,000.
	The Ombudsman cannot look into your complaint if it is about the commercial judgement of your credit union or building society (i.e. you have been refused a loan because the financial services provider does not believe you can meet the repayments).

In some cases the FCDRS Case Manager may also refer you to another agency (e.g. the Department of Fair Trading, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission) because of the legal nature of your complaint

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