Dissatisfaction with our conclusions

We aim to provide you with sufficient opportunity to state your side of the story and to provide us with any new information or evidence you may have.

If you're unhappy with our conclusions on your dispute, there are procedures that you need to follow to take the matter further. These will be set out in detail in our report to you.

If you are not happy with the outcome of your case, you don't have to accept the decision - and if you don't, our decision does not affect your legal rights. You are still free to go to court instead. If we have issued a formal provisional or final recommendation report on the matter, then you may also ask the Ombudsman to consider your complaint and make a determination. Even after that, you may apply to have the Ombudsman's decision reviewed by one of the retired judges on the review panel.

Dissatisfaction with our decision as to jurisdiction

Our Terms of Reference, which are approved by our Board of Directors, tell us what matters we can or cannot deal with. Although the Ombudsman cannot extend our jurisdiction, he alone can make the final decide whether a matter falls within our jurisdiction or not. He has drawn up guidelines explaining how we should apply the Terms of Reference in this regard. If you're unhappy with our decision in this regard, you need to make a submission in writing to the Ombudsman setting out clear reasons for why you say we were wrong in failing to deal with your case. Please make sure you have read our Terms of Reference before you make such a submission.

Dissatisfaction with our service

If you are unhappy with the service we have provided - for example, if you think we have:

then let us know. We take complaints about our service very seriously.

If we get things wrong, please tell us so we can try to put them right. This also helps us to improve our service in future.

First, please ask the staff member you are dealing with to sort out the problem. If you are still not satisfied, refer your complaint to the staff member's manager. You can do this by telephone - or in writing, if you prefer.

The manager will try to sort out the problem as quickly as possible. Usually, things can be sorted out at this stage. If you are still dissatisfied, please write to the Ombudsman personally, setting out your concerns.

Please note, this procedure only applies if you are dissatisfied with our service. If you are dissatisfied with the conclusions we reached about your complaint, you need to follow the steps explained under the heading "Dissatisfaction with our conclusions"

We aim to send you a full response within ten working days.

If we cannot do this because of exceptional circumstances, we will let you know what is happening and when you can expect a full response.

If our investigation shows that your complaint about our service is justified, we will tell you how we will sort out the problem. If applicable, we will also tell you what we will do to make sure the mistake does not happen again.

You may contact the Ombudsman at:

Service Complaint
The Ombudsman for Banking Services
PO Box 5728
Johannesburg
2000

Or e-mail info@obssa.co.za with the subject: "Service Complaint" and your case reference number.