Step 4: How we handle your complaint

Our services are free for consumers and financial services providers

There is no charge for submitting a complaint with us. 

You have the right to seek independent legal advice about your complaint. However, this is optional, and you are not required to do so.

We treat all complaints the same, whether you have legal representation or not. If you appoint a legal adviser, you are responsible for their fees.  

What happens when we receive your complaint?

Upon receiving your complaint, we will conduct an informal review to determine if we can accept it and if it includes the details required by law.

If your complaint is incomplete, our customer relations officers will contact you by email or telephone.

Our emails originate from the domain @asf.mt. Please add this domain to your Safe Senders list to ensure our emails do not land in your junk folder. 

We will require you to amend your complaint if, for instance:

1. the complaint description is incomplete or unclear: Your complaint description does not need to be lengthy, but it should include important details about the circumstances that prompted you to file a complaint with us. Think of it as telling a story to someone; you need to convey the details in your own words from your perspective. We cannot rely on documents to understand the basis of your complaint, so it is your responsibility to provide that context.
2. the remedy is incomplete: If you are requesting monetary compensation, simply providing a figure is insufficient. You need to support your request with a calculation that explains how you arrived at your expected amount.
3. supporting documents are missing: In addition to the letter of complaint to the provider and their response, we typically request that the complainant provide relevant documentation to support their complaint. Refer to the next question below for further information. We will not reject your complaint if you are missing any supporting documents. 

What documents do you need to provide when submitting a complaint?

We need your complaint letter to the provider and their reply. It helps if you can also send us any documents supporting your case. Don't worry if you're missing some paperwork—we'll still look into your complaint. 

If your complaint relates to investments or pensions, please attach (in full) these documents where relevant and if available:

1. Application Forms, Client Fact-Find or similar documents compiled at the time you invested with the provider and any updates thereafter.
2. Terms of Business document or any similar document showing your contractual relationship with the provider.
3. Any Investment Report undertaken by your investment advisor or investment manager.
4. Purchase and/or sale order forms for the investment(s) you are complaining about.
5. Purchase and/or sale contract notes of the investment(s) you are complaining about.
6. Any documents that outline the investment(s) characteristics, such as the Prospectus, Key Investment Document or Fact Sheets.
7. Valuation Statements (at yearly intervals) showing the purchase price (or cost price) and the market value.
8. Circulars or other informative documents in relation to the product or service (such as those that you might have received after the investment).
9. Copies of any other relevant communications exchanged.
10. Any other relevant documents, of whatever nature, that relate to the product or service you are complaining about.

If your complaint relates to insurance, please attach (in full) these documents where relevant and if available:

1. Proposal form which you filled and signed, requesting insurance cover.
2. Policy document or any similar document showing your contractual relationship with the insurance company.
3. The policy schedule.  For insurance that is renewed annually (such as motor or home insurance), the policy schedule of the period relevant to the claim you may be complaining about. For a life policy, the policy schedule that was issued when the policy commenced.
4. Claim form in relation to which you may be lodging the complaint.
5. Any other documents and reports, of whatever nature, that relate to the product or service you are complaining about.

If your complaint relates to banking, please attach (in full) these documents where relevant and if available:

1. Informative documents in relation to the product or service on which you are complaining. 
2. Forms or any similar document showing your contractual relationship with the product provider. 
3. Statements or any similar document showing transactions that may form the basis of your complaint.
4. Any other documents and reports, of whatever nature, that relate to your complaint.

If you submit a complaint online, the maximum file upload size is 8 MB per document. We prefer documents (including emails and tables) to be in PDF format. 

Once we confirm that your complaint is complete, we will generate a PDF of the complaint form and ask you to sign it to confirm your submission. Upon receipt of the signed complaint form, we will register it.

What happens to the complaint after it is registered?

Once your complaint has been accepted and registered, you will receive an email acknowledgement that includes a unique complaint reference number (e.g. ASF .../YEAR). Please refer to this number when communicating with us about your complaint. Furthermore, our acknowledgement will include a link to a single PDF document that contains the complete complaint form and any supporting documentation.

Your complaint form and documentation will then be sent to your provider, who has 20 calendar days from receiving it to submit a reply.

Once a reply is submitted, we will email you a copy of the provider’s reply, along with an invitation for both parties to the complaint to refer their case to mediation. 

What is mediation? 

We recommend mediation as the first and best option for resolving the matter.