Complaints, and how we handle them
A complaint is information we would not otherwise have, and this page exists so that raising one is easy. It sets out the internal process step by step, what to include and what never to include, the timelines we hold ourselves to, and the external options available to South African investors if the internal route does not resolve the matter.
Introduction and our commitment
Inves 21 handles every complaint in writing, with a named person responsible for it and a recorded outcome. The purpose of the process is resolution, not deflection, and no client is treated differently for having complained, in service quality, fees, or anything else we control.
Lodge the complaint
Write to [email protected] with the word Complaint in the subject line, or raise it with your advisor, who must register it the same day. Registration is not acceptance; it starts the clock and gives you a reference number.
Acknowledgement and owner
Within one business day you receive written acknowledgement, the name of the person handling the matter, and what we understand the complaint to be about. If we have misunderstood it, this is the moment to correct us.
Investigation
The owner reads the audit log, the account records, and any correspondence, and speaks to whoever was involved. Complex matters can involve the compliance function. You may be asked specific questions; answers move things faster.
Written outcome
You receive the outcome in writing, with reasons, not just a yes or no. Where the complaint is upheld, the letter states what will be put right and by when. Where it is not, the letter explains the basis and your escalation options.
Escalation if unresolved
If the internal process is exhausted without a resolution you accept, the matter can be taken to the external bodies described below. Our final letter confirms in writing that the internal process is complete, which is what those bodies will ask to see.
What to provide, and what never to provide
Do provide
Your account reference, the dates and times involved, what you expected and what happened, the names of anyone you dealt with if you have them, and any screenshots or confirmations you kept. A complaint that can be checked is a complaint that can be resolved.
Never provide
Your password, your 2FA codes, your full card numbers, or remote access to your device, no matter who asks or why. No genuine complaint process, internal or external, requires any of these. If someone asks, that is fraud, and it belongs on the fraud warning page route instead.
Timelines
| Stage | Commitment |
|---|---|
| Acknowledgement with reference and owner | Within 1 business day of lodging |
| Update on progress for open matters | At least every 5 business days |
| Written outcome, straightforward matters | Within 10 business days |
| Written outcome, complex matters | Within 20 business days, with reasons for the extension given in writing |
| Confirmation the internal process is complete | With the final letter |
These timelines reflect the standards South African financial services clients are entitled to expect, and they are treated as commitments rather than aspirations.
Escalation and external dispute resolution
If the internal process does not resolve the matter, you are free to take it further, and we will not obstruct you. Financial advice and intermediary disputes in South Africa can be referred to the statutory Ombud for financial services, the FAIS Ombud, which deals with complaints against financial services providers at no cost to the complainant, provided the matter falls within its jurisdiction and its monetary limits. Complaints can also be raised with the Financial Sector Conduct Authority, the FSCA, which regulates the conduct of financial institutions and oversees the complaint-handling standards providers must meet.
Both bodies have their own intake requirements: a completed internal process, your reference number, the correspondence, and the final outcome letter. That is why every step here is in writing. Your advisor or the support desk will confirm the details you need for a referral, and the final letter states explicitly that the internal process is complete. Describing the route is where our part ends; choosing to use it is entirely yours.
Our six commitments
- Every complaint is acknowledged within one business day and receives a reference number and a named owner.
- Outcomes are communicated in writing, with reasons, including when the complaint is not upheld.
- Complaints are treated confidentially and shared only with the people needed to investigate them.
- Complaints are assessed on their facts and records, never on the size of the account or the tone of the complainant.
- No client is disadvantaged in any way for having complained.
- Patterns in complaints are reviewed by management and fed back into changes in process, not filed away.
Contact for complaints
Client Support and Compliance handles all complaints at [email protected], Monday to Friday, 8:30 to 17:30 SAST (excluding public holidays). Postal correspondence goes to 2 Long Street, 4th Floor, Cape Town City Centre, Cape Town, 8001, South Africa. The same address serves questions about this page before anything becomes a complaint, which is often the fastest resolution of all.