Bridge Finance understands the need to ensure effective corporate governance, not only for the integrity of our business but also that of our clients. Our compliance procedures are integrated as part of our risk management framework as a Financial Services Provider. This is also a requirement of the Regulations to the Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services Act 37 of 2002 (FAIS Act), as well as Section 17 of the Act. Through our FAIS compliance officer and appointed Key Individual, which act as our risk management committee, we have adopted the following policy in order to facilitate a part of this:

Complaint has to be in writing

In order for a complaint to receive the attention that it deserves, we request that your complaint is submitted to us in writing. Please ensure, that where the complaint is delivered by hand or by any other means, that you retain proof of delivery.

Complaint has to be relevant

The financial services environment is complex. We will endeavour to address all reasonable requests from our clients, but may also refer you to a more appropriate facility. Where the complaint pertains to any aspect of our service, or any disclosures that ought to be made by us, we will endeavour to address those complaints in writing, within 10 days.

In instances where the complaint pertains to something not within our control, such as product information or investment performance we will forward the complaint to the product provider concerned.

Procedures

The financial services environment is complex. We will endeavour to address all reasonable requests from our clients, but may also refer you to a more appropriate facility. Where the complaint pertains to any aspect of our service, or any disclosures that ought to be made by us, we will endeavour to address those complaints in writing, within 10 days.

The complaint will be lodged in our central complaints register on the same day that it is made and confirmation of receipt forwarded to you.
The complaint is immediately brought to the attention of the Key Individual of this provider for allocation to a trained and skilled person who specialises in that type of complaint.

The complaint will be investigated and we will revert to you with our findings within 10 working days.

In the event that you are not satisfied with our solution, you may refer the complaint to the Managing Director of our business. The Managing director may amend the solution or confirm it. Please be informed that certain decisions may have to be approved by the Board or Management committee of the organisation. In such a case, we will communicate that fact to you, as well as the date on which a decision will be taken.

If, after having referred the complaint to the customer relations department, you are still not satisfied with the outcome, we will regard the complaint as being unsatisfactorily resolved. In such a case, you may approach the office of the Ombud for Financial Services Providers or take such other steps as may be advised by your legal representatives. The referral to the office of the Ombud must be done in accordance with the provisions of section 21 of the FAIS Act and the rules promulgated in terms of that section. In instances where we have not been able to arrive at a resolution within six weeks after you have lodged your complaint, the matter may automatically be referred to the Ombud.

You must, if you wish to refer a matter to the Ombud, do so within a period of six months. The Ombud will not adjudicate in matters exceeding a value of R2,000 000.

The Ombud may be contacted at their offices in Pretoria, at the following address: FAIS Ombud – Financial Services Board Rigel Park , 446 Rigel Avenue South, Erasmusrand, Pretoria. Postal Address: P.O. Box 35655, Menlo Park, 0102
In the event of us not reverting to you within the time periods indicated above, kindly contact the customer relations department for an explanation as to why we have not yet communicated with you. Please do not accept any communication from any person until it has been confirmed in writing.