Complaints

Our Commitment

At NorthStar, we always strive to offer the highest quality services and we adhere to the highest professional standards at all times.  We hope that all clients receive an excellent service but have procedures in place should our standards fall short and a client wishes to make a formal complaint.

In such situations, we always take client complaints seriously. We commit to resolving all complaints efficiently and swiftly and adhering to all necessary regulatory procedures and best practice guidelines.
 
 

Definition of a Complaint

The definition of a complaint is: “Any oral or written expression of dissatisfaction, whether justified or not, from, or on behalf of, a person about the provision of, or failure to provide, a financial service, which: a) alleges that the complainant has suffered (or may suffer) financial loss, material distress or material inconvenience; and b) relates to an activity of our firm, or of any other firm with whom we have some connection in marketing or providing financial services or products, which comes under the jurisdiction of the Financial Ombudsman Service”.

A complaint can be made via any reasonable means, including letter, telephone, web, email, and in person.
 
 

Making a Complaint

Should circumstances arise where you wish to make a complaint against us for any reason, please contact:

The Complaints Officer, NorthStar Wealth Management Group Ltd, Ocean Village Innovation Centre, Ocean Way, Southampton, Hampshire, SO14 3JZ.

Alternatively, you may use the dedicated complaints contact form at the end of this page.
 
 

NorthStar Complaints Procedure

We handle all complaints in accordance with the requirements of our regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Our FCA number is 716709.

A complaint that is resolved by the close of business on the third working day after receipt of the complaint, is not subject to these procedures. Also, the communications noted below which are normally required will not apply.

Within five business days of receipt the Complaints Officer will send a written acknowledgement of the complaint, which will include:

• The name of the Complaints Officer and contact details
• A statement that a written report will follow once the investigation is complete
• Confirmation that a further letter will be sent if the complaint has not been resolved within four weeks of receipt
• In the case of an oral complaint only, a statement of our understanding of the nature of the complaint and a request for the complainant to confirm this in writing

Every effort will be made to resolve complaints within the first eight weeks.

If the investigation is still not completed after eight weeks, a further letter will be sent by the Complaints Officer explaining that we are still not in a position to provide a final response, ensuring that the following is covered in the letter:

• An explanation of why we are not in a position to make a final response and an indication of when we expect to be able to provide one
• Informing the complainant that he/she may now refer the complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service and indicates the FOS referral time limits
• Enclosing a copy of the Financial Ombudsman Service standard explanatory leaflet
• Providing the website address of the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS).

Once the investigation is complete, a letter will be sent by the Complaints Officer that will provide a summary of our investigation and our decision in the matter. This will also include a copy of the FOS’s explanatory booklet (if not already issued).

If, at this stage, the complainant is dissatisfied with the outcome of our investigation, and wishes to refer the matter to the FOS (if they are an ‘eligible complainant’), they must do so within six months of the date of the letter or they may lose the right to refer the complaint.

NorthStar will co-operate with FOS in resolving any complaints made against it.

In the event that we receive a complaint where the we have reasonable grounds to be satisfied that it relates to another firm, we will carry out the following within 5 days of receiving the initial complaint:

• Positively identify the other firm, who we believe are responsible and establish a current address and point of contact
• Write to the firm, enclosing a copy of the original complaint letter / notification, explaining why we believe they are responsible for dealing with the complaint
• Write to the complainant, explaining the action taken, enclose a copy of the letter sent to the other firm and invite the client to contact the new firm
   
  
  

Record Keeping

An entry of each complaint received will be made within the our Complaints Register, which will be maintained at all times. We retain a record of each complaint received for at least three years from the date the complaint is received.
 
 

Staff Understanding

All members of the NorthStar team (including all administration and secretarial staff) are given training on our complaints procedure and agree to act in accordance with it at all times.
 
 

About the Financial Ombudsman Service

The United Kingdom’s Financial Ombudsman Service is an ombudsman established in 2001 as a result of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 to help settle disputes between consumers and UK-based businesses providing financial services, such as banks, building societies, insurance companies, investment firms, financial advisers and finance companies.

The Financial Ombudsman Service can deal with complaints from consumers about most financial matters including, for example: banking, insurance, mortgages, pensions, savings and investments, credit cards and store cards, loans and credit, hire purchase and pawnbroking, financial advice, stocks, shares, unit trusts and bonds.

From November 2009 money-transfer operators also came under the ombudsman’s remit.

Before the ombudsman can step in, the consumer must first give the business they are unhappy with the opportunity to look into the complaint itself – before the ombudsman service can make a decision on the dispute. The business has a maximum of 8 weeks to resolve the complaint. If they do not resolve it within 8 weeks or the consumer is not happy with the response then they can refer the complaint to the ombudsman service.

More information about the Financial Ombudsman Service can be found on their website.

About Your Complaint

If you have a complaint against NorthStar, please use this form. All complaints are sent directly to the Complaints Officer and dealt with in accordance to the NorthStar complaints procedure.