Making a complaint about James Leighton Financial Services
At James Leighton Financial Services, we always endeavour to provide the highest quality mortgage and financial advice services. However, if there is a time when you feel our service has not met your expectations and you wish to make a complaint, we will investigate your concerns and do our best to respond as quickly as possible.
We take all complaints seriously and our formal financial services complaints procedure will be followed. James Leighton Financial Services partners with Quilter for handling regulated complaints.
If you have a complaint, please get in touch with us so we can discuss the matter and look to resolve it swiftly.
How our financial complaints process works
James Leighton Financial Services is an appointed representative of Quilter under FCA regulation, and if you submit a formal complaint, our partner firm will handle your complaint. This does not affect your rights in any way.
Contacting us first
We encourage our clients to always contact us in the first instance, as this provides a faster way to resolve simple issues. You can call our team on 0115 870 9520 or email customerservices@jlfs.co.uk so we can investigate the issue and work with you to find a satisfactory resolution.
Contacting us through these channels to discuss your concerns offers an informal way to address any issue but if you prefer to submit a formal complaint, the process is detailed below.
Submitting a formal complaint
If you choose to submit a formal complaint, you can do this by contacting Quilter Financial Planning Complaints Department via the following contact details:
Quilter Financial Planning Complaints Department
Sunderland
SR43 4JR
Email: QFPcomplaints@quilter.com
Tel: 0191 241 0700
Please include a full description of the events that have caused you to be dissatisfied.
What happens after you complain?
Once you have submitted your complaint, you will receive a summary of our complaints procedure along with an acknowledgement of your complaint.
The Quilter Financial Planning Complaints Department will investigate the details of your complaint thoroughly and may request additional information from you as part of the process. When the investigation has been completed, we will provide you with a formal response.
Escalating your complaint
In the event that you are not happy with the outcome of your complaint, you may be entitled to escalate or refer your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service. Please be aware that you may not be entitled to refer your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service if your product is not regulated by the FCA (for example, a Buy to Let mortgage).
If the product that your complaint relates to is regulated by the FCA, you can refer your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman. You can escalate your complaint after you have received the final response or if your complaint was not resolved within 8 weeks of the complaint being received. Your complaint typically must be referred within 6 months of the final response letter.
To refer your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service, use the following contact details:
The Financial Ombudsman Service
Telephone: 0800 023 4567
Email: complaint.info@financial-ombudsman.org.uk
Website: www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk
The Ombudsman will investigate your complaint and decide upon a fair outcome.
Understanding your rights
You have the rights to customer protections under UK financial regulations, which include:
- A fair investigation
- A clear response to your complaint
- An option for escalation
At James Leighton Financial Services, we are committed to being transparent to our clients and hold accountability for meeting regulatory standards.
We are covered by the FSCS. In the unlikely event that we cannot meet our obligations, you may be entitled to compensation from the FSCS. This depends on your type of advice/product, and the circumstances of your claim.
The FSCS covers eligible claims up to the following limits: Up to £85,000 per eligible person, per firm for mortgages; 100% protection for long term insurance; 90% protection for all other kinds of insurance, including general insurance. Further information about compensation scheme arrangements including the conditions governing compensation and how to obtain compensation is available from the FSCS at www.fscs.org.uk.
FAQs
Do I need to contact James Leighton Financial Services before making a complaint?
We encourage you to contact us before making a complaint so that we can fully understand your concerns and investigate it. However, if you do want to make a formal complaint, you can contact either James Leighton Financial Services or Quilter, and Quilter will undertake the formal complaint.
What information should I include in my complaint?
Please provide full details of the sequence of events that caused you to express your dissatisfaction.
Is there a time limit for making a complaint?
If you wish to make a complaint, please do this as soon as you are aware of the issue that has caused dissatisfaction or financial detriment, so that we can investigate the events.
Will making a complaint affect my financial advice or service?
No, making a complaint will not affect the service or any financial advice that you receive from us.