Reportable Complaints & Process
How to make a complaint:
At Columbia Threadneedle Investments we take complaints very seriously. If you have a complaint or are dissatisfied please let us know so we can try to put it right. If you wish to complain, please follow the relevant procedure below:
For OEICs / Unit Trusts:
- Phone: 0800 953 0134, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm (GMT)
If calling from outside of the UK please call: +44 1268 444 321 - Email: questions@service.columbiathreadneedle.co.uk
- Post:
Threadneedle Investment Services Ltd
PO Box 10033
Chelmsford
Essex
United Kingdom
CM99 2AL
Our commitment
We treat any complaints we receive with utmost care. We aim to resolve any complaints as soon as possible and ideally within three days of the complaint being made. If we cannot resolve the complaint within the three day period, we will write to you with details of our process and keep you updated with the outcome.
How long will it take?
We’ll aim to resolve your complaint as soon as possible. The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) allows us eight weeks to resolve a complaint before you can ask them to intervene but hopefully it won’t take that long. If we haven’t responded to all your issues within eight weeks, we’ll write to you to let you know you can refer your case to the FOS.
What if I’m still unhappy following your decision or the resolution you offer?
Please let us know. Our Client Service team will discuss this with you and explain the reasons for our decision. If you’re still unhappy, once we issue our final response, you will be able to refer your complaint to FOS. The FOS will only investigate your complaint after we’ve had the chance to investigate it.
Who are the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) and how do I contact them?
The FOS acts impartially to settle individual disputes between consumers and businesses that provide financial services.
You can contact them at:
- Phone: 0800 023 4567 or 0300 123 9123
- Post:
Exchange Tower
London
E14 9SR
The FOS will need you to complete a form, which you can get from their website: https://help.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/help.
We'll remind you of how to contact FOS when we send you either our final decision letter or our eight week update letter.
Please note that both our complaints process and the FOS service are completely free of charge.
Does following your complaints procedure mean that I can’t follow other avenues like the FOS or legal action?
The FOS will only consider you eligible for their service once you have followed our complaints process and received either our final complaint resolution letter, or a letter from us confirming your right to approach the FOS in the unlikely event that we are unable to resolve your complaint within eight weeks. Making a complaint does not affect your right to take legal action.
Where can I find complaints data?
Details of the number of cases referred to the FOS for individual financial businesses can be found at: http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/publications/complaints-data.html The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) provides consolidated complaints data from the industry every six months at: https://www.fca.org.uk/firms/complaints-data
For Luxembourg SICAVs
If you are invested in a Luxembourg SICAV, the following procedure applies:
Complaints procedure
Investors may file a complaint free of charge in their own language, stating their name, contact details and details about the product, service and entity the complaint refers to.
Investors can file a complaint:
- by sending an email to: Luxoversight@columbiathreadneedle.com
- by sending a letter to:
Threadneedle Management Luxembourg S.A.
Attn. : Complaints Officer
44, rue de la Vallée
L-2661 Luxembourg.
Processing
We will respond in writing within ten (10) business days after the receipt of the complaint, to either acknowledge the receipt of the complaint or provide a response. This letter will also inform the complainant about the name of the person handling the complaint.
An answer will be sent to the complainant without undue delay and in any case within one month as of the date of receipt of the complaint. If more time is required to examine the complaint, the Complaints Officer shall inform the complainant of the causes of the delay and indicate the date at which the examination is likely to be achieved.
Escalation
Where the complainant did not obtain an answer or a satisfactory answer from the Complaints Officer, he/she has got the opportunity to raise the complaint up to the management of Columbia Threadneedle Investments. The relevant contact details will be provided with the response of the Complaints Officer.
Out-of-court complaint resolution procedure at the CSSF
If, for any reason, the complainant does not receive a satisfactory response, he/she can contact the Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (“CSSF”) at the latest one year after the date on which he/she first filed the complaint with Columbia Threadneedle Investments:
- By post:
Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier
Département Juridique - Service JUR - CC
283, route d’Arlon
L-2991 Luxembourg; or - By fax: +352 26 25 1- 2601; or
- By email: reclamation@cssf.lu
Further information from the CSSF can be found on http://www.cssf.lu/en/consumer/complaints/