Dispute Resolution & Ombudsman Services

When an informal complaint to a business does not resolve your issue, external dispute resolution (EDR) schemes and ombudsman services provide a free, independent pathway. In Australia, EDR schemes are industry-specific — you need to identify which scheme applies to your type of dispute. This page lists the main external dispute resolution services relevant to credit, financial services, debt collection, telecommunications and energy.

Before approaching an EDR scheme, most require you to first raise your complaint directly with the business and allow them a reasonable opportunity to resolve it (usually 30–45 days for financial services). Keep a record of your complaint and the response you receive.

AFCA — Australian Financial Complaints Authority

AFCA is Australia's single external dispute resolution scheme for financial services, established in November 2018 by merging the previous Financial Ombudsman Service, Credit and Investments Ombudsman, and Superannuation Complaints Tribunal. AFCA can handle complaints about banks, credit providers, superannuation funds, insurance companies, financial advisers, debt collectors (that are licensed credit providers) and other financial services firms that are AFCA members.

For credit and debt matters, AFCA can investigate complaints about:

• Disputes about the existence or amount of a debt.
• Hardship arrangements — whether a credit provider has properly considered a hardship application.
• Credit reporting errors — whether a credit provider has incorrectly listed a default.
• Debt collection conduct — complaints about the behaviour of licensed debt collectors.
• Irresponsible lending — whether a credit product was unsuitable for the borrower.

afca.org.au — Australian Financial Complaints Authority

AFCA's main website — about the service, types of complaints handled, time limits and the complaint process.

AFCA — Make a complaint

Lodge a complaint online — free for consumers and small businesses. AFCA can make binding determinations of up to $1.2 million (check the AFCA website for current limits).

AFCA — Find a member

Check whether a financial services firm is an AFCA member before lodging a complaint — AFCA can only handle complaints about its members.

TIO — Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman

The TIO handles complaints about telephone, mobile and internet services, including disputes about billing, connection, contracts and debt collection by telecommunications providers. If a telecommunications provider has referred a disputed account to a debt collector, the TIO may still be able to assist if the underlying dispute is about the telecommunications service itself.

tio.com.au — Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman

Lodge a complaint about a phone, mobile or internet service provider — free for consumers and small businesses.

TIO — Making a complaint

Step-by-step guide to lodging a complaint with the TIO, including what information to provide and what outcomes are available.

Energy Ombudsman — by state

Each state and territory has an energy ombudsman (or equivalent) that handles complaints about electricity and gas retailers, including disputes about billing and debt collection related to energy accounts.

ewon.com.au — Energy and Water Ombudsman NSW

Complaints about electricity, gas and some water services in New South Wales.

ewov.com.au — Energy and Water Ombudsman Victoria

Complaints about electricity, gas and some water services in Victoria.

ewoq.com.au — Energy and Water Ombudsman Queensland

Complaints about electricity and gas services in Queensland.

ewosa.com.au — Energy and Water Ombudsman SA

Complaints about electricity, gas and water services in South Australia.

Energy and Water Ombudsman WA

Complaints about electricity, gas and water services in Western Australia.

ACCC and ASIC — regulatory complaints

The ACCC and ASIC handle regulatory complaints — they investigate systemic conduct issues and can take enforcement action against businesses that breach consumer law or financial services law. They do not resolve individual disputes in the way that an ombudsman does, but reporting a business to the ACCC or ASIC can contribute to investigations that benefit the broader public.

ACCC — Report a consumer problem

Lodge a report about a business practice that may breach the Australian Consumer Law — misleading conduct, unconscionable conduct or harassment.

ASIC — How to complain

Report concerns about a financial services firm, credit provider or debt collector to Australia's corporate and financial services regulator.

Related Merion resources

• Regulators — ASIC, ACCC, AFSA and OAIC with official links and explanations of their roles.
• Debt Collection Conduct Standards — the ACCC/ASIC guideline and your rights when dealing with a collector.
• Debt Scam Awareness — how to identify fake debt collectors and report them.
• Merion Collection Practices Policy — how to raise a concern about Merion's conduct directly with us.