Grievance Redressal Framework For Handling Customer Complaints / Grievances

Stage 1 – Grievance Redressal at Branch level

The customer may register his/her query/ complaint to Company which shall be addressed bythe Branch Manager by email or through phone. The customer can also personally visit thebranch office and make the complaint in writing to the Branch Manager in the complaint register available in the branch. On registering the complaint customer shall be provided a Reference number for the complaint lodged with Company for future correspondence.

Stage 2 – Grievance redressal framework at Head Office

If the customer is not satisfied with resolution provided by the local branch office, the customer may provide feedback or send in their complaint using the following channels between 9:00 am and 5.00 pm, from Monday to Friday (except on national holidays)

Call our Customer Care Helpline 0452-4347489.
Email us to reachus@homeplusfinance.co.in
Write to us at the below mentioned address
CUSTOMER CARE DEPARTMENT
HOME PLUS FINANCE PRIVATE LIMITED
Shop No.C8, 4th Floor, West Side, Door No 564/1, 12th East Cross Street, Anna Nagar, Madurai – 625020.

Stage 3 – Escalation

• In case the complaint is not resolved within given time or if the customer is not satisfied with the solution provided, the customer can approach the Complaints Redressal Officer.
• The name and contact details of the Principal Nodal Officer is as follows:

MANI RAJARAM
HOME PLUS FINANCE PRIVATE LIMITED,
C8 Door No 564/1, 12th East Cross Street , Anna nagar, Madurai -625020
Email id –reachus@homeplusfinance.co.in
Ph:0452-4347489

Stage – 4 – Escalation with Ombudsman

Ombudsman Scheme for Non-Banking Financial Companies, 2018
Salient Features.
In case of grievance, the customer may prefer a written complaint with the Regionaloffice of the Company, in respect of the following, provided the matter is not referred to any court or forum:

• Interest/Deposit not paid OR paid with delay
• Cheque not presented OR done with delay
• Not conveyed the amount of loan sanctioned, terms & conditions, annualised rate of interest, etc.
• Notice not provided for changes in agreement, levy of charges
• Failure to ensure transparency in contract/loan agreement
• Failure/ Delay in releasing securities/ documents
• Failure to provide legally enforceable built-in repossession in contract/ loan agreement
• RBI directives not followed by NBFC
• Guidelines on Fair Practices Code not followed

1. At the end of one month

• If reply is not received from the Company within one month, or
• the customer remain dissatisfied with the reply,
• The customer may file a complaint with NBFC Ombudsman (not later than one year after the reply from the Company)

2. At Ombudsman Office

• Proceedings before Ombudsman are summary in nature.
• Settlement thro’ conciliation.
• If not reached, issue Award/Order.
• If customer is not satisfied with the decision of Ombudsman, he may prefer an appeal with the Appellate Authority namely Deputy Governor, RBI.
• NBFC may go in for appeal within 30 days from the date of receipt of the letter of Award.
• This is an Alternate Dispute Resolution Mechanism and the customer is at liberty to approach any other court/forum/authority for the redressal at any stage.
• Name and address of the NBFC Ombudsman are given below:

A. Name and address of the NBFC Ombudsman

3. Mandatory display requirements

• Company has the following in all our Regional Offices and branches
• Fair Practices Code
• Appropriate arrangement for receiving complaints and suggestions.
• Display of the name, address and contact number of the Complaint Redressal Officer. The process of the complaints redressal unit will ensure closure of all complaints to the customers’ satisfaction.
• They will ensure that the complaint is escalated to the appropriate levels in case it is not possible to resolve at his/her level. Whilst the ultimate endeavor is to ensure that the Company reaches a situation where its customers don’t have to complain to senior management to get an effective redressal the Company has put in a robust mechanism to handle these complaints, review them from a point of view of understanding reasons for the complaint and for the escalation and working on prevention of recurrence thereof.

4. Time frame

• To register complaints, the customers may use any of the channels mentioned above (refer point (a) on Internal Machinery to handle the customer complaints). If the complaint has been received in writing Company will endeavor to send an acknowledgement / response within a week. Once the matter is examined, Company endeavours to either send a final response to the customer or an intimation seeking more time within one month upon receipt of complaint.
• Complaints that are received at the Company’s end will be seen in the right perspective and would be analyzed from all possible angles.
• The communication of Company’s stand on any issue will be provided to the customers. Complaints that require some time for examination of issues involved will be acknowledged promptly.
• The aforesaid policy will be reviewed periodically /revised as and when there are any new changes incorporated by Company in handling complaints / grievances of the customer which includes introduction of new grievance channels, if any.

Salient features of Integrated Ombudsman Scheme – 2021

(Inserted by Notification Ref. CEPD. PRD. No.

S544/13.01.001/2022-23 dated August 5, 2022)

Consumer Education and Protection

The Reserve Bank’s approach to customer service focusses on protection of customers’ rights, enhancing the quality of customer service, spreading awareness and strengthening the grievance redressal mechanism in banks and also in the Reserve Bank.

Integrated Ombudsman Scheme, 2021

The Reserve Bank – Integrated Ombudsman Scheme, 2021 was launched on November 12,2021 in virtual mode by Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. The scheme provides cost-free redress of customer complaints involving deficiency in services rendered by entities regulated by RBI, if not resolved to the satisfaction of the customers or not replied within a period of 30 days by the regulated entity.

Some of the salient features of the Integrated Ombudsman Scheme, 2021 are:

• It will no longer be necessary for a complainant to identify under which scheme he/she should file complaint with the Ombudsman.
• The Scheme defines ‘deficiency in service’ as the ground for filing a complaint, with a specified list of exclusions. Therefore, the complaints would no longer be rejected simply on account of “not covered under the grounds listed in the scheme”.
• The Scheme has done away with the jurisdiction of each ombudsman office.
• A Centralised Receipt and Processing Centre has been set up at RBI, Chandigarh for receipt and initial processing of physical and email complaints in any language. The
  responsibility of representing the Regulated Entity and furnishing information in respect of complaints filed by customers against the Regulated Entity would be that
  of the Principal Nodal Officer in the rank of a General Manager in a Public Sector Bank or equivalent.
• The Regulated Entity will not have the right to appeal in cases where an Award is issued by the ombudsman against it for not furnishing satisfactory and timely information/documents.

Responsibility of PNO/NO

• Regulated entities should appoint a Principal Nodal Officer (PNO) with a rank of GM or officer of equivalent rank.
• PNO will be the central point of contact between the Ombudsman and the Regulated Entity (RE).
• Complaints shall go directly to REs upon registration in the CMS Portal/ CRPC and get assigned to PNO as well as Nodal Officer (NO).
• PNO can reassign complaints to alternate NO if any NO is on leave / inactive. Resolution of complaint
• Ombudsman to promote settlement of complaint by agreement between the complainant and the Regulated Entity through facilitation or conciliation or mediation.
• Regulated Entity to submit its reply to the Ombudsman for the averments in the complaint enclosing the relevant documents, within 15 days.
• Ombudsman may grant further time at his/her discretion, at the request of the Regulated Entity.
• If RE fails to submit its reply and documents within the time stipulated, the Ombudsman may proceed ex-parte and pass appropriate Order or Award.
• If the complaint is not resolved through facilitation, the Ombudsman may exercise other appropriate methods including a meeting of the complainant with RE for resolution of the complaint by conciliation or mediation.

Award by the Ombudsman

• An Ex-parte Award will be issued for non-furnishing of information within stipulated time by Regulated Entities..
• If complaint is not resolved through facilitation or conciliation or mediation, based on documents and after giving a reasonable opportunity to both the parties, an Award will be passed.
• In the Award passed, the maximum compensation exclusive of the amount involved in the dispute will not be, an amount which is more than the actual loss suffered by the complainant, or twenty lakh rupees whichever is lower.
• Maximum compensation of Rs. 1 lakh to the complainant for the loss of the complainant’s time, expenses incurred by the complainant, harassment and mental anguish suffered by the complainant.

Appellate Authority

• Appellate Authority will be Executive Director, CEPD.
• No right of appeal to Regulated Entities for Awards issued for violation of provisions related to not furnishing of appropriate and satisfactory information within stipulated time.
• The party aggrieved by the Award can file an appeal, within thirty days of the date of receipt of communication of Award or rejection of the complaint.

Regulated Entity to display salient features of the Scheme

• Display- at all branches & places of business
• the names and contact details (Telephone / mobile number and E-mail ID) of PNO
• the details of complaint lodging portal of Ombudsman https://cms.rbi.org.in
• The salient features of the scheme – English, Hindi, Regional Language
• Copy of the scheme shall be available with one designated officer in each branch.
• Copy of the Scheme shall be prominently displayed and updated on the website.