
Financial complaint numbers at historically high levels
Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
The Financial Services Complaints Limited received 1469 complaints in the year to June 30. Photo / 123RF
Financial complaint numbers remain at historically high numbers and show no sign of easing, the Financial Ombudsman says.
New annual figures show the complaints service received 1469 complaints in the year to June 30, up from 1426 the previous year.
'We're not yet seeing signs of complaints reducing since increasing rapidly two years ago in the wake of Covid-19,' said Financial Ombudsman Susan Taylor.
'What's changed is the spread. Complaints are now more evenly distributed across a broader range of financial services, rather than being concentrated in just a few areas like non-bank lenders.'
Lenders accounted for the largest share of complaints at 38%, though many were resolved before escalating to a dispute needing formal investigation.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Scoop
11 hours ago
- Scoop
Whanganui Heritage Buildings To Make Way For Health Campus
Heritage buildings at a council-owned site in Whanganui will be demolished and the cleared site leased long-term to a local health provider. Whanganui District Council voted 9-4 this week to lease the former St George's School site to iwi-governed Te Oranganui Trust. Mayor Andrew Tripe said the decision supported Te Oranganui's vision for a community-focused health and wellbeing campus. 'This is a community organisation with deep roots in our district. By supporting this partnership, we're making a strong statement – that public land should be used to advance public good.' The decision follows community engagement and an assessment of risks and opportunities for the site at 125 Grey Street. Tripe said the decision balanced community priorities and sound financial stewardship, along with respect for Whanganui's heritage. 'We heard strong arguments to retain the heritage buildings. 'We also had Te Oranganui present a compelling case for a future that supports our community's health and wellbeing and we are confident this will deliver long-term benefits for Whanganui.' The council had not heard any other commercially viable options for the site, Tripe said. There were more than 800 responses to a council survey on the future of the site, with 51% supporting deconstructing the buildings and leasing the site to a private developer. The council would pay the estimated $1.25 million for deconstruction from its property endowment fund, meaning ratepayers would not foot the bill. The council agreed to 'a sensitive deconstruction'. 'Our approach … respects the heritage value of the site by allowing for careful deconstruction, recovery of materials, and heritage-sensitive design in future development. 'It's not just about removing buildings – it's about making space for something new that honours the legacy of the site while creating services that will support people and whānau for generations to come.' The school's original buildings went up in 1927 but most of the buildings on the site are earthquake-prone and contaminated with asbestos, according to council reports. As part of the lease, the newer administration building facing Grey Street will remain, along with the YMCA Early Childhood Centre with access from London Street, while the older surrounding buildings will be deconstructed. Tripe said it was 'a tough decision' but there were no clear plans for future use of the heritage buildings. Bringing the site up to safe, usable standards would have cost more than $12 million. The Grey Street property was home to St George's School from 1927 until the school moved to the Whanganui Collegiate School campus. The site was bought from the YMCA in 2019 by the council's commercial arm, Whanganui District Council Holdings, as an investment. Between 2019 and 2021, it was used by the New Zealand International Commercial Pilots Academy, which proposed expanding aviation-related facilities prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. The council formally purchased the site from its holdings company in 2023. Transitional housing was initially considered for the property, but that proposal was withdrawn after strong neighbourhood opposition. Two buildings are currently leased by the YMCA, but most of the site sits unused. It currently returns a net annual loss of $49,000. The council estimated the long-term lease would deliver a net benefit of $109,000 annually. Te Oranganui is expected to move in by the end of 2027.


Scoop
15 hours ago
- Scoop
Taranaki Ready To Reimagine Tertiary Education As Region Prepares For Future
Taranaki leaders are stepping forward with a clear message: WITT will continue to play a central role in the future of education for Taranaki. "Let us be clear, WITT is not closing. It remains the largest tertiary education provider in Taranaki and a cornerstone of our region's future. The region stands behind WITT and our collective energy is now focused on supporting its next chapter," says Chair of the Taranaki Mayoral Forum, Stratford Mayor Neil Volzke. As the Government reviews the viability of institutes following the disestablishment of Te Pūkenga, regional leaders have come together to build the foundations for a better, fit for purpose tertiary model for the region. "We acknowledge that the Government embarked on this process to set up a more viable and future-fit vocational education system for Aotearoa. Now that we understand our place in that process, we are not waiting for government to bring a solution. We're creating the table for those solutions to be discussed and inviting government to join us there," Volzke adds. WITT continues to deliver for the region's people, from school leavers to adult learners, in critical disciplines such as trades, nursing, engineering, and business. Despite immense disruption over recent years, including COVID-19's impact on international education and significant national reforms, WITT has remained a highly valued foundation for regional learning and development. "We know it must be financially viable, and we believe that it can be. However this is not just about a balance sheet, it's about our workforce, our economy and our young people" says Volzke. As the region continues to evolve through energy transition, a growing food and fibre industry, and shifts in the digital, and health sectors, leaders see this as an opportunity to shape what education needs to look like to support new skills for a future-focused Taranaki. "WITT, like many tertiary providers across the country, is having to make tough decisions to change courses that are currently not financially or operationally viable. While this is understandably unsettling, it also presents an opportunity to reset and refocus," says Volzke. Sheree Long, Director of Workforce Development, Energy Resources Aotearoa, believes that vocational education is not optional, it's essential. "In regions like Taranaki, where our energy systems are adapting and evolving, and building future-focused capability, we need providers like WITT delivering skills that match real workforce demand." "As the education landscape shifts, this is an opportunity to ensure vocational training is aligned with where the jobs are going. Industry is ready to step in and partner to enable that future," Long adds. A voluntary education leadership group - formed after the dissolution of the government's Regional Skills Leadership Groups is actively leading this work. This group, led by local government and iwi, with representatives from the region's economic development agency, business sector leaders, education providers and social services, is not starting from scratch. It is building on years of strategic vision, readiness, and coordination in the region. Kelvin Wright, Chief Executive, Te Puna Umanga Venture Taranaki says, "Tertiary education reform was identified as a key regional priority in the recently refreshed Tapuae Roa Action Plan, the region's economic development strategy, reflecting foresight that the system was shifting, and a localised response is needed." "That vision is now being put into action, as regional leaders coordinate efforts to position WITT for long-term sustainability and impact," Wright adds. The group will also actively engage with The Tertiary Education Commission, the Ministry of Education, and the Minister for Vocational Education to proactively present a plan and build together a strong education model that is regionally grounded, responsive, and delivers for learners and industry. The group is also calling on regional industry leaders, employers, funders, and civic partners to step in now to actively support WITT's transition, explore secondment opportunities, champion international education, and back the long-term vision. "This is not something WITT can or should do alone," says Stacey Hitchcock, GM Investment, Te Puna Umanga Venture Taranaki. "We're calling on regional employers, funders, and industry leaders to step forward and help shape the next phase. WITT is our largest tertiary education provider, if we want it to reflect our future workforce and regional needs, we must help co-create that. The leadership group will be actively engaging with these stakeholders in the coming weeks, and we encourage them to be ready to contribute, collaborate, and lead alongside us," Hitchcock adds.

RNZ News
15 hours ago
- RNZ News
Rise in insurance complaints linked to cost-of-living crisis
Two-thirds of the disputes investigated were about general insurance, including house, contents, vehicle and travel insurance. Photo: 123rf People who are paying higher premiums for their insurance may be expecting more from their policies in return and being disappointed when they don't get it, the insurance and financial ombudsman says. The scheme investigated a record 600 disputes between consumers and financial service providers, such as insurers, in the year to 30 June, up 25 percent from the year before. It received 4293 inquiries and complaints. Insurance premiums have risen significantly in recent years. Stats NZ figures showed in March last year house insurance was up almost 25 percent compared to the previous year, contents insurance up about 28 percent and car insurance up almost 23 percent. Insurance and Financial Services Ombudsman Karen Stevens said many cases were resolved quickly, but a growing number were unresolved even after they had gone through financial service providers' internal processes. She said they would then need formal investigation by the Insurance and Financial Services Ombudsman (IFSO) scheme. Stevens said part of the increase could be due to the cost-of-living crisis, and expectations about what policies should cover when premiums had risen. Two-thirds of the disputes investigated were about general insurance, including house, contents, vehicle and travel insurance. Stevens said in one case a man complained that there were problems with his Range Rover, which was stolen and then recovered. The insurer covered $37,000 in repairs, but the man said there were other problems like the air conditioning not working, water damage and possible meth contamination. But assessors said the problems were pre-existing or unrelated. "The vehicle was recovered and was repaired in accordance with the repair condition in the policy, and the insurer had paid these costs," Stevens said. "The IFSO scheme can only consider whether the insurer had correctly applied the terms and conditions of the policy to the claim." She said, in this case, the insurer had met its obligations. But she said it showed the importance of understanding what a policy would cover. "It's important to understand that insurers rely on evidence," Stevens said. "If you disagree with a claim decision, you must prove that there was damage missed, or that the settlement is unreasonable." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.