The Association
Complaints and review
How to raise a complaint about a listed organisation or practitioner, how to correct something published here — and an honest account of what the Association can and cannot do, with the bodies that hold the powers it does not.
Make a complaint
Start by choosing who the complaint is about. The form then shows what the Association actually records about that organisation or person, and what it can and cannot do in their case, before you write anything.
What happens next
| Stage | Standard |
|---|---|
| Acknowledgement | Within 3 business days, with a reference and a named handler |
| Put to the subject | Where the subject is listed, they are asked to respond in writing |
| Substantive response | Within 20 business days, with reasons. Longer only where the Association says so and explains why |
| Outcome recorded | On the register entry where a listing changes, and in the complaints record |
| Appeal | Within 20 business days of the decision, to the Independent Reviewer once appointed |
| Retention | 5 years, then deleted |
What the Association can do
- Record your complaint and acknowledge it.
- Ask a listed organisation or practitioner for an explanation.
- Correct, change or withdraw a listing, and publish that it has changed.
- Correct anything inaccurate on this website.
- Publish general warnings about patterns it sees repeatedly.
- Tell you which body has the power to act, and what that body will need from you.
What it cannot do
- Recover money, order compensation or reverse a transaction.
- Fine, sanction, licence or deregister anyone.
- Compel evidence or testimony.
- Give you legal advice, or act for you.
- Decide a dispute between you and another party.
The Private Lending Association of South Africa is not a regulator, government body, financial adviser, lender or product provider. It does not arrange loans, accept deposits or guarantee any private-lending arrangement.
How to raise a complaint
- Complain to the organisation first, in writing, and keep the reply. Most complaints are resolved at this stage, and every body below will ask whether you did it.
- Use the form above. It asks for what the Association needs — who the complaint is about, what happened and when, what you were told and by whom, what you have already done, and what you would like to happen — and gives you a reference the moment it is recorded. If you would rather write, send the same information to complaints@privatelendingassociation.co.za; it is handled identically.
- Attach what you have — the agreement, the marketing material, the messages. A complaint with documents can be acted on; one without usually cannot.
- You will get an acknowledgement with what the Association intends to do and what it cannot do. Where a listing is affected, the record is updated and the change is visible.
Where the Association cannot judge its own case
The complaints process is run by the editor. Until an Independent Reviewer is appointed — see governance — a complaint involving the editor, a founding member or a partner is recorded and published rather than adjudicated, because it would not be credible for the editor to decide it.
Bodies that can act
| If your complaint concerns | Take it to |
|---|---|
| A credit provider, a credit agreement or reckless lending | National Credit Regulator |
| Financial advice, or the conduct of a financial services provider | Financial Sector Conduct Authority |
| An entity that appears to be taking deposits from the public unlawfully | South African Reserve Bank |
| A sectional-title scheme, its levies or its governance | Community Schemes Ombud Service |
| Misuse of your personal information | Information Regulator (South Africa) |
| Suspected fraud or theft | South African Police Service |
Corrections to this website
Corrections go to editor@privatelendingassociation.co.za and are treated as a normal part of publishing rather than an embarrassment. The editorial policy sets out how they are handled and what is noted on the page.
Common questions
- Can the Association get my money back?
- No. The Association has no statutory powers. It cannot order redress, fine anyone, compel evidence or freeze anything. What it can do is record a complaint, ask the organisation or practitioner for an explanation, correct or withdraw a listing, and tell you which body does have the power to act on your particular problem.
- Where do I report a suspected scam?
- If money has been taken or you believe a crime has been committed, report it to the South African Police Service. If the arrangement involves a credit provider, the National Credit Regulator; if it involves financial advice or a financial product, the Financial Sector Conduct Authority; if an entity appears to be taking deposits from the public without a licence, the South African Reserve Bank. Reporting to the Association as well is useful — it lets a warning be published — but it is not a substitute for any of those.
- Something on this website is wrong. How do I get it fixed?
- Write to the editor with the page and the issue. Material errors are corrected promptly, noted on the page, and the review date is updated. Minor errors are fixed without a note. Where a point is genuinely arguable, the page is amended to say so rather than to pick a side.
This page explains how something works. It is not financial, legal or tax advice, it takes no account of your circumstances, and nothing here is a recommendation to lend. Private lending places capital at risk.