Complaints Procedure

A complaint is any expression of dissatisfaction about our services or the services of a lender on our platform, whether justified or not. This includes concerns about the LendBridge platform and its features, the loan application process, treatment by a lender, loan terms, fees, or charges, collection practices, privacy or data handling, or any other aspect of service received through the platform.

Contact Methods

You can lodge a complaint by email at complaints@lendbridge.na, through the Contact Us or Submit Complaint form on our website, or by post to LendBridge Namibia, Windhoek, Namibia.

Information to Include

To help us investigate effectively, please include your full name and contact details, your ID number or account reference (if applicable), the name of the lender involved (if applicable), a clear description of your complaint, relevant dates and details of any interactions, copies of any supporting documents, and the outcome you are seeking.

Acknowledgment

We will acknowledge receipt of your complaint within 2 business days. The acknowledgment will include a unique complaint reference number and the name of the person handling your complaint.

Investigation

We will thoroughly investigate your complaint. This may involve reviewing records and communications, contacting the relevant lender if applicable, speaking with staff members involved, and gathering additional information from you if needed.

Resolution Timeline

We aim to resolve all complaints within 14 business days of receipt. If your complaint is complex and requires more time, we will keep you informed of our progress and provide an estimated resolution date.

Response

Once our investigation is complete, we will provide you with a written response that includes a summary of your complaint, the outcome of our investigation, our decision and the reasons for it, any remedial action we will take, and information about how to escalate if you remain dissatisfied.

If your complaint relates to a specific lender, we will forward your complaint to that lender and require them to respond within a specified timeframe. We will keep you informed throughout this process.

While LendBridge facilitates resolution, lending decisions, loan terms, and collection practices are the responsibility of individual lenders. However, we take complaints about lender conduct seriously and may take action against lenders who fail to meet our Fair Practice Code standards.

Internal Escalation

If you are not satisfied with the initial response, you may request escalation to a senior manager. Escalation requests should be made within 14 days of receiving our response and should explain why you remain dissatisfied. Escalated complaints will be reviewed by a senior manager not previously involved in the matter.

External Escalation — NAMFISA

If you remain dissatisfied after our internal process, you may escalate your complaint to the Namibia Financial Institutions Supervisory Authority (NAMFISA), which regulates microlenders in Namibia.

All complaints are treated confidentially. Information related to your complaint will only be shared with those who need to be involved in the investigation and resolution process. We will not disclose your complaint to third parties without your consent, except where required by law or regulation.

LendBridge prohibits any form of retaliation against users who lodge complaints in good faith. Your access to the platform and any existing loan arrangements will not be adversely affected because you made a complaint.

We maintain records of all complaints received, including the nature of the complaint, the investigation conducted, and the resolution. These records are retained for a minimum of 5 years in accordance with regulatory requirements and are used to identify trends and improve our services.

We view complaints as valuable feedback that helps us improve. Complaints are regularly reviewed to identify patterns, systemic issues, and opportunities for improvement. We are committed to learning from complaints and making necessary changes to prevent similar issues from recurring.

For complaints or questions about this procedure: