How Should Investors Raise a Complaint Against an Investment Advisory Service?
- August 17, 2026
- Posted by: Ankit Jaiswal
- Category: Market
The investment advisory complaint process starts with the advisory service’s internal grievance cell. If unresolved within 30 days, investors can escalate to SEBI SCORES. Investors should distingui…
Quick Answer
The investment advisory complaint process is the structured path for resolving grievances against SEBI-registered Investment Advisers and Research Analysts. The investment advisory complaint process has two primary stages: internal grievance resolution through the advisory service’s own complaint mechanism and external escalation through SEBI’s centralised online complaint portal — SCORES (SEBI Complaints Redress System).
Investors who know the investment advisory complaint process can resolve genuine grievances more effectively and can document their complaints in a way that supports escalation if the internal resolution process fails.
This guide explains the investment advisory complaint process step by step, what information to collect before filing, how to distinguish a service complaint from an investment-loss complaint and when and how to escalate to SEBI SCORES.
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Step 1: Internal Grievance — Contact the Advisory Service
The investment advisory complaint process begins with the advisory service’s internal grievance channel. SEBI requires Investment Advisers and Research Analysts to maintain a functional grievance redressal cell with a designated compliance officer. Investors should: write a formal complaint (email or the platform’s grievance form) specifying the nature of the complaint, the specific service failure and the resolution sought. Keep the submission timestamp and any acknowledgement reference number. The investor charter published by the advisory service should specify the internal complaint contact and expected resolution timeline.
What to Document Before Filing
Before initiating the investment advisory complaint process, collect and retain: subscription payment records confirming the fee paid and the period covered, the client agreement or subscriber terms signed at subscription, copies of all recommendations received with timestamps, copies of any advisory communications or alerts that form the basis of the complaint, any updates or changes to the recommendation that were or were not issued and records of your own portfolio actions taken in response to the advisory recommendations. Complete documentation makes the complaint more actionable for both the internal grievance cell and any subsequent SEBI escalation.
| Complaint Stage | Action | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Internal grievance | Submit formal complaint to the advisory service | Allow 30 days for resolution |
| SEBI SCORES escalation | File on scores.sebi.gov.in if internal fails | After 30 days without resolution |
| SEBI investor service cell | Direct contact for escalated or unresolved cases | After SCORES filing if needed |
Distinguishing a Service Complaint From an Investment-Loss Complaint
The investment advisory complaint process is effective for genuine service complaints — failure to deliver promised research reports, misleading advertising claims, fee charged without agreed service delivered, delayed or absent update communications on open recommendations, refusal of a legitimate fee refund. It is less effective for pure investment-loss complaints where the adviser delivered the promised service and the market moved against the recommendation. SEBI does not guarantee investment returns; recommendations going wrong when the service was properly delivered is market risk rather than a service failure. Investors who are clear about the basis of their complaint will have more productive outcomes from the grievance process.
Step 2: Escalation to SEBI SCORES
If the internal grievance process does not resolve the complaint within 30 days or the resolution offered is unsatisfactory, investors can escalate through SEBI SCORES at scores.sebi.gov.in. SEBI SCORES allows investors to file complaints against SEBI-registered entities online and tracks complaint status. The complaint must include the evidence of the internal complaint having been filed without satisfactory resolution. SEBI registered entities including Research Analyst platforms like Univest (SEBI RA Reg. No. INH000013776) are required to respond to complaints filed through SEBI SCORES within the specified timeline. Investors should retain all documentation throughout the SCORES process to support any further escalation if needed. The investment advisory complaint process framework discussed here applies throughout.
Access the Grievance Redressal Process and Investor Charter on the Univest Official Platform
Download the Univest iOS App or Univest Android App to understand your complaint rights before subscribing to any SEBI-registered advisory service. The investment advisory complaint process framework discussed here applies throughout.
Conclusion
The investment advisory complaint process follows two stages: internal grievance resolution through the advisory service’s own complaint channel (allow 30 days for resolution) and escalation to SEBI SCORES if internal resolution fails or is unsatisfactory. Investors should document all relevant records — payment, client agreement, recommendations and communications — before filing. The process is effective for genuine service failures; pure investment-loss complaints where the service was properly delivered are market risk outcomes rather than service complaints. SEBI SCORES is available to all investors against any SEBI-registered entity.
Disclaimer: Data and figures in this article are sourced from publicly available information. These may or may not be accurate. Please verify all data with official sources before making any investment decision. Investments in securities are subject to market risk. This content is for educational purposes only and is not investment advice by Univest (SEBI RA INH000013776). The investment advisory complaint process framework discussed here applies throughout.
FAQs
How do I raise a complaint against an investment advisory service?
Ans. The investment advisory complaint process starts with the advisory service’s internal grievance channel. Submit a formal written complaint (by email or the platform’s grievance form) specifying the nature of the complaint, the specific service failure and the resolution sought. Allow 30 days for internal resolution. If unresolved or unsatisfactorily resolved, escalate to SEBI SCORES at scores.sebi.gov.in.
What should I document before filing an advisory complaint?
Ans. Document: subscription payment records confirming fee paid and period, the client agreement or subscriber terms, copies of all recommendations and alerts received with timestamps, advisory communications that form the basis of the complaint, any update communications that were or were not issued as expected and records of portfolio actions taken in response to the recommendations. Complete documentation makes complaints more actionable. The investment advisory complaint process framework discussed here applies throughout.
What is SEBI SCORES and how does it work?
Ans. SEBI SCORES (SEBI Complaints Redress System) is SEBI’s centralised online complaint portal at scores.sebi.gov.in for complaints against SEBI-registered entities including Investment Advisers and Research Analysts. Investors can file complaints online after the internal grievance process has failed to resolve the issue. SEBI forwards the complaint to the registered entity for response and tracks resolution status. The investment advisory complaint process framework discussed here applies throughout.
What is the difference between a service complaint and an investment-loss complaint?
Ans. A service complaint covers genuine failures in the promised service: research reports not delivered, misleading advertising, fee charged without service, absent updates on open recommendations or refusal of a legitimate fee refund. An investment-loss complaint arises when the advisory service delivered the promised research and the market moved against the recommendation. The adviser is not responsible for market outcomes when the service was properly delivered; market risk is the investor’s risk, not a service failure. The investment advisory complaint process framework discussed here applies throughout.
How long should I allow for internal complaint resolution?
Ans. 30 days is the standard window to allow for internal grievance resolution before escalating to SEBI SCORES. If the advisory service acknowledges the complaint and provides a specific resolution timeline, allow that period. If no acknowledgement or resolution is received within 30 days, or if the offered resolution is unsatisfactory, proceed to SEBI SCORES escalation.
What should I include in a SEBI SCORES complaint filing?
Ans. A SEBI SCORES filing should include: the name and SEBI registration number of the advisory service, the specific nature of the complaint with dates, evidence that the internal complaint was filed and the outcome, copies of the supporting documentation (payment records, client agreement, advisory communications) and the specific resolution sought. Well-documented SCORES filings with clear evidence of the service failure are more likely to result in effective resolution.
