Complaints against financial advisers connected to troubled agribusiness firms Timbercorp and Great Southern has increased, according to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS).
"We think we've got about 60 complaints," FOS investments, life insurance and superannuation ombudsman Alison Maynard said.
"They are mainly against advisers, not against Timbercorp or Great Southern themselves."
The number of complaints is an increase on last month's figure of 40 complaints.
"We will be dealing with them in the normal course of events. Usually it takes 12 months before we're coming out with panel decisions if they are necessary," she said.
In November, Maynard said FOS had 40 complaints in relation to advice regarding Great Southern and Timbercorp.
"I guess what we're slightly concerned about is that a lot of the actions liquidators are taking we don't know what the final payout in the dollar will be or what the final wind up of these schemes will be, so we think there might be people waiting before they decide to make a complaint," she said at the time.
"What I'm saying is that we think that there could be more disputes coming because some investors may be waiting to see what the actual return is before they make up their mind whether to pursue a complaint."
Timbercorp and Great Southern collapsed earlier this year.
