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  1. Point in time
    2020-12-21

BCOBS 7.5 Availability of certain services and helplines

BCOBS 7.5.1R
  1. (1)

    1A firm must publish information about the days on which and the times at which a banking customer may, by each of the methods specified in BCOBS 7.5.3R(2) to (4)3, carry out each of the actions specified in BCOBS 7.5.4R.

  2. (2)

    The firm must publish the information:

    1. (a)

      in the format specified in Table 3 of BCOBS 7 Annex 1R; and

    2. (b)

      on the same webpage as, and immediately below, the information published under BCOBS 7.5.2R.

BCOBS 7.5.2R
  1. (1)

    1A firm must publish information indicating whether or not it is possible, twenty four hours a day and every day of the year, for a banking customer and, in relation to BCOBS 7.5.5R(j) and (k), a potential banking customer to discuss with the firm:

    1. (a)

      each of the actions specified in BCOBS 7.5.4R; and

    2. (b)

      each of the matters specified in BCOBS 7.5.5R.

  2. (2)

    A firm may publish information indicating that it is so possible only if it is possible to discuss those actions and those matters, by one or more of the methods specified in BCOBS 7.5.3R(1), (3) and (4)3, with a member of staff of the firm who has been trained to discuss the relevant action or matter.

  3. (3)

    If it is so possible, the firm must publish:

    1. (a)

      by which of those methods it is possible; and

    2. (b)

      the contact details for the firm for each method.

  4. (4)

    If it is not so possible by all of the methods specified in BCOBS 7.5.3R(1), (3) and (4)3, the firm must publish information about the days on which and the times at which a banking customer and, in relation to BCOBS 7.5.5R(j) and (k), a potential banking customer may, by each of the methods specified in BCOBS 7.5.3R(1), (3) and (4)3, discuss with the firm:

    1. (a)

      each of the actions specified in BCOBS 7.5.4R; and

    2. (b)

      each of the matters specified in BCOBS 7.5.5R.

  5. (5)

    In the information published under (4), the firm may only indicate days on which and times at which the banking customer or potential banking customer may discuss the action or matter with a member of staff of the firm who has been trained to discuss the relevant action or matter.

  6. (6)

    The firm must publish the information required by this rule:

    1. (a)

      in the format specified in Table 2 of BCOBS 7 Annex 1R, using the descriptions in the right hand column in each of BCOBS 7.5.4R and BCOBS 7.5.5R to refer to the actions and the matters; and

    2. (b)

      on the same webpage as, and immediately below, the statement published in accordance with BCOBS 7.7.2R(2).

BCOBS 7.5.3R

1The methods are:

  1. (1)

    telephone (other than telephone banking);

  2. (2)

    telephone banking;

  3. (3)

    internet banking; and

  4. (4)

    mobile banking.

BCOBS 7.5.4R

1The actions are:

Action

Description

(a)

ascertain the balance on the account

checking the balance 3

(b)

access a transaction history covering at least the previous 90 days

accessing a transaction history3

(c)

initiate a payment transaction to a payee in the United Kingdom

sending money within the UK3

(d)

set up a standing order to a payee in the United Kingdom

setting up a standing order3

(e)

initiate a payment in a currency other than a currency of the United Kingdom to a payee outside the United Kingdom

sending money outside the UK

(f)

make a deposit by cheque

paying in a cheque

(g)

cancel a cheque

cancelling a cheque
BCOBS 7.5.5R

1The matters are:

Matter

Description

(a)

use of a debit card to withdraw money in a currency other than a currency of the United Kingdom from a machine or at an establishment outside the United Kingdom

cash withdrawal in a foreign currency outside the UK

(b)

overdrawing without a pre-arranged overdraft or exceeding a pre-arranged overdraft limit

a lack of funds: including unarranged overdrafts, payments we allow despite lack of funds and payments we refuse due to lack of funds

(c)

a payment made from the account although the result of the payment is that the banking customer overdraws without a pre-arranged overdraft or exceeds a pre-arranged overdraft

(d)

a payment not made from the account where the result of the payment would be that the banking customer overdraws without a pre-arranged overdraft or exceeds a pre-arranged overdraft

(e)

a direct debit within the meaning of the Payment Services Regulations

a direct debit, or allowing someone to collect one or more payments from your account using your debit card number

(f)

an attorney obtaining access to the account

third party access to an account, for example under a power of attorney

(g)

inability of a banking customer to access or use:

(i) internet banking; or

(ii) mobile banking

problems using internet banking or mobile banking

(h)

a suspicion of fraud on the account or a fraudulent transaction

reporting a suspected fraudulent incident or transaction

(i)

the stopping of a debit card, and the suspension of transactions on the account

progress following an account suspension or card cancellation, e.g. following a fraud incident

(j)

opening an account

account opening: including eligibility for an arranged overdraft, what is required to open an account and an indication of what arranged overdraft may be available

(k)

eligibility for an arranged overdraft
BCOBS 7.5.6G
  1. (1)

    1This section requires firms to publish various types of information:

    1. (a)

      information about how and when banking customers can carry out certain actions on their account;

    2. (b)

      information indicating whether or not 24-hour help is available for banking customers to raise queries about carrying out the actions on their account specified in BCOBS 7.5.4R or about the matters specified in BCOBS 7.5.5R, and for prospective banking customers to raise queries about account opening and overdraft availability;

    3. (c)

      where 24-hour help is not available under one or more of the methods specified in BCOBS 7.5.3R, information about how and when banking customers can raise queries about carrying out certain actions on their account and various other matters; and how and when prospective banking customers can raise queries about account opening and overdraft availability; and

    4. (d)

      contact details for the firm for each method: for example, the telephone number for the relevant helpline or for telephone banking, the website address for internet banking, or the name of the application for mobile banking or a link to the place where the banking customer can download it.

  2. (2)

    A firm should only indicate that help is available (i.e. an action or matter may be discussed) where the banking customer or prospective banking customer is able to discuss the action or matter with a member of staff who has been appropriately trained to respond to such queries. This might mean, for example, a customer call centre responding to telephone queries or live webchat for internet banking, operated by appropriately trained staff. Automated responses, an FAQ list which filters out queries, or a messaging or mailbox system would not be sufficient; the discussion must involve real-time interaction.

  3. (3)

    In respect of BCOBS 7.5.1R and BCOBS 7.5.2R, firms should complete Tables 2 and 3 in Part 2 of BCOBS 7 Annex 1R2 by: stating “24 hours” in the relevant cell; or setting out in the relevant cell the days and the times at which banking customers can carry out the relevant actions, and discuss the relevant actions and the relevant matters, by the relevant methods; or stating “not possible” in that cell if an action cannot be done or a matter cannot be discussed by a particular method. Firms may annotate the Table to indicate whether different times apply to bank holidays.

  4. (4)

    In Tables 2 and 3, if contact details or opening hours differ between types of account or between categories of customer,3 firms should either annotate the Table accordingly, or produce different copies of the Table for different types of account or categories of customer3. And in Table 22, if the contact details for a particular matter differ3 from those3 given at the top of the relevant column for a particular method, firms should include the correct contact details for the relevant matter in the relevant row of that column.

  5. (5)

    In relation to the matter in BCOBS 7.5.5R(h), i.e. suspicion of fraud, firms are reminded that regulation 73(1)(c) of the Payment Services Regulations requires payment service providers to “ensure that appropriate means are available at all times” to enable payment service users to notify the payment service provider of the loss or unauthorised use of a payment instrument.