BSOG 1A.4 Making an application

Applications should be made to the FCA in writing in the form of Annex 2 to this chapter.

Each application must be accompanied by the prescribed fee, which is currently 25 (cheques should be made payable to the Financial Conduct Authority). This fee is not refundable in any circumstances.

Should an applicant wish to obtain access to the registers of more than one society (the applicant must, of course, be a qualified member of each of them), there must be a separate application, for each of which a separate fee must be paid.

The FCA will acknowledge all applications within 5 working days of receipt.

To assist the FCA in its consideration of an application, and the society in making any representations on it, the application should set out clearly and concisely the issues about which the applicant wishes to communicate with other members and the purposes in doing so. In addition to this statement, the FCA requires at the time of the initial application a draft of the communication that would be sent should the FCA direct the society to give the applicant access to the register.

Without prejudice to its consideration of an application in any particular case, applicants should note the following general guidelines when preparing an application:

1. (1)

   the FCA will expect the member making the application to have read carefully the relevant provisions of the 1986 Act and this chapter;

2. (2)

   it is important to be specific about the purpose of the application, how it relates to the affairs of the society and why and how access to the register of members is necessary to achieve the applicants objective;

3. (3)

   an applicant should think carefully about the purpose and content of the proposed communication before making the application so as to minimise the need for substantive changes to it at a later date;

4. (4)

   an application may be supported by such information or documents as the applicant may wish, but these will be considered to form part of the application, will be seen by the society and be open to comment by it;

5. (5)

   where an applicant submits two or more applications (together or in quick succession) it should be made clear as to why access to the register of members of each of the societies is necessary and how the purpose of each application relates to the affairs of that society;

6. (6)

   should an applicant be successful he or she will incur expenditure in taking names and addresses from the register and then producing and mailing the communication and the applicant should take this into account before submitting an application.