MCOB 2.4 High pressure sales: regulated mortgage contracts and home reversion plans1

The purpose of this section1 is to remind firms of the relevance of the high level standards in PRIN, especially with regard to the use of sales methods that may lead a customer to feel pressurised to enter into, or vary, a regulated mortgage contract or home reversion plan.1

Principle 6 (Customers' interests) requires that a firm must pay due regard to the interests of its customers and treat them fairly. This means, for example, that a firm should avoid selling practices that commit customers (or lead customers to believe that they are committed) to any regulated mortgage contract or home reversion plan1 before they have been able to consider the illustration and offer document. One such practice might be to present a new customer with an illustration, offer document and mortgage deed at one time and to require the mortgage deed to be signed on the same occasion (when there is no urgent need to do so).

Principle 7 (Communications with clients) requires that a firm must pay due regard to the information needs of its clients, and communicate information to them in a way which is clear, fair and not misleading. This means, for example, that a firm should avoid giving any customer a false impression about the availability of a regulated mortgage contract or home reversion plan1, such as describing it as a 'special offer' not available after a certain date unless this is really the case.