Related provisions for BIPRU 7.9.31
1 - 20 of 179 items.
An illustration provided to a customer must:(1) contain the material set out in MCOB 9 Annex 1 in the order and using the numbered section headings, sub-headings and prescribed text in MCOB 9 Annex 1, except where provided for in MCOB 9.4;(2) follow the format of the template in MCOB 9 Annex 1, with:(a) prominent use of the Key facts5 logo followed by the text 'about this lifetime mortgage';55(b) each section clearly separated;(c) all the amounts set out in Sections 6, 8, 11,
(1) Further requirements regarding the use of the Key facts logo and the location of specimens are set out in GEN 5.1 and GEN 5 Annex 1 G.55(2) MCOB 9.4.2 R(3) does not prevent the use of different fonts and typefaces for headings and risk warnings. Its purpose is to prevent particular sections of the illustration from being made less prominent than other sections through the inconsistent use of font sizes and typefaces.(3) The illustration can contain the mortgage lender's or
In relation to MCOB 9.4.6 R(3), in order for the firm to comply with the principle of "clear, fair and not misleading" in MCOB 2.2.6 R, an estimated valuation, where the estimated valuation is not that provided by the customer, must be a reasonable assessment based on all the facts available at the time. For example, an overstated valuation could enable a more attractive regulated lifetime mortgage contract to be illustrated on the basis of a lower ratio of the loan amount to
(1) In estimating a term under MCOB 9.4.6 R(5) a firm must:(a) use the following mortality table: PMA92(C=2010) and PFA92(C=2010) for males and females respectively, derivable from the Continuous Mortality Investigation Report 17, published by the Institute of Actuaries and the Faculty of Actuaries in 1999; and2(b) for the purposes of the illustration, where the table does not result in a life expectancy expressed in whole years, the term should be rounded up to the next whole
The following information must be included at the head of the illustration: (1) the customer's name;(2) the date of issue of the illustration;(3) details of how long the illustration is valid for, and whether there is any date by which the regulated lifetime mortgage contract covered by the illustration needs to commence (for example, where a fixed interest rate is only available if the regulated lifetime mortgage contract commences before a certain date); and(4) the prescribed
Under the section heading "Description of this mortgage" the illustration must:(1) state the name of the mortgage lender providing the regulated lifetime mortgage contract to which the illustration relates (a trading name used by the mortgage lender may also be stated in accordance with MCOB 9.4.2 R(6)), and the name, if any, used to market the regulated lifetime mortgage contract;(2) include a statement describing the regulated lifetime mortgage contract;(3) if the regulated
Examples of types of statement that would satisfy MCOB 9.4.24 R(2) are as follows (more than one may apply to particular types of regulated lifetime mortgage contract):(1) For a roll-up of interest mortgage:"You do not have to make any repayments during the life of this lifetime mortgage. The loan, all of the interest and charges due to [name of mortgage lender] will be repaid from the sale of your home. This will happen on your death [or the death of the last borrower] or if
MCOB 9.4.27 R sets out some examples of descriptions of interest rate types and rates of interest that must be used in the illustration to comply with MCOB 9.4.24 R(4). If an interest rate is not described in MCOB 9.4.27 R, it must be presented in the illustration in a way that is consistent with the descriptions in MCOB 9.4.27 R.
Description of interest rate types and rates of interest. This table belongs to MCOB 9.4.26R:
Description of the interest rate |
Amount payable in each instalment (if applicable) |
Lender's base mortgage rate - must be described as the [Lender]'s standard variable rate, currently X%, [where applicable insert the date at which the interest rate ends or period for which the interest rate applies]. |
Amount based on X%. |
Fixed rate - must be described as fixed rate of X% [where applicable insert the date at which the interest rate ends or the period for which the interest rate applies]. |
Amount based on the fixed rate of X%. |
Discounted rate - must be described as a variable rate, currently X%, with a discount of Y% [where applicable insert the date at which the discount ends or the period for which the discount applies], giving a current rate payable of Z%. |
Amount based on Z%. |
Capped rate - must be described as a variable rate, currently X%, which will not go above a ceiling of Y% [where applicable insert the date at which the capped interest rate ends or the period for which the capped interest rate applies]. |
Amount based on the current interest rate payable (X%). |
Capped and collared - must be described as a variable rate, currently X%, which will not go below a floor of Y% or above a ceiling of Z% [where applicable insert the date at which the capped and collared interest rate ends or the period for which the capped and collared interest rate applies]. |
Amount based on the current interest rate payable (X%). |
Tracker rate - must be described as a variable rate which is [X% above/X% below/the same as] [insert interest rate tracked, currently Z%], [where applicable insert the date at which the interest rate ends or the period for which the interest rate applies], to give a current rate payable of Y%. Details should also be provided of how soon after an interest rate change the mortgage interest rate is adjusted. |
Amount based on Y%. |
Deferred rate - must be described as a variable rate, currently X%, where Y% is not paid now but is added to your mortgage [where applicable insert the date at which the deferred interest rate ends or the period for which the deferred interest rate applies], to give a current rate payable of Z%. |
Amount based on Z%. |
Stepped rate where different interest rates apply over different time periods (for example, fixed interest rate in year 1 changes in year 2). Each element should be dealt with individually as above. |
Amount for each of the 'steps'. |
Combinations of the above must be treated in the same way as the descriptions above, (for example, if a discounted interest rate has a 'floor' then it must be described as such). |
Follow the above treatment depending on the combination. |
Where the loan under the regulated lifetime mortgage contract is divided into more than one part (for example where part of the loan is a fixed interest rate and part of the loan is a discounted variable interest rate) and the firm displays this in a tabular format in the illustration:(1) the following text must be used to introduce the table "As this lifetime mortgage is made up of more than one part, these parts are summarised below:";(2) each part must be numbered for ease
Examples of text that would satisfy MCOB 9.4.31 R(1), depending on the nature of the regulated lifetime mortgage contract, are:(1) "This lifetime mortgage will provide a lump sum of £[x].";(2) "The amount you are borrowing will automatically be used to purchase a [name of linked investment product] from [name of provider]. The amount is £[x]."; and(3) "You will receive a monthly [or such other frequency as is applicable] payment from the start of your lifetime mortgage. This will
The illustration must include under the heading "Risks - important things you must consider" statements and warnings on the following:(1) a brief statement of the specific circumstances in which the mortgage lender is able to repossess the property;(2) a statement of how the mortgage lender will treat any negative equity arising during the life of the regulated lifetime mortgage contract and at the time the amount borrowed under the regulated lifetime mortgage contract is due
The heading of the column on the right-hand side of Section 8 of the illustration must state the frequency with which payments must be made by the customer. (For example, if payments are to be made on a monthly basis, the heading for this section must be "What you will owe and when" and the column must be headed "Monthly payments".1
MCOB 9.4.39 R(3) applies to each interest rate charged on the regulated lifetime mortgage contract covered by the illustration. This means that it applies to different interest rates charged at different times, for example, where the interest rate changes at the end of any initial discounted, fixed or other special interest rate period.
An example of how the information required by MCOB 9.4.39 R(3) and MCOB 9.4.43 R may be presented when there is an example term of fifteen years, and an initial fixed interest rate for a period of 22 months followed by the mortgage lender's standard variable interest rate for a period of 158 months, is as follows:"22 payments at a fixed rate of [...]%followed by158 payments at a variable rate, currently [...]%.".
Where the loan under the regulated lifetime mortgage contract is divided into more than one part (for example, where part of the loan is on a fixed interest rate and part on a discounted variable interest rate) and the firm displays the initial cost of all parts, and the total cost, in a tabular format in the illustration, MCOB 9.4.39 R(3) and MCOB 9.4.43 R do not apply; instead:(1) each part must be numbered for ease of reference in the illustration;(2) the loan amounts must
The table showing the projection in the section headed "Projection of roll-up of interest" should show annual details in columns under the following headings:(1) "Year": this should list the years as 1,2,3... etc. The start date for year one must be an assumed date of completion of theregulated lifetime mortgage contract. The table must show each year of the term estimated in accordance with MCOB 9.4.10 R (or if required, MCOB 9.4.12 R).(2) "Balance at start of year": this must
(1) Except where (3) applies, where the customer is required to make payments to the mortgage lender on theregulated lifetime mortgage contract, and the customer's payments can vary with changes in interest rates at any time during the life of theregulated lifetime mortgage contract, Section 9: "Will the interest rate change?" must also contain the following text:"The [frequency of payments from MCOB 9.4.37 R] payments shown in this illustration could be considerably different
The amount by which the customer's payments would increase in accordance with MCOB 9.4.54 R(1) must be calculated as follows:(1) the firm must use the total amount borrowed, or assume that all payments due on the regulated lifetime mortgage contract have actually been paid, all additional fees and payments due have been paid, and no underpayments or overpayments have been made; and(2) the interest rate from which the increase is calculated must be the variable interest rate charged
Section 10: "How the value of your home could change" must contain the following text in addition to the text in accordance with MCOB 9.4.62 R or MCOB 9.4.63 R:"Based on the estimated value of your home now of [insert amount from MCOB 9.4.6 R(3)] this example shows what the value of your home would be after [insert term from MCOB 9.4.10 R or MCOB 9.4.12 R] years if the value went up by 1% each year or went down by 1% each year. Remember also that the mortgage may run for more
An example of a fee that would be included in Section 11 would be an administrative charge to redeem theregulated lifetime mortgage contract. An example of a fee that would not be included would be a fee payable by the customer to insure their property elsewhere (however this would need to be stated in the separate "Insurance" section as required by MCOB 9.4.72 R). Where fees are payable only on early repayment of theregulated lifetime mortgage contract. they should not be stated
The following information must be provided for each fee included in this section of the illustration in accordance with MCOB 9.4.65 R(1):(1) a description of the fee;(2) the amount payable by the customer recorded in a column headed "Fee amount" on the right-hand side of this section;(3) for fees included under the sub-heading "Other fees", to whom the fee is payable;(4) when the fee is payable;(5) whether or not the fee is refundable, and if so, the extent to which it is refundable;(6)
(1) If a higher lending charge is payable by the customer, the following text must be used to describe such a charge for the purposes of MCOB 9.4.68 R:"A higher lending charge is payable because you are borrowing [insert the ratio of the mortgage amount (from MCOB 9.4.13 R) to the property's price or value (from MCOB 9.4.6 R(3))] of the property's [estimated] [price/value]."(2) If the customer has asked for any fees to be added to the loan, this must be stated alongside each fee.2(3)
(1) Under the section heading "Insurance" the illustration must include details of:(a) insurance which is a tied product and(b) insurance which is required as a condition of the regulated lifetime mortgage contract which is not a tied product(2) Under this section heading a firm may also provide details of insurance which is optional for the customer to take out.(3) It must be clear to the customer which products he is required to purchase under which circumstances (for example,
Under the sub-heading 'Insurance you must take out through [insert name of mortgage lender or where relevant the name of the mortgage intermediary, or both]' the following information must be included if the regulated lifetime mortgage contract requires the customer to take out insurance that is a tied product either through the mortgage lender or where relevant the mortgage intermediary:(1) details of which insurance is a tied product;(2) for how long the customer is obliged
Under the sub-heading "Insurance you must take out as a condition of this mortgage but that you do not have to take out through [insert name of mortgage lender or where relevant the name of the mortgage intermediary, or both]", the illustration should not include any insurance policy that may be taken out by a mortgage lender itself to protect its own interests rather than the customer's interests, for example, because of the ratio of the loan amount to the property value.1
If the cost of any insurance that the mortgage lender might take out to protect its own interests because of the ratio of the loan to the property value is passed on to the customer, it will be shown elsewhere in the illustration, for example as a higher lending charge or in the interest rate charged.
Under the heading "What happens if you do not want this mortgage any more?", the illustration must include the following information on the regulated lifetime mortgage contract:(1) under the sub-heading "Early repayment charges":(a) an explanation of whether early repayment charges are payable;(b) an explanation of when early repayment charges are payable;(c) an explanation of any other fees that are payable if the regulated lifetime mortgage contract is repaid early, and the
(1) Under the sub-heading 'Overpayments', the illustration must include details of any restrictions on lump sum and regular overpayments (if payments are required) on theregulated lifetime mortgage contract, together with a statement as to whether or not the amount on which the interest is recalculated is reduced immediately on receipt of any lump sum or regular overpayment.(2) Where such recalculation does not take place immediately (for example, if an annual rest method is used),
Under the sub-heading "Linked current account" the illustration must include the following information:(1) whether a linked current account is a compulsory or optional product (if the current account is a compulsory product this must also be stated in Section 5 of the illustration in accordance with MCOB 9.4.24 R(7));(2) an explanation of the interest rates that apply under different circumstances to the linked current account, if different from the interest rate charged on the
MCOB 9.4.111 R(3) would require, for example, a reference to the fact that the overall cost takes into account mortgage payment protection insurance where this is required as a condition of the regulated lifetime mortgage contract to which the illustration relates. The requirement to take out such insurance must be stated in Sections 5 and 12 of the illustration in accordance with MCOB 9.4.24 R(7), MCOB 9.4.72 R or MCOB 9.4.76 R.
If the regulated lifetime mortgage contract is a shared appreciation mortgage, MCOB 9.4 applies to the illustration with the following modifications:(1) Section 5 "Description of this mortgage" must contain the following additional information and text in this order after the details required by MCOB 9.4.24 R to MCOB 9.4.29 R:(a) "This lifetime mortgage involves [name of mortgage lender] taking a percentage share in any increase in the value of your property [insert details of
The requirements at MCOB 9.4.130 R(1) must be immediately followed by the following additional text, prominently displayed (see MCOB 2.2.9 G):"You will need to pay this share in the value of your home to [name of mortgage lender] [insert time at which share must be paid - for example 'when your lifetime mortgage is repaid']. Think carefully about how this will affect the amount left over for you or your estate."
An illustration provided to a customer must:(1) contain the material set out in MCOB 5 Annex 1 in the order and using the numbered section headings, sub-headings and prescribed text in MCOB 5 Annex 1, except where provided for in MCOB 5.6;(2) follow the layout of the template in MCOB 5 Annex 1 with:(a) prominent use of the Key facts3 logo followed by the text 'about this mortgage';33(b) each section clearly separated;(c) all the amounts to be paid in Sections 5, 6, 8 and 9 in
(1) Further requirements regarding the use of the Key facts logo and the location of specimens are set out in GEN 5.1 and GEN 5 Annex 1 G.33(2) MCOB 5.6.2 R(3) does not prevent the use of different fonts and typefaces for headings and risk warnings. Its purpose is to prevent particular sections of the illustration from being made less prominent than other sections through the inconsistent use of font sizes and typefaces.(3) The illustration can contain the mortgage lender's or
As a minimum the illustration must be personalised to reflect the following requirements of the customer:(1) the specific regulated mortgage contract in which the customer is interested;(2) the amount of the loan required;(3) the price or value of the property on which the regulated mortgage contract would be secured (estimated where necessary);(4) the term of the regulated mortgage contract (where the customer is unable to suggest a date at which he expects to repay the loan,
In relation to MCOB 5.6.6 R(3), in orderfor the firm to comply with the principle of 'clear, fair and not misleading' in MCOB 2.2.6, an estimated valuation, where the estimated valuation is not that provided by the customer, must be a reasonable assessment based on all the facts available at the time. For example, an overstated valuation could enable a more attractive regulated mortgage contract to be illustrated on the basis of a lower ratio of the loan amount to the property
The amount referred to in MCOB 5.6.6 R(2) is:(1) in cases where on the basis of the information obtained from the customer before providing the illustration it is clear that the customer would not be eligible to borrow the amount he requested, an estimate of the amount that the customer could borrow based on the information obtained from the customer; or(2) where the regulated mortgage contract is a revolving credit agreement such as a secured overdraft or mortgage credit card:4(a)
(1) MCOB 5.6.13 R applies where, for example, the illustration covers a regulated mortgage contract that is:(a) divided so that a certain amount of the loan is payable on a fixed interest rate, and a certain amount on a discounted interest rate; or(b) a combination of a repayment mortgage and an interest-only mortgage and the loan is subdivided into different types of interest rate and/or different rates of interest.(2) MCOB 5.6.13 R does not apply where an illustration covers
At the head of the illustration, the following information must be included:(1) the customer's name;(2) the date of issue of the illustration;(3) details of how long the illustration is valid and whether there is any date by which the regulated mortgage contract covered by the illustration needs to commence (for example, where a fixed interest rate is only available if the regulated mortgage contract commences before a certain date); and(4) the prescribed text at the head of the
Under the section heading 'Description of this mortgage' the illustration must:(1) state the name of the mortgage lender providing the regulated mortgage contract to which the illustration relates (a trading name used by the mortgage lender may also be stated in accordance with MCOB 5.6.2 R(6)), and the name, if any, used to market the regulated mortgage contract;(2) (a) provide a description of the interest rate type and rate of interest that applies in accordance with the format
Description of interest rate types and rates of interest. This table belongs to MCOB 5.6.26R:
Description of the interest rate |
Amount payable in each instalment |
Lender's base mortgage rate - must be described as the [Lender]'s standard variable rate, currently X%, [where applicable insert the date at which the interest rate ends or period for which the interest rate applies]. |
Amount based on X%. |
Fixed rate - must be described as a fixed rate of X% [where applicable insert the date at which the interest rate ends or the period for which the interest rate applies]. |
Amount based on the fixed rate of X%. |
Discounted rate - must be described as a variable rate, currently X%, with a discount of Y% [where applicable insert the date at which the discount ends or the period for which the discount applies], giving a current rate payable of Z%. |
Amount based on Z%. |
Capped rate - must be described as a variable rate, currently X%, which will not go above a ceiling of Y% [where applicable insert the date at which the capped interest rate ends or the period for which the capped interest rate applies]. |
Amount based on the current interest rate payable (X%). |
Capped and collared - must be described as a variable rate, currently X%, which will not go below a floor of Y%, or above a ceiling of Z% [where applicable insert the date at which the capped and collared interest rate ends or the period for which the capped and collared interest rate applies]. |
Amount based on the current interest rate payable (X%). |
Tracker rate - must be described as a variable rate which is [X% above/X% below/the same as] [insert interest rate tracked, currently Z%,] [where applicable insert the date at which the rate ends or the period for which the interest rate applies], to give a current rate payable of Y%. Details should also be provided of how soon after an interest rate change the mortgage interest rate is adjusted. |
Amount based on Y%. |
Deferred rate - must be described as a variable rate, currently X%, where Y% is not paid now but is added to your mortgage [where applicable insert the date at which the deferred interest rate ends or the period for which the deferred interest rate applies], to give a current rate payable of Z%. |
Amount based on Z%. |
Stepped rate where different interest rates apply over different time periods (for example, fixed interest rate in year 1 changes in year 2). Each element should be dealt with individually as above. |
Amount for each of the 'steps'. |
Combinations of the above must be treated in the same way as the descriptions above, (for example, if a discounted interest rate has a 'floor' then it must be described as such). |
Follow the above treatment depending on the combination. |
Where the loan under the regulated mortgage contract is divided into more than one part (for example where part of the loan is a fixed interest rate and part of the loan is a discounted variable interest rate) and the firm displays this in a tabular format in the illustration:(1) the following text must be used to introduce the table 'As this mortgage is made up of more than one part, these parts are summarised below:';(2) each part must be numbered for ease of reference in the
Under the section heading 'Overall cost of this mortgage' where the regulated mortgage contract has no agreed term for repayment, (and a 12 month term has been assumed), or no regular payment plan, or both (for example, a revolving credit agreement such as a secured overdraft or mortgage credit card or a regulated mortgage contract where all the interest rolls up such as an open-ended bridging loan):(1) the following text must be included in the illustration: 'The overall cost
MCOB 5.6.31 R(5) and MCOB 5.6.32 R(5) would require, for example, a reference to the fact that the overall cost takes into account mortgage payment protection insurance where this is required as a condition of the regulated mortgage contract to which the illustration relates. The requirement to take out such insurance must be stated in Sections 4 and 9 of the illustration in accordance with MCOB 5.6.25 R(6), MCOB 5.6.74 R or MCOB 5.6.77 R.
The following text must be included after the text required by MCOB 5.6.31 R or MCOB 5.6.32 R with the relevant cost measures shown in the right-hand column of Section 5 in accordance with the layout shown in MCOB 5 Annex 1:(1) 'The total amount you must pay back, including the amount borrowed is £[insert total amount payable]';(2) 'This means you pay back £[insert the total amount payable] divided by the amount on which the illustration is based from MCOB 5.6.6 R(2) plus all
(1) The APR and the total amount payable in MCOB 5.6.34 R must be calculated on the basis of information obtained from the customer under MCOB 5.6.6 R.(2) Where there is a charge to be included in the APR and total amount payable and the precise amount of that charge is not known at the time that the illustration is provided, MCOB 10.3 (Formula for calculating the APR) sets out a number of relevant assumptions to be used. If the method for including the charge is not addressed
The heading for Section 6 of the illustration and the heading of the column on the right-hand side of this section must state the frequency with which payments must be made by the customer. (For example, if payments are to be made on a monthly basis, the heading for this section must be 'What you will need to pay each month' and the column must be headed 'Monthly payments'.)
MCOB 5.6.42 R(3) applies to each interest rate charged on the regulated mortgage contract covered by the illustration. This means that it applies to different interest rates charged at different times, for example, where the interest rate changes at the end of any initial discounted, fixed or other special interest rate period.
An example of how the information required by MCOB 5.6.42 R(3) and MCOB 5.6.46 R may be presented when there is an initial fixed interest rate for a period of 22 months followed by the mortgage lender's standard variable interest rate for a period of 278 months is as follows:'22 payments at a fixed rate of [...]%followed by278 payments at a variable rate, currently [...]%'.
Where all or part of the regulated mortgage contract to which the illustration relates is an interest-only mortgage:(1) the illustration must include the sub-heading 'Cost of repaying the capital' with the following text under it:'You will still owe [insert amount of loan on an interest-only basis] at the end of the mortgage term. You will need to make separate arrangements to repay this. When comparing the payments on this mortgage with a repayment mortgage, remember to add any
An example of how the information required by MCOB 5.6.52 R (1), MCOB 5.6.52 R (3) and MCOB 5.6.52 R (5) may be presented is as follows:
Cost of repaying the capitalYou will still owe £Z at the end of the mortgage term. You will need to make separate arrangements to repay this. When comparing the payments on this mortgage with a repayment mortgage, remember to add any money that you may need to pay into a separate savings plan to build up a lump sum to repay this amount. |
|
Savings plan that you do not have to take out through [insert name of mortgage lender or mortgage intermediary] |
Monthly payments |
XYZ savings plan (see separate product disclosure document) |
£C |
What you will need to pay each month including the cost of a savings plan to repay the capital |
|
36 payments at a fixed rate currently x% followed by: |
£(A+C) |
264 payments at a variable rate currently y%. |
£(B+C) |
Where the loan under the regulated mortgage contract is divided into more than one part (for example, where part of the loan is on a fixed interest rate and part on a discounted variable interest rate) and the firm displays the initial cost of all parts, and the total cost, in a tabular format in the illustration, MCOB 5.6.42 R(3) and MCOB 5.6.46 R do not apply; instead:(1) each part must be numbered for ease of reference in the illustration;(2) the loan amounts must be totalled;(3)
Under the section heading 'Are you comfortable with the risks?':(1) under the sub-heading 'What if interest rates go up?' the illustration must include the following:(a) if the interest rate is fixed throughout the term of the regulated mortgage contract, an explanation that the payments will not vary because the interest rate is fixed;(b) if the interest rate is fixed for part of the term of the regulated mortgage contract, an explanation of when or how increases in the interest
The amount by which the customer's payments would increase in accordance with MCOB 5.6.59 R(1)(g) and (h) must be calculated as follows:(1) the firm must use the total amount borrowed, or assume that all payments due on the regulated mortgage contract have actually been paid, all additional fees and payments due have been paid, and no underpayments or overpayments have been made;(2) where all or part of the regulated mortgage contract is a repayment mortgage, the calculation must
An example of a fee that would normally be included in Section 8 would be a fee to re-inspect a property after completion of works if it is known that this fee will be charged at the time the illustration is produced. An example of a fee that would not be included would be a fee payable by the customer to insure their property elsewhere (however this would need to be stated in Section 9 of the illustration 'Insurance', as required by MCOB 5.6.77 R(2)). Fees payable upon repayment
The following information must be provided for each fee included in this section of the illustration in accordance with MCOB 5.6.66 R(1):(1) a description of the fee;(2) the amount payable by the customer recorded in a column headed 'Fee amount' on the right-hand side of this section;(3) for fees included under the sub-heading 'Other fees', to whom the fee is payable;(4) when the fee is payable;(5) whether or not the fee is refundable, and if so, the extent to which it is refundable;
(1) If a higher lending charge is payable by the customer, the following text must be used to describe such a charge for the purposes of MCOB 5.6.69 R:'A higher lending charge is payable because you are borrowing [insert the ratio of the mortgage amount (from MCOB 5.6.6 R(2)) to the property's price or value (from MCOB 5.6.6 R(3))] of the property's [estimated] [price/value].'(2) If the customer has asked for any fees to be added to the loan, this must be stated alongside each
(1) Under the section heading 'Insurance' the illustration must include details of:(a) insurance which is a tied product; and(b) insurance which is required as a condition of the regulated mortgage contract which is not a tied product.(2) A firm may also provide details of insurance which it is optional for the customer to take out under this section heading.(3) It must be clear to the customer which products he is required to purchase under which circumstances (for example, where
Under the sub-heading 'Insurance you must take out through [insert name of mortgage lender or where relevant the name of the mortgage intermediary, or both]' the following information must be included if the regulated mortgage contract requires the customer to take out insurance that is a tied product either through the mortgage lender or where relevant the mortgage intermediary:(1) details of which insurance is a tied product;(2) for how long the customer is obliged to purchase
Under the sub-heading 'Insurance you must take out as a condition of this mortgage but that you do not have to take out through [insert name of mortgage lender or where relevant the name of the mortgage intermediary, or both]' the illustration should not include any insurance policy that may be taken out by a mortgage lender itself to protect its own interests rather than the customer's interests, for example, because of the ratio of the loan amount to the property value.1
If the cost of any insurance that the mortgage lender might take out to protect its own interests, because of the ratio of the loan amount to the property value, is passed on to the customer, it will be shown elsewhere in the illustration, for example, as a higher lending charge or in the interest rate charged.
(1) Under the section heading 'What happens if you want to make overpayments?', the illustration must include details of any restrictions on lump sum and regular overpayments on the regulated mortgage contract, together with a statement as to whether or not the amount on which the interest charged is recalculated is reduced immediately on receipt of any lump sum or regular overpayment.(2) Where such recalculation does not take place immediately (for example, if an annual rest
Under the sub-heading 'Additional borrowing available without further approval', the illustration must provide details of circumstances in which there are any linked borrowing facilities that would allow the customer to increase the amount of the loan on which the illustration is based without any further approval from the mortgage lender (for example, if there are additional drawdown facilities).
(1) Under the sub-heading 'Linked current account', the illustration must include the following information:(a) whether a linked current account is a compulsory or optional product (if the current account is a compulsory product this must also be stated in Section 4 of the illustration in accordance with MCOB 5.6.25 R(6));(b) an explanation of the interest rates that apply under different circumstances to the linked current account, if different from the interest rate charged
If an example is included in the illustration in accordance with MCOB 5.6.109 R(2) or MCOB 5.6.110 R(2), it must be based on information obtained from the customer and the amounts that are intended to be paid into the current or savings account on a regular basis; the amounts that it is intended are saved; and the actual or likely expenditure profile. The amounts involved and the expenditure profile should not be standard assumptions made by the firm, but should be those of the
(1) An amortisation table may be added to the end of the illustration after the information required by MCOB 5.6.124 R if the mortgage lender or mortgage intermediary wishes. A firm may find that this is particularly appropriate to illustrate certain types of regulated mortgage contract, for example, a regulated mortgage contract with more than one part.(2) The purpose of (1) is to permit a firm to add an amortisation table in accordance with the European Commission's 'Recommendation
If the interest rate charged on the regulated mortgage contract is deferred, MCOB 5.6 applies with the following additions:(1) A section headed: 'Effect of deferring interest on the amount you owe' must be included in the illustration after Section 6.(2) This section must be numbered 6a so that the numbering follows on consecutively from the preceding section unless MCOB 5.6.55 R applies in which case it should be numbered 6b.(3) Under the section heading the following text must
The heading for Section 6 of the illustration and the heading of the column on the right-hand side of this section must state the frequency with which payments must be made by the customer. (For example, if payments were to be made on a monthly basis, the heading for this section would be 'What you will need to pay each month' and the column would be headed 'Monthly payments'). Where no regular payments are required on the regulated mortgage contract, for example where all interest
All the payments in Section 6 of the illustration must be calculated based on the frequency used for the purposes of the headings in MCOB 5.6.40 R and must be shown in the column on the right-hand side of this section. If no payments are required, for example on a secured bridging loan or secured overdraft, then this column should be marked on the illustration as nil.
Section 6 of the illustration must contain the following information:(1) the loan amount on which the illustration is based. Where fees are being added to the loan then this figure should include all fees, charges and insurance premiums that have been added to the loan in accordance with MCOB 5.6.18 R(2) and MCOB 5.6.18 R(3), and the following text must follow the loan amount:'and include[s] the fees [and insurance premiums] that are shown in Section 8 [and Section 9] as being
Under the section heading 'Are you comfortable with the risks?':(1) under the sub-heading 'What if interest rates go up?' the illustration must include the following:(a) if the interest rate is fixed throughout the term of the regulated mortgage contract, an explanation that the interest rate will not vary because the interest rate is fixed;(b) if the interest rate is fixed for part of the term of the regulated mortgage contract, an explanation of when or how increases in the
The amount by which the total amount payable would increase in accordance with MCOB 5.6.140 R(1)(e) must be calculated as follows:(1) unless the total amount borrowed is used, it must be assumed that all payments due on the regulated mortgage contract have actually been paid, all additional fees and payments due have been paid, and no under or overpayments have been made;(2) unless the total amount borrowed is used, the calculation must be based on the amount of the loan outstanding
Medical schemes under which an employer operates or contributes to a fund, from which the employee has a right to a benefit (for example, a payment) on the occurrence of a specified illness or injury, are likely to be insurance schemes. This will be the case whether the employee makes any contribution to the fund, or the scheme is funded by the employer as an emolument. The scheme would not be insurance, however, if the employer has an absolute discretion whether or not to provide
The disaster recovery provider sets up and maintains a range of IT and related facilities (PABX etc). The disaster recovery contracts so far considered by the FSA give the recipient, subject to certain conditions including an up front payment, priority access to all or a specified part of these facilities if a 'disaster' causes the failure of a similar business system on which the recipient relies. The provider sells access to the same facilities to a number of different recipients,
Under a simple manufacturer's or retailer's warranty the purchase price of the goods includes an amount, in consideration of which the manufacturer undertakes an obligation (the warranty) to respond (without further expense to the purchaser) to specified defects in the product that emerge within a defined time after purchase. When the warranty operates, the manufacturer or retailer provides repairs or replacement products in response to a defined event (the emergence of a latent
A manufacturer or retailer may undertake an obligation to ensure that the customer becomes a party to a separate contract of insurance in respect of the goods sold. This would include, for example, a contract for the sale of a freezer, with a simple warranty in relation to the quality of the freezer, but also providing insurance (underwritten by an insurer and in respect of which the customer is the policyholder) covering loss of frozen food if the freezer fails. The FSA is unlikely
The FSA distinguishes the contract in PERG 6.7.15 G from a contract under which the manufacturer or retailer assumes the obligation to provide the customer with an indemnity against loss or damage if the freezer fails, but takes out insurance to cover the cost of having to provide the indemnity to the customer. The obligation to indemnify is of a different nature from the seller's or supplier's usual obligations as regards the quality of goods or services and is an insurance obligation.
The following are examples of typical warranty schemes operated by motor dealers. Provided that, in each case, the FSA is satisfied that the obligations assumed by the dealer are not significantly more extensive in content, scope or duration that a dealer's usual obligations as to the quality of motor vehicles of that kind, the FSA would not usually classify the contracts embodying these transactions as contracts of insurance.(1) The dealer gives a verbal undertaking to the purchaser
A contract under which a provider agrees to meet a specified obligation on behalf of the recipient (for example an obligation to pay for the re-purchase of shares or to meet a debt) immediately that obligation falls due, subject to later reimbursement by the recipient, would be a contract of insurance if in all other respects it fell within the description of such contract (see PERG 6.3.4 G). This is principally because the provider assumes the risk that an immediate payment will
MCOB 7.6.14 R allows the firm to make changes to wording and to add, remove or alter information that would otherwise be misleading for the customer. For example, the firm may add text to let the customer know if conditions applying to the original mortgage do not apply to the additional borrowing, such as 'The early repayment charges applying to your existing loan do not apply to this additional borrowing.'
Before a customer submits an application to a firm to change all or part of a regulated mortgage contract from one interest rate to another (for example, a transfer from a variable rate regulated mortgage contract to a fixed rate regulated mortgage contract, or from one fixed rate regulated mortgage contract to another fixed rate regulated mortgage contract), the firm must provide the customer with an illustration for the whole loan that complies with the requirements of MCOB
MCOB 7.6.20 R allows a firm to make changes to wording and to add, remove or alter information that would otherwise be misleading to the customer. For example, a firm could replace the statement in Section 3 of the illustration, explaining that if information provided by the customer changes, the illustration may be affected, with a statement explaining that the illustration is based on information gathered in the past, which may no longer be accurate.
MCOB 7.6.25 R allows the firm to make changes to wording and to add, remove or alter information that would otherwise be misleading to the customer. For example, a firm may choose not to include a property valuation in the 'What you have told us' section of the illustration if the property value does not have a bearing on the terms of the regulated mortgage contract.
If a customer requests, or agrees to, a change to a regulated mortgage contract (other than a change as described in MCOB 7.6.7 R to MCOB 7.6.27 R) that changes the amount of each payment due, a firm must provide the customer with the following information, in a single communication, before the change takes effect:(1) the amount outstanding on the regulated mortgage contract at the date the change is requested;(2) the payment due and the frequency of payments; where it is known
The following behaviours are, in the opinion of the
FSA
, market abuse (insider dealing):(1) dealing on the basis of inside information which is not trading information; (2) front running/pre-positioning - that is, a transaction for a person's own benefit, on the basis of and ahead of an order which he is to carry out with or for another (in respect of which information concerning the order is inside information), which takes advantage of the anticipated
Behaviour, based on inside information relating to another company, in the context of a public takeover bid or merger for the purpose of gaining control of that company or proposing a merger with that company, does not of itself amount to market abuse (insider dealing) [Note: see Recital 29 Market Abuse Directive], including:(1) seeking from holders of securities, issued by the target, irrevocable undertakings or expressions of support to accept an offer to acquire those securities
The following examples of market abuse (insider dealing) concern the definition of inside information relating to financial instruments other than
commodity derivatives.(1) X, a director at B PLC has lunch with a friend, Y. X tells Y that his company has received a takeover offer that is at a premium to the current share price at which it is trading. Y enters into a spread bet priced or valued by reference to the share price of B PLC based on his expectation that
The following example of market abuse (insider dealing) concerns the definition of inside information relating to commodity derivatives.Before the official publication of LME stock levels, a metals trader learns (from an insider) that there has been a significant decrease in the level of LME aluminium stocks. This information is routinely made available to users of that
prescribed market
. The trader buys a substantial number of futures in that metal on
The following example of market abuse (insider dealing)concerns the definition of inside information relating to pending client orders.A dealer on the trading desk of a firm dealing in oil derivatives accepts a very large order from a client to acquire a long position in oil futures deliverable in a particular month. Before executing the order, the dealer trades for the firm and on his personal account by taking a long position in those oil futures, based on the expectation that
The following connected examples of market abuse (insider dealing) concerns the differences in the definition of inside information for commodity derivatives and for other financial instruments.(1) A person deals, on a
prescribed market
, in the equities of XYZ plc, a commodity producer, based on inside information concerning that company. (2) A person deals, in a commodity futures contract traded on a
prescribed market
, based
Where an insurance transaction
involves more than one firm acting
in a chain such that for example money is
transferred from a "producing" broker who has received client money from a retail
customer to an intermediate broker and thereafter to an insurance
undertaking, each broker firm will
owe obligations to its immediate client to
segregate client money which
it receives (in this example the producing broker in relation to the retail customer and the intermediate broker in relation
(1) CASS 5.5.23 R allows a firm with appointed representatives, field representatives and other agents to
avoid the need for the representative to
forward client money on a daily
basis but instead requires a firm to
segregate into its client money bank account amounts
which it reasonably estimates to be sufficient to cover the amount of client money which the firm expects
its representatives or agents
to receive and hold over a given period. At the expiry of each such period,
the
CASS 5.5.34 R sets
out the requirements a firm must
comply with when it transfers client money to
another person without discharging
its fiduciary duty owed to that client.
Such circumstances arise when, for example, a firm passes client money to another broker for the purposes
of the client's transaction
being effected. A firm can only
discharge itself from its fiduciary duty by acting in accordance with, and
in the circumstances permitted by, CASS 5.5.80 R.
A firm owes
a duty of care to a client when
it decides where to place client money.
The review required by CASS 5.5.43 R is intended to ensure that the risks inherent
in placing client money with
a bank are minimised or appropriately diversified by requiring a firm to consider carefully the bank or banks
with which it chooses to place client money.
For example, a firm which is
likely only to hold relatively modest amounts of client
money will be likely to be able to satisfy this
(1) A firm which pays professional fees (for example
to a loss adjuster or valuer) on behalf of a client may
do so in accordance with CASS
5.5.80 R (2) where this is done on the instruction
of or with the consent of the client.(2) When
a firm wishes to transfer client money balances to a third party in
the course of transferring its business to another firm,
it should do so in compliance with CASS 5.5.80 R and a transferee firm will come under an obligation to treat
any client
Examples of related expressions are:(1) "advice on investments" and "advise on investments", which should be interpreted by reference to "advising on investments";(2) "closely linked", which should be interpreted by reference to "close links";(3) "controls" and "controlled", which should be interpreted by reference to "control"; and(4) "effect", as for example in "effect a life policy", which should be interpreted by reference to "effecting contracts of insurance".
GEN 2.2.14 R means that, for example, electronic media may be used to make communications which are required by a provision of the Handbook to be "in writing", unless a contrary intention appears, or the use of electronic media would contravene some other requirement such as the requirement to treat customers fairly under Principle 6. COB 1.8 (Application to electronic media) contains further guidance in respect of electronic communication with or for customers. GEN 2.2.14 R does
In the opinion of the
FSA
the following factors are to be taken into account when considering whether behaviour is for "legitimate reasons", and are indications that it is:(1) if the transaction is pursuant to a prior legal or regulatory obligation owed to a third party;(2) if the transaction is executed in a way which takes into account the need for the market as a whole to operate fairly and efficiently;(3) the extent to which the transaction generally
In the opinion of the
FSA
, the following factors are to be taken into account when determining whether a person has engaged in an abusive squeeze:(1) the extent to which a person is willing to relax his control or other influence in order to help maintain an orderly market, and the price at which he is willing to do so; for example, behaviour is less likely to amount to an abusive squeeze if a person is willing to lend the investment in question; (2) the
Squeezes occur relatively frequently when the proper interaction of supply and demand leads to market tightness, but this is not of itself abusive. In addition, having a significant influence over the supply of, or demand for, or delivery mechanisms for an investment, for example, through ownership, borrowing or reserving the investment in question, is not of itself abusive.
The following are examples of behaviour that may amount to market abuse (manipulating transactions):(1) a trader simultaneously buys and sells the same qualifying investment (that is, trades with himself) to give the appearance of a legitimate transfer of title or risk (or both) at a price outside the normal trading range for the qualifying investment . The price of the qualifying investment is relevant to the calculation of the settlement value of an option. He does this while
The following is an example of an abusive squeeze:A trader with a long position in bond futuresbuys or borrows a large amount of the cheapest to deliver bonds and either refuses to re-lend these bonds or will only lend them to parties he believes will not re-lend to the market. His purpose is to position the price at which those with short positions have to deliver to satisfy their obligations at a materially higher level, making him a profit from his original position.
The effect of the requirements at MCOB 5.5.1 R(1) and MCOB 5.5.4 R is that a customer will be deemed to be committed to an application if, for example, he pays a product related fee (including a valuation fee) or provides electronic or verbal authority to process an application. It is not necessary for a customer to provide a mortgage lender with a completed application form to submit an application for a regulated mortgage contract.
What constitutes 'materially altered' requires consideration of the facts of each individual case. For example, a change of product such that the underlying terms and conditions of the regulated mortgage contract have changed should normally be regarded as material, as would an additional charge, such as a higher lending charge, applying to the regulated mortgage contract when it did not previously.
A firm may use information that it already holds on the customer for the purpose of producing the illustration (for example, if it already holds the customer's credit record), providing the use of this information does not delay the customer receiving the illustration and the customer's consent is obtained where appropriate.
The illustration provided as part of the offer document in accordance with MCOB 6.4.1 R (1) must meet the requirements of MCOB 5.6 (Content of illustrations) with the following modifications:(1) the illustration must be suitably adapted and revised to reflect the fact that the firm is making an offer to a customer and updated to reflect changes to, for example, the interest rate, charges, the exchange rate or the APR required by MCOB 10 (Annual Percentage Rate), at the date the
(1) One consequence of MCOB 6.4.4 R(5)(b) is that the mortgage lender will need to know, for each individual transaction arranged by a mortgage intermediary, whether or not the customer has received advice from that mortgage intermediary.(2) When complying with MCOB 6.4.4 R(5)(b), mortgage lenders may wish to include a statement after the level of service in Section 2 confirming that the level of service described was given by another firm, and explaining that they, as the mortgage
In adapting and revising the illustration that is part of the offer document in accordance with MCOB 6.4.4 R(1) a firm must:(1) avoid amending the format of the information required by MCOB 5.6 (Content of illustrations) where possible, since this could result in the illustration in the offer document being difficult to compare with the illustration originally provided to the customer in accordance with MCOB 5.5.1 R;(2) use, where possible, the same headings, ordering of information,
A firm must ensure that the offer document contains a prominent statement:(1) of the period for which the offer is valid;(2) explaining, where the regulated mortgage contract contains features, such as additional unsecured borrowing facilities, which could result in the customer borrowing more money, that where such features are used, the amount of the customer's debt will increase;(3) explaining when any interest rate change on the regulated mortgage contract takes effect. This
In addition to the information required by MCOB 6.4.13 R, a firm may include information about how to complain to any other firm about the services that firm provided to the customer in relation to the regulated mortgage contract. For example, where the customer received advice from another firm, a mortgage lender may include contact details for the firm that provided the advice.
A firm that enters into a regulated lifetime mortgage contract with a customer where interest payments are required (whether or not they will be collected by deduction from the income from an annuity or other linked investment product) must provide the customer with the following information before the customer makes the first payment under the contract:(1) the amount of the first payment required;(2) the amount of the subsequent payments;(3) the method by which the payments will
A firm that enters into a regulated lifetime mortgage contract which is a drawdown mortgage, with fixed payments to the customer, must provide the customer with the following information before the first payment is drawn down by the customer:(1) the amount of the first payment to be made;(2) the amount of subsequent payments, if different; (3) the method by which the payment will be made (for example, by transfer to the customer's bank account) and the date of issue of the first
Where the regulated lifetime mortgage contract is a drawdown mortgage and the customer can choose the amount and frequency of the payments they receive, or the amount and frequency of payments can vary for other reasons (for example in line with interest rates) the firm must provide the customer with the following information before the first payment is drawn down by the customer:(1) (a) where the customer can choose the amount and frequency of the payments they receive, details
Where the regulated lifetime mortgage contract provides for a lump sum payment to be made to the customer, and all or part of the interest will be rolled up during the life of the mortgage, the firm must provide the customer with the following information before the customer makes the first payment under the contract, or if no payments are required from the customer, within seven days of completion of the mortgage:(1) if no payments are required from the customer, confirmation
(1) The following example illustrates BIPRU 7.4.8R (2).(2) A firm buys a Traded Average Price Option (TAPO - a type of Asian option) allowing it to deliver 100 tonnes of Grade A copper and receive $1,750 in June. If there were 20 business days in June the short notional positions will each:(a) equal 5 tonnes per day (1/20 of 100 tonnes); and(b) have a maturity equal to one of the business days in June (one for each day).(3) In this example as each business day in June goes by
The following guidance provides an example of BIPRU 7.4.10R. In January, a firm agrees to buy 100 tonnes of copper for the average spot price prevailing during the 20 business days in February, and will settle on 30 June. After entering into this agreement, the firm faces the risk that the average price for February increases relative to that for 30 June. Therefore, as highlighted in the table below:(1) the short positions reflect the fact that this could occur because any one
(1) An example of using BIPRU 7.4.13R and the table in BIPRU 7.4.14R is as follows.(2) A firm is long a three-month commodity index future where the spot level of the index is based on the one, two and three month forward prices of aluminium, copper, tin, lead, zinc and nickel (18 prices in total).(3) Step 1: the firm should decide whether to treat the full quantity underlying the contract as a single notional commodityposition or disaggregate it into notional positions in aluminium,
BIPRU 7.4.30G is an example illustrating the calculation of the commodity PRR on an individual commodity using the commodity maturity ladder approach (BIPRU 7.4.26R). After the firm has carried out the pre-processing required by BIPRU 7.4.26R(2) (that is, step 1), it follows steps 2 to 5 as shown below. Because the firm is using the commodity maturity ladder approach the spread rate is 3%, the carry rate is 0.6% and the outright rate is 15%. The example assumes that the spot price
The statement required by MCOB 7.5.1 R must contain the following information:(1) except in the case of mortgage credit cards, information on the type ofregulated lifetime mortgage contract, (for example, fixed rate or variable rate) including a clear statement of how the firm expects the capital, or capital and interest (whichever is applicable) to be repaid (for example, from the proceeds of the sale of the property);(2) details of the following transactions and information
If a customer requests, or agrees to, a change to a regulated lifetime mortgage contract (other than a change as described in MCOB 7.6.7 R to MCOB 7.6.27 R (as modified by MCOB 9)) that changes the amount of each payment due (where payments are required), a firm must provide the customer with the following information, in a single communication, before the change takes effect:(1) the amount outstanding on the regulated lifetime mortgage contract at the date the change is requested;(2)
If a customer requests, or agrees to, a change to a regulated lifetime mortgage contract (other than a change as described in MCOB 7.6.7 R to MCOB 7.6.27 R (as modified by MCOB 9)) that changes the amount paid to the customer under a drawdown mortgage, or the amount that the customer will owe under a roll-up of interest mortgage, or both, a firm must provide the customer with the following information, in a single communication, before the change takes effect:(1) the amount outstanding
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 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
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, such as describing it as a 'special offer' not available after a certain date unless this is really the case.
Given that the APR is presented as a percentage, and must be rounded to one decimal place in accordance with MCOB 10 (Annual Percentage Rate), firms should note that the tolerance allowed for the APR in MCOB 9.3.6 R(1)(b) means that, for example, where the actual APR is 5.0%, the quoted APR must be no lower than 4.9%, or where the actual APR is 16.0%, the quoted APR must be no lower than 15.9%.
An offer document may not always exactly match the illustration provided before application even when the loan requirements have not changed. For example, where a fixed rate has a defined end date, the total amount payable may be different because the number of payments at the fixed rate has reduced, or the estimated amount of interest to be charged has changed, assuming a later date at which the regulated lifetime mortgage contract will start.