Related provisions for BIPRU 12.5.20
21 - 40 of 85 items.
Representatives or appointees of the FSA (which may include individuals engaged by a market research firm) may approach a firm, its agents or its appointed representatives in the role of potential retail consumers with any authorisation under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 that is considered appropriate. This is known as 'mystery shopping'.
The FSA uses mystery shopping to help it protect consumers. This may be by seeking information about a particular practice across a range of firms (SUP 2.4.3 G (1)) or the practices of a particular firm (SUP 2.4.3 G (2)). One of the risks consumers face is that they may be sold financial products which are inappropriate to them. A problem in protecting consumers from this risk is that it is very difficult to establish after the event what a firm has said to a 'genuine' consumer
This section2 applies to a firm which is a home finance provider3 or in respect of sales to a retail client5 or a consumer5:355(1) an insurer; or(2) the operator ofa regulated collective investment scheme, an investment trust savings scheme , or a personal pension scheme4; or 4(3) a person who issues or manages the relevant assets of the issuer of a structured capital-at-risk product,unless the firm is a managing agent.
(1) The purpose of this section2 is to set out the requirements for firms in the retail mortgage, investment, and pure protection contract markets specified in SUP 16.11.1 R to report individual product sales data to the FSA. In the case of firms in the sale and rent back market, there is a requirement to record, but not to submit, thedata.6 These requirements apply6 whether the regulated activity has been carried out by the firm, or through an intermediary which has dealt directly
A consumer has a right to cancel any of the following contracts with a firm:
Cancellable contract |
Cancellation period |
Supplementary provisions |
Life and pensions: |
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• a life policy (including a pension annuity, a pension policy or within a wrapper) • a contract to join a personal pension scheme or a stakeholder pension scheme • a pension contract • a contract for a pension transfer • a contract to vary an existing personal pension scheme or stakeholder pension scheme by exercising, for the first time, an option to make income withdrawals , |
30 calendar days |
For a life policy effected when opening or transferring a wrapper, the 30 calendar day right to cancel applies to the entire arrangement For a contract to buy a unit in a regulated collective investment scheme within a pension wrapper, the cancellation right for 'non-life/pensions (advised but not at a distance)' below may apply Exemptions may apply (see COBS 15 Annex 1 ) |
Cash deposit ISAs: |
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• a contract for a cash deposit ISA |
14 calendar days |
Exemptions may apply (see COBS 15 Annex 1 ) |
Non-life/pensions (advised but not at a distance): a non-distance contract ... |
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• to buy a unit in a regulated collective investment scheme (including within a wrapper or pension wrapper) • to open or transfer a child trust fund (CTF) • to open or transfer an ISA • for an Enterprise Investment Scheme 2 |
14 calendar days |
These rights arise only following a personal recommendation of the contract (by the firm or any other person).2 For a unit bought when opening or transferring a wrapper or pension wrapper, the 14 calendar day right to cancel applies to the entire arrangement.2 Exemptions may apply (see COBS 15 Annex 1 ).2 |
Non-life/pensions (at a distance): a distance contract, relating to ... |
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14 calendar days |
Exemptions may apply (see COBS 15 Annex 1 ) |
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[Note: article35 of the Consolidated Life Directive, article 6(1) of the Distance Marketing Directive]
(1) The firm must disclose to the consumer:(a) in good time before or, if that is not possible, immediately after the consumer is bound by a contract that attracts a right to cancel or withdraw; and(b) in a durable medium;the existence of the right to cancel or withdraw, its duration and the conditions for exercising it including information on the amount which the consumer may be required to pay, the consequences of not exercising it and practical instructions for exercising
(1) As soon as a SRB agreement provider agrees the key terms of a proposed regulated sale and rent back agreement with a SRB agreement seller and before he becomes contractually committed to enter into the agreement, the SRB agreement provider must provide the seller with a written pre-offer document summarising its key terms (Stage One).(2) The written pre-offer document must be in the form prescribed by MCOB 6 Annex 2 R and must be adapted by the firm, as appropriate, to the
The SRB agreement provider must keep a record of the written pre-offer document at Stage One and the written offer document for signing at Stage Two for a period of:(1) one year after the end of the fixed term of the tenancy under the regulated sale and rent back agreement; or(2) five years from the date of the disclosures and warnings, written offer documents and cooling-off period notices;whichever is the longer.
The power to impose a suspension
or a restriction is a disciplinary measure which the FSA may use in addition to, or instead of, imposing a financial penalty
or issuing a public censure.
The principal purpose of imposing a suspension or a restriction is to promote
high standards of regulatory and/or market conduct by deterring persons who have committed breaches from
committing further breaches,
helping to deter other persons from
committing similar breaches,
and demonstrating
As the power
to impose a suspension or a restriction is a disciplinary measure, where the FSA considers it necessary to take action, for example, to protect consumers from an authorised
person, the FSA will seek to cancel or vary the authorised
person'spermissions.
If the FSA has
concerns with a person's fitness
to be approved, and considers it necessary to take action, the FSA will
seek to prohibit the approved person or
withdraw its approval.
An eligible complainant must be a person that is:127(1) a consumer3; 3(2) a
micro-enterprise3
;3(a) 3in relation to a complaint relating wholly or partly to payment services, either at the time of the conclusion of the payment service contract or at the time the complainant refers the complaint to the respondent; or(b) otherwise, at the time the complainant refers the complaint to the respondent; (3) a charity which has an annual income of less than £1 million at the time the
Waivers can affect the legal rights of third parties, including consumers. In the FSA's view it is important that the fact and effect of such waivers should be transparent. So the fact that a waiver relates to a rule that is actionable under section 150 of the Act (see SUP 8.6.2 G (1)) will tend to argue in favour of publication.
In considering whether commercial interests would be prejudiced to an unreasonable degree (see SUP 8.6.2 G (2)), the FSA will weigh the prejudice to firms' commercial interests against the interests of consumers, markets and other third parties in disclosure. In doing so the FSA will consider factors such as the extent to which publication of the waiver would involve the premature release of proprietary information to commercial rivals, for example relating to a product innovation,
The following factors may be relevant
to determining the appropriate length of the period of suspension or restriction
to be imposed on a person under
the Act:(1) DeterrenceWhen determining
the appropriate length of the period of suspension or restriction, the FSA will
have regard to the principal purpose for which it imposes sanctions, namely
to promote high standards of regulatory and/or market conduct by deterring persons who have committed breaches from
committing further
The FSA may delay the commencement of the period of suspension or restriction.
In deciding whether this is appropriate, the FSA will take into account all the circumstances of a case. Considerations
that may be relevant in respect of an authorised
person include:(1) the impact of the suspension or
restriction on consumers;(2) any practical measures the authorised person needs to take before the period of suspension or restriction
begins, for example, changes to its systems and
Firms are reminded that, in relation to a regulated mortgage contract for a business purpose in circumstances where MCOB 7.7.1 R applies, if there is a new early repayment charge or a change to the existing early repayment charge, MCOB 7.7.1 R(2) requires a firm to notify the customer within five business days of the maximum amount payable as an early repayment charge.
This chapter assists in achieving the regulatory objective of protecting consumers. In particular:(1) COLL 3.2 (The instrument constituting the scheme) contains requirements about provisions which must be included in the instrument constituting the scheme to give a similar degree of protection for investors in an ICVC or in an AUT; and(2) COLL 3.3 (Units) provides rules and guidance which deal with the classes of units to ensure that investors in each class are treated equall
A firm should bear in mind the restriction on rejecting claims for non-disclosure (). Ways of ensuring a customer knows what he must disclose include:(1) explaining the duty to disclose all circumstances material to a policy, what needs to be disclosed, and the consequences of any failure to make such a disclosure; or(2) ensuring that the customer is asked clear questions about any matter material to the insurance undertaking.
This chapter helps in achieving the
regulatory objective
of protecting consumers by ensuring consumers have access to up-to-date detailed information about an authorised fund particularly before buying units and thereafter an appropriate level of investor involvement exists by providing a framework for them to:(1) participate in the decisions on key issues concerning the authorised fund; and(2) be sent regular and relevant information about the authorised fund.
(1) If, in any communication:(a) made to:222(i) 2(in relation to a non-investment insurance contract) aconsumer4;4(ii) 2(in relation to a home finance transaction) a customer; or(iii) 2(in all other cases) a retail client3; and3(b) in connection with a regulated activity carried on from an establishment of the firm (or its appointed representative) that is not in the United Kingdom;the firm indicates that it is an authorised person, it must also, where relevant, and with equal
(1) The FSA will determine a figure that reflects the seriousness of the breach. In many cases, the amount of revenue generated by a firm from a particular product line or business area is indicative of the harm or potential harm that its breach may cause, and in such cases the FSA will determine a figure which will be based on a percentage of the firm’s revenue from the relevant products or business areas. The FSA also believes that the amount of revenue generated by a firm from
(1) The FSA may increase or decrease the amount of the financial penalty arrived at after Step 2, but not including any amount to be disgorged as set out in Step 1, to take into account factors which aggravate or mitigate the breach. Any such adjustments will be made by way of a percentage adjustment to the figure determined at Step 2.(2) The following list of factors may have the effect of aggravating or mitigating the breach:(a) the conduct of the firm in bringing (or failing
(1) A firm must provide a consumer with information on the right to cancel a policy.(2) The information to be provided on the right to cancel is:(a) its existence;(b) its duration;(c) the conditions for exercising it;(d) information on the amount which the consumer may be required to pay if he exercises it;(e) the consequences of not exercising it; and(f) the practical instructions for exercising it.(3) The information must be provided in good time before conclusion of the contract
If a firm makes an offer to a consumer2 with a view to entering into a regulated mortgage contract a which is a distance contract, it must provide the consumer2 with the following information with the offer document:22(1) the EEA State or States whose laws are taken by the firm as a basis for the establishment of relations with the customer prior to the conclusion of the regulated mortgage contract;(2) any contractual clause on law applicable to the regulated mortgage contract