Related provisions for MCOB 9.4.138
21 - 40 of 233 items.
Responsibilities of connected persons (for example, relatives and other close relationships) should be kept entirely separate. They should not hold key posts at the same time as each other. Where this is unavoidable, a credit union should have a written policy for ensuring complete segregation of duties and responsibilities.
The committee of management should consider the range of possible outcomes in relation to various risks. These risks are increased when a credit union provides ancillary services such as issuing and administering means of payment and money transmission, which result, in particular, in higher liquidity and operational risks.
A credit union should put in place contingency arrangements to ensure that it could continue to operate and meet its regulatory requirements in the event of an unforeseen interruption that may otherwise prevent the credit union from operating normally (for example, if there was a complete failure of IT systems or if the premises were destroyed by fire).
A firm may satisfy MCOB 5.4.10 R by drawing the customer's attention orally to the importance of reading and understanding the illustration, for example in a face-to-face meeting, or by referring to its importance in a covering letter or electronic communication or other written information that accompanies the illustration.
MCOB 5.4.13 R places no restrictions on the provision of information that is not specific to the amount the customer wants to borrow, for example, marketing literature including generic mortgage repayment tables or graphs illustrating the benefits of making a regular overpayment on a flexible mortgage. Such literature may, however, constitute a financial promotion2 and be subject to the provisions of MCOB 3 (Financial promotion).2
MCOB applies to regulated mortgage contracts entered into on or after 31 October 2004. Variations made on or after that date to contracts entered into before that date are not subject to FSA regulation but may be subject to the Consumer Credit Act 1974. PERG 4.4.13G2 contains guidance on the variation of contracts entered into before 31 October 2004.12
(1) MCOB 1.6.4 R(2) means, for example, that if a firm discovered immediately after completion that a loan was a regulated mortgage contract, the firm would be required to comply with MCOB 7.4 (Disclosure at the start of the contract).(2) Although MCOB 1.6.4 R recognises that firms may become aware that a mortgage is a regulated mortgage contract at a late stage, the FSA expects this to be an extremely rare occurrence. It could arise, for example, if a firm has acted on the understanding,
A person is an indirect holder of shares for the purpose of the applicable definition of shareholder to the extent that he is entitled to acquire, to dispose of, or to exercise voting rights in any of the following cases or a combination of them:
Case |
|
(a) |
voting rights held by a third party with whom that person has concluded an agreement, which obliges them to adopt, by concerted exercise of the voting rights they hold, a lasting common policy towards the management of the issuer in question; |
(b) |
voting rights held by a third party under an agreement concluded with that person providing for the temporary transfer for consideration of the voting rights in question; |
(c) |
voting rights attaching to shares which are lodged as collateral with that person provided that person controls the voting rights and declares its intention of exercising them; |
(d) |
voting rights attaching to shares in which that person has the life interest; |
(e) |
voting rights which are held, or may be exercised within the meaning of points (a) to (d) or, in cases (f) and (h) by a person1 undertaking investment management, or by a management company, by an undertaking controlled by that person; 1 |
(f) |
voting rights attaching to shares deposited with that person which the person can exercise at its discretion in the absence of specific instructions from the shareholders; |
(g) |
voting rights held by a third party in his own name on behalf of that person; |
(h) |
voting rights which that person may exercise as a proxy where that person can exercise the voting rights at his discretion in the absence of specific instructions from the shareholders. |
[Note: article 10 of the TD]
Cases (a) to (h) in DTR 5.2.1 R identify situations where a person may be able to control the manner in which voting rights are exercised and where, (taking account of any aggregation with other holdings) a notification to the issuer may need to be made. In the FSA's view:(1) Case (e) produces the result that it is always necessary for the parent undertaking of a controlled undertaking to aggregate its holding with any holding of the controlled undertaking (subject to the exemptions
A person falling within Cases (a) to (h) is an indirect holder of shares for the purpose of the definition of shareholder. These indirect holdings have to be aggregated, but also separately identified in a notification to the issuer. Apart from those identified in the Cases (a) to (h), the FSA does not expect any other significant category "indirect shareholder" to be identified. Cases (a) to (h) are also relevant in determining whether a person is an indirect holder of qualifying
(1) A policy's main characteristics include its significant benefits, its significant exclusions and limitations, its duration and price information.(2) A significant exclusion or limitation is one that would tend to affect the decision of customers generally to buy. In determining what exclusions or limitations are significant, a firm should particularly consider the exclusions or limitations that relate to the significant features and benefits of a policy and factors which may
(1) This guidance applies to policies bought as secondary products to revolving credit agreements (such as store cards or credit cards).(2) Price information should be given in a way calculated to enable a typical customer to understand the typical cumulative cost of taking out the policy. This does not require oral disclosure where there is a sales dialogue with a customer. However, consistent with Principle 7, a firm should ensure that this element of price information is not
(1) When explaining the implications of a change, a firm should explain any changes to the benefits and significant or unusual exclusions arising from the change.(2) Firms will need to consider whether mid-term changes are compatible with the original policy, in particular whether it reserves the right to vary premiums, charges or other terms. Firms also need to ensure that any terms which reserve the right to make variations are not themselves unfair under the Unfair Terms R
In the FSA's view, money payable to an introducer on his own account includes money legitimately due to him for services rendered to the borrower, whether in connection with the introduction or otherwise. It also includes sums payable to an introducer (for example, a housebuilder) by a buyer in connection with a transfer of property. For example, article 33A allows a housebuilder to receive the purchase price on a property that he sells to a borrower, whom he previously introduced
In the FSA's view, details of fees or commission referred to in PERG 4.5.14G (2) does not require an introducer to provide an actual sum to the borrower, where it is not possible to calculate the full amount due prior to the introduction. This may arise in cases where the fee or commission is a percentage of the eventual loan taken out and the amount of the required loan is not known at the time of the introduction. In these cases, it would be sufficient for the introducer to
In the FSA's view, the information condition in PERG 4.5.14G (3) requires the introducer to indicate to the borrower any other advantages accruing to him as a result of ongoing arrangements with N relating to the introduction of borrowers. This may include, for example, indirect benefits such as office space, travel expenses, subscription fees and this and other relevant information may be provided on a standard form basis to the borrower, as appropriate.
2Examples of features of a regulated sale and rent agreement that a SRB agreement seller would reasonably need to know about (see MCOB 5.9.1R (1A)(m)) would include an arrangement under which the seller is to receive from the SRB agreement provider a refund of some agreed percentage of the discount (on the market value of the property) that was reflected in the sale price under the regulated sale and rent back agreement after the end of the agreed letting term. Should any restrictions
2What constitutes "materially altered" requires consideration of the facts of each individual case. For example, a change in the proposed purchase or valuation price of the property should normally be regarded as material, as would the introduction of an additional charge applying to the regulated sale and rent back agreement when it did not previously.
2If the firm has reasonable evidence that the contract is not a regulated sale and rent back agreement, for example where at least 40% of the property is not going to be occupied as a dwelling by the seller or his family, and has not provided the required pre-sale disclosures and the firm subsequently concludes that the contract does qualify as a regulated sale and rent back agreement, there is no requirement to provide separate pre-sale disclosures at the time the firm reaches
(1) The following example illustrates BIPRU 7.5.11R. In this example, a firm contracts to sell $106 for €108 in one year's time and the present values of each cash flow are $100 and €100 respectively.(2) In the non-trading book, this forward would be treated as a combination of a €108 long position and a $106 short position.(3) In the trading book, this forward would be treated as a combination of a €100 long position and a $100 short position.(4) Firms are reminded that foreign
(1) The following example illustrates BIPRU 7.5.13R. In this example a firm enters into a five year foreign currencyswap where it contracts to pay six month US$ Libor on $100 in return for receiving 6% fixed on €100. The present values of each leg are $100 and €98 respectively.(2) In the non-trading book, this swap would be treated as a combination of a €100 long position and a $100 short position.(3) In the trading book, this swap would be treated as a combination of a €98 long
Members will individually comply with this chapter if and only if all complaints by policyholders against members are dealt with under the Lloyd's complaints procedures. Accordingly, certain of the obligations under this chapter, for example the obligation to report on complaints received and the obligation to pay fees under the rules relating to the funding of the Financial Ombudsman Service (FEES 5), must be complied with by the Society on behalf of members. Managing agents
In such cases the firm should pay to the complainant a sum equal to the total amount paid by the complainant in respect of the payment protection contract including historic interest where relevant (plus simple interest on that amount). If the complainant has received any rebate, for example if the customer cancelled a single premium payment protection contract before it ran full term and received a refund, the firm may deduct the value of this rebate from the amount otherwise
If a firm chooses to make this presumption, then it should do so fairly and for all relevant complainants in a relevant category of sale. It should not, for example, only use the approach for those complainants it views as being a lower underwriting risk or those complainants who have cancelled their policies.
The firm should, for the purposes of redressing the complaint, use the value of £9 per £100 of benefits payable as the monthly price of the alternative regular premium payment protection contract. For example, if the monthly repayment amount in relation to the loan only is to be £200, the price of the alternative regular premium payment protection contract will be £18.
The CFEB levy is calculated as follows:(1) identify each of the activity groups set out in Part 1 of FEES 7 Annex 1 that apply to the business of the firm for the relevant period (for this purpose, the activity groups are defined in accordance with Part 1 of FEES 4 Annex 1);(2) for each of those activity groups, calculate the amount payable in the way set out in FEES 7.2.3 R;(3) add the amounts calculated under (2);(4) work out whether a minimum fee is payable under Part 2 of
The amount payable by a firm with respect to a particular activity group is calculated as follows:(1) calculate the size of the firm's tariff base for that activity group using the tariff base calculations in Part 2 of FEES 4 Annex 1 and Part 3 of FEES 4 Annex 111 and the valuation date requirements in Part 3 of FEES 4 Annex 1 and Part 3 of FEES 4 Annex 11;1(2) use the figure in (1) to calculate which of the bands set out in column 2 of the table in Part 1 of FEES 7 Annex 1 the
In some cases, a FEES 4rule incorporated into FEES 7 in the manner set out in FEES 7.2.7 G will refer to another rule in FEES 4 that has not been individually incorporated into FEES 7. Such a reference should be read as being to the corresponding provision in FEES 7. The main examples are set out in FEES 7.2.12 G.
The level of information required will vary according to matters such as:(1) the knowledge, experience and ability of a typical customer for the policy;(2) the policy terms, including its main benefits, exclusions, limitations, conditions and its duration;(3) the policy's overall complexity;(4) whether the policy is bought in connection with other goods and services;(5) distance communication information requirements (for example, under the distance communication rules less information
In determining what is “in good time”, a firm should consider the importance of the information to the customer's decision-making process and the point at which the information may be most useful. Distance communication timing requirements are also relevant (for example, the distance communication rules enable certain information to be provided post-conclusion in telephone and certain other sales (see ICOBS 3.1.14 R and ICOBS 3.1.15 R)).
3The provisions in this sourcebook that apply to home reversion plans should be read in a purposive way. This means that firms should substitute equivalent home reversion terminology for lifetime mortgage terminology, where appropriate. Examples of terms and expressions that must be replaced are 'loan' or 'amount borrowed', which should be replaced with 'amount released' or 'amount to be released', as appropriate, and 'mortgage lender' and 'mortgage intermediary' which should
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 equity release3 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 lifetime mortgage3will start.33
(1) In assessing whether a penalty would cause an individual serious financial hardship, the FSA will consider the individual’s ability to pay the penalty over a reasonable period (normally no greater than three years). The FSA’s starting point is that an individual will suffer serious financial hardship only if during that period his net annual income will fall below £14,000 and his capital will fall below £16,000 as a result of payment of the penalty. Unless the FSA believes
(1) The FSA will consider reducing the amount of a penalty if a firm will suffer serious financial hardship as a result of having to pay the entire penalty. In deciding whether it is appropriate to reduce the penalty, the FSA will take into consideration the firm’s financial circumstances, including whether the penalty would render the firm insolvent or threaten the firm’s solvency. The FSA will also take into account its regulatory objectives, for example in situations where
Where the FSA considers that, following commencement of an FSA investigation, an individual or firm has reduced their solvency in order to reduce the amount of any disgorgement or financial penalty payable, for example by transferring assets to third parties, the FSA will normally take account of those assets when determining whether the individual or firm would suffer serious financial hardship as a result of the disgorgement and financial penalty.
In the opinion of the
FSA
, the following factors are to be taken into account in determining whether or not refraining from action amounts to behaviour which satisfies section 118(1)(a) of the Act and are indications that it does:(1) if the person concerned has failed to discharge a legal or regulatory obligation (for example to make a particular disclosure) by refraining from acting; or(2) if the person concerned has created a reasonable expectation of
For example, if a passenger on a train passing a burning factory calls his broker and tells him to sell shares in the factory's owner, the passenger will be acting on information which is generally available, since it is information which has been obtained by legitimate means through observation of a public event.
The following are examples of
behaviour
that might fall within the scope of section 123(1)(b) :(1) a director of a company, while in possession of inside information, instructs an employee of that company to
deal in qualifying investments or related investments in respect of which the information is inside information;(2) a person recommends or advises a friend to engage in
behaviour
which, if he himself engaged
[deleted]131(1) In the FSA's view the requirement in COLL 5.2.22R (1)(a) can be met where:(a) the risks of the underlying financial instrument of a derivative can be appropriately represented by another financial instrument and the underlying financial instrument is highly liquid; or(b) the authorised fund manager or the depositary has the right to settle the derivative in cash, and cover exists within the scheme property which falls within one of the following asset classes:(i)
13Authorised fund managers of UCITS schemes or EEA UCITS schemes should bear in mind that where a UCITS scheme, or an EEA UCITS scheme that is a recognised scheme under section 264 of the Act, employs particular investment strategies such as investing more than 35% of its scheme property in government and public securities, or investing principally in units in collective investment schemes, deposits or derivatives, or replicating an index, COBS 4.13.2R (Marketing communications
(1) 15A syndicated loan for the purposes of this guidance means a form of loan where a group or syndicate of parties lend money to a third party and, in return, receive interest payments during the life of the debt and a return of principal either at the end of the loan period or amortised over the life of the loan. Such loans are usually arranged through agent banks which may, among other things, maintain a record of the lenders’ interest in the loan and arrange or act as a
Article 28 of the PD Regulation provides examples of information that may be incorporated by reference:
Arrangements for incorporation by reference |
||
1. |
Information may be incorporated by reference in a prospectus or base prospectus, notably if it is contained in one the following documents: |
|
(1) |
annual and interim financial information; |
|
(2) |
documents prepared on the occasion of a specific transaction such as a merger or demerger; |
|
(3) |
audit reports and financial statements; |
|
(4) |
memorandum and articles of association; |
|
(5) |
earlier approved and published prospectuses and/or base prospectuses; |
|
(6) |
regulated information; |
|
(7) |
circulars to security holders. |
|
2. |
The documents containing information that may be incorporated by reference in a prospectus or base prospectus or in the documents composing it shall be drawn up following the provisions of [PR 4.1 (Use of languages)]. |
|
3. |
If a document which may be incorporated by reference contains information which has undergone material changes, the prospectus or base prospectus shall clearly state such a circumstance and shall give the updated information. |
|
4. |
The issuer, the offeror or the person asking for admission to trading on a regulated market may incorporate information in a prospectus or base prospectus by making reference only to certain parts of a document, provided that it states that the non-incorporated parts are either not relevant for the investor or covered elsewhere in the prospectus. |
|
5. |
When incorporating information by reference, issuers, offerors or persons asking for admission to trading on a regulated market shall endeavour not to endanger investor protection in terms of comprehensibility and accessibility of the information. |
|
NOTE:The European Commission has published a draft Regulation amending the PD Regulation here: http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/securities/prospectus/index_en.htm
The FSA will review prospectuses in accordance with the authoritative version of the PD Regulation, including any amendments made by the final published version of the above Regulation, which is the version that is published in the Official Journal of the European Union, from the date it is stated to be in force.
The FSAHandbook will be updated to reflect the final changes in due course.
Please also note that references to the PD Regulation in the FSAHandbook have been amended to take account of the amendments to the PD Regulation made by Regulation (EU) No 486/2012 which was published in the Official Journal on 9 June 2012.
12(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 plan 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,
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, home reversion plan1 or regulated sale and rent back agreement2, such as describing it as a 'special offer' not available after
In the opinion of the
FSA
whether the disclosure is permitted by the rules of a
prescribed market
, a prescribed auction platform,3 of the
FSA
or the Takeover Code; or, the following factors are to be taken into account in determining whether or not the disclosure was made by a person in the proper course of the exercise of his employment, profession or duties, and are indications that it was:(1) whether the disclosure
The following are examples 4of market abuse (improper disclosure).444(1) 4X, a director at B PLC has lunch with a friend, Y, who has no connection with B PLC or its advisers. 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.(2) 4A, a person discharging managerial responsibilities in B PLC, asks C, a broker, to sell some or all of As shares in B PLC. C discloses to a potential buyer that A is a person
In this appendix:(1) "historic interest" means the interest the complainant paid to the firm because a single premium payment protection contract was added to a loan or credit product;(2) "simple interest" means a non-compound rate of 8% per annum; and(3) "claim" means a claim by a complainant seeking to rely upon the policy under the payment protection contract that is the subject of the complaint.