Related provisions for CASS 5.5.79
1 - 20 of 30 items.
A firm must
not hold money other than client money in a client
bank account unless it is:(1) a
minimum sum required to open the account, or to keep it open; or(2) money temporarily in the account in accordance
with CASS 5.5.16 R (Withdrawal of commission and mixed remittance); or(3) interest
credited to the account which exceeds the amount due to clients as
interest and has not yet been withdrawn by the firm.
A firm,
when acting in accordance with CASS
5.3 (statutory trust), must ensure
that the total amount of client money held
for each client in any of the firm'sclient
moneybankaccounts is positive and that no payment
is made from any such account for the benefit of a client unless
the client has provided the firm with cleared funds to enable the payment
to be made.
A firm can
hold client money in either
a general client bank account (CASS 5.5.38 R) or a designated client bank account (CASS 5.5.39 R). A firm holds all client money in general
client bank accounts for its clients as
part of a common pool of money so
those particular clients do
not have a claim against a specific sum in a specific account; they only have
a claim to the client money in
general. A firm holds client money in designated
client bank accounts for those clients who
requested
A firm which
takes advantage of CASS
5.5.14 R will need to consider whether its permission should include the permitted activity of managing
investments. If the firm is
granted a power to manage with discretion the funds over which it is appointed
as trustee under the trust deed required by CASS
5.4 then
it will be likely to need a permission to manage investments. It is unlikely to need
such a permission, however, if it is merely granted a power to invest but
the deed stipulates
(1) Subject
to (4), a 2firm must
in relation to each of its appointed representatives, field representatives and other agents comply
with CASS 5.5.19 R to CASS
5.5.21 R (Immediate segregation) or with CASS 5.5.23 R (Periodic
segregation and reconciliation).(2) A firm must in relation to each representative or other agent keep a record
of whether it is complying with CASS 5.5.19 R to CASS 5.5.21 R or
with CASS 5.5.23 R.(3) A firm is, but without affecting the application
of CASS
(1) A firm must, on a regular basis, and at reasonable
intervals, ensure that it holds in its client
bank account an amount which (in addition to any other amount
which it is required by these rules to
hold) is not less than the amount which it reasonably estimates to be the
aggregate of the amounts held at any time by its appointed
representatives, field representatives,
and other agents.(2) A firm must, not later than ten business days following the expiry of each
period in
(1) In
relation to consumers5, a firm must, subject
to (2), take reasonable steps to ensure that its terms
of business or other client agreements4 adequately explain, and where
necessary obtain a client's informed
consent to, the treatment of interest and, if applicable, investment returns,
derived from its holding of client money and
any segregated designated investments.54(2) In
respect of interest earned on client bank accounts,
(1) does not apply if a firm has
reasonable ground
(1) A firm may operate as many client accounts
as it wishes.(2) A firm is not obliged to offer its clients the facility of a designated
client bank account.(3) Where
a firm holds money in
a designated client bank account,
the effect upon either:(a) the failure of a bank where any other client bank account is held; or(b) the failure of a third party to whom money has been transferred out of any other client bank account in accordance with CASS 5.5.34 R;(each of which is a secondary
A firm may
hold client money with a bank
that is not an approved bank if
all the following conditions are met:(1) the client money relates to one or more insurance
transactions which are subject to the law or market practice of a jurisdiction
outside the United Kingdom;(2) because
of the applicable law or market practice of that overseas jurisdiction, it
is not possible to hold the client money in
a client bank account with an approved bank;(3) the firm holds the money with
such
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
Subject to CASS 5.5.41 R,
a firm that holds or intends
to hold client money with a
bank which is in the same group as
the firm must:(1) undertake
a continuous review in relation to that bank which is at least as rigorous
as the review of any bank which is not in the same group,
in order to ensure that the decision to use a group bank
is appropriate for the client;(2) disclose
in writing to its client at
the outset of the client relationship
(whether by way of a client agreement,4terms
of
A firm must
not hold, for a consumer5, client money in
a client bank account outside
the United Kingdom, unless
the firm has previously disclosed
to the consumer5 (whether in its terms of business, client
agreement11 or otherwise in writing):5511(1) that
his money may be deposited in
a client bank account outside
the United Kingdom but that
the client may notify the firm that he does not wish his money to be held in a particular jurisdiction;(2) that
in such circumstances, the
If a client has
notified a firm in writing before
entering into a transaction that client money is
not to be held in a particular jurisdiction, the firm must
either:(1) hold
the client money in a client bank account in a jurisdiction to
which the client has not objected;
or(2) return
the client money to, or to the
order of, the client.
If a client has
notified a firm before entering
into a transaction that he does not wish his money to
be passed to another broker or settlement
agent located in a particular jurisdiction, the firm must either:(1) hold
the client money in a client bank account in the United
Kingdom or a jurisdiction to which the money has
not objected and pay its own money to
the firm's own account with
the broker, agent or counterparty; or(2) return
the money to, or to the order
of, the clien
The client
money resource, for the purposes of CASS
5.5.63 R (1)(a),2 is:(1) the
aggregate of the balances on the firm's client money
bank accounts, as at the close of business on the previous business day and, if held in accordance with CASS
5.4, designated investments (valued
on a prudent and consistent basis) together with client
money held by a third party in accordance with CASS 5.5.34 R;
and(2) (but
only if the firm is comparing
the client money resource with
its client's
(1) 1Under CASS 7.7.2 R (2), a firm acts as trustee for all client money received or held by it for the benefit of the clients for whom that client money is held, according to their respective interests in it.(2) A firm that is also a clearing member of an authorised central counterparty may wish to segregate client money specifically for the benefit of a group of clients who have chosen to clear positions through a net margined omnibus client account maintained by the firm with
(1) A firm wishing to establish a sub-pool must prepare a sub-pool disclosure document for each sub-pool.(2) The sub-pool disclosure document for each sub-pool must:(a) identify the sub-pool by name, as stated in its records under CASS 7.19.7 R, the net margined omnibus client account and the authorised central counterparty to which the sub-pool disclosure document relates;(b) contain a statement that the client consents to the firm receiving and holding the client'sclient money
(1) Before receiving or holding client money for a client for a sub-pool, a firm must:(a) provide to the client a copy of the sub-pool disclosure document applicable to that sub-pool; and(b) obtain a signed copy of that sub-pool disclosure document from the client.(2) A firm must provide the beneficiary of a sub-pool with a copy of its signed sub-pool disclosure document applicable to that sub-pool upon the beneficiary's request.
(1) A firm must not hold client money for a sub-pool in a client bank account or a client transaction account used for holding client money for any other sub-pool or the general pool.(2) A firm that establishes a sub-pool must ensure that the name of each client bank account and each client transaction account (other than the net margined omnibus client account) maintained for that sub-pool includes a unique identifying reference or descriptor that enables the account to be identified
A firm should keep in mind its obligations under CASS 7.19.11 R (1)(b) (before receiving or holding client money for a client in a sub-pool, a firm must obtain a signed copy of the sub-pool disclosure document from the client) when making a material change to a sub-pool. A firm is also reminded of the conditions under CASS 7.19.13 R (5)(b) (when a client of the firm who is a beneficiary of a sub-pool ceases to be a beneficiary of that sub-pool) if a material change proposed to
The records maintained under this section, including the sub-pool disclosure documents, are a record of the firm that must be kept in a durable medium for at least five years following the date on which client money was last held by the firm for a sub-pool to which those records or the sub-pool disclosure document applied.
If a primary
pooling event occurs:(1) client money held in each client
money account of the firm is
treated as pooled;(2) the firm must distribute that client
money in accordance with CASS 5.3.2 R or,
as appropriate, CASS 5.4.7 R, so that each client receives
a sum which is rateable to the client money entitlement
calculated in accordance with CASS 5.5.66 R; and(3) the firm must, as trustee, call in and make demand
in respect of any debt due to the firm as
trustee, and must liquidate
Client
money received by the firm (including
in its capacity as trustee under CASS
5.4 (Non-statutory trust)) after
a primary pooling event must
not be pooled with client money held
in any client money account
operated by the firm at the
time of the primary pooling event.
It must be placed in a client bank account that
has been opened after that event and must be handled in accordance with the client money rules, and returned to the relevant client without delay, except to the
Money held
in each general client bank account of
the firm must be treated as
pooled and:(1) any shortfall in client
money held, or which should have been held, in general client bank accounts, that has arisen
as a result of the failure of
the bank, must be borne by all the clients whose client money is held in a general
client bank account of the firm,
rateably in accordance with their entitlements;(2) a
new client money entitlement
must be calculated for each client by
the firm,
For each client with
a designated client bank account held
at the failed bank:(1) any shortfall in client
money held, or which should have been held, in designated client bank accounts that has
arisen as a result of the failure,
must be borne by all the clients whose client money is held in a designated
client bank account of the firm at
the failed bank, rateably in
accordance with their entitlements;(2) a
new client money entitlement
must be calculated for each of the relevant
Money held
in each general client bank account of
the firm must be treated as
pooled and:(1) any shortfall in client
money held, or which should have been held, in general client bank accounts, that has arisen
as a result of the failure,
must be borne by all the clients whose client money is held in a general
client bank account of the firm,
rateably in accordance with their entitlements;(2) a
new client money entitlement
must be calculated for each client by
the firm, to reflect
2The regulated activity of safeguarding and administering investments covers both the safeguarding and administration of assets (without arranging) andarranging safeguarding and administration of assets,5 when those assets are either safe custody investments or custody assets. A safe custody investment is, in summary, a designated investment which a firm receives or holds on behalf of a client. Custody assets include designated investments, and any other assets that the firm holds
(1) Subject to (2) and CASS 6.1.12B R and with the written agreement of the relevant client, a9firm need not treat this chapter as applying in respect of a delivery versus payment transaction through a commercial settlement system if:9929(a) in respect of a client's purchase, the firm intends for the asset in question to be due to the client within one business day following the client's fulfilment of its payment obligation to the firm;9 or9(b) in respect of a client's sale, the
The debt management client money distribution rules seek, in the event of the failure of a CASS debt management firm or of an approved bank at which the CASS debt management firm holds client money, to protect client money and to facilitate the timely payment of sums to creditors or the timely return of client money to clients.
If a primary pooling event1 occurs(1) all client money:(a) held in the CASS debt management firm'sclient bank accounts; and (b) received by the CASS debt management firm on behalf of a client but not yet paid into the firm'sclient bank accounts;is treated as pooled together to form a notional pool;(2) a CASS debt management firm must calculate the amount it should be holding on behalf of each individual client as at the time of the primary pooling event using the method of calculating
If there is a shortfall in the client money transferred under CASS 11.13.6 G then the client money must be allocated to each of the clients for whom the client money was held so that each client is allocated a sum which is rateable to that client's client money entitlement in accordance with CASS 11.13.4 R (2). This calculation may be done by either transferor or transferee in accordance with the terms of any transfer.
The transferee must, within seven days after the transfer of client money under CASS 11.13.6 G notify clients that:(1) their money has been transferred to the transferee; and (2) they have the option of having client money returned to them or to their order by the transferee, otherwise the transferee will hold the client money for the clients and conduct debt management activities for those clients.
(1) Subject to (2), if a secondary pooling event occurs as a result of the failure of an approved bank where one or more client bank accounts are held then in relation to every client bank account of the firm, the provisions of CASS 11.13.12 R (1), CASS 11.13.12 R (2) and CASS 11.13.12 R (3) will apply.(2) CASS 11.13.12 R does not apply if, on the failure of the approved bank, the CASS debt management firm pays to its clients, or pays into a client bank account at an unaffected
Money held in each client bank account of the firm must be treated as pooled and:(1) any shortfall in client money held, or which should have been held, in client bank accounts, that has arisen as a result of the failure of the approved bank, must be borne by all clients whose client money is held in a client bank account of the firm, rateably in accordance with their entitlements to the pool;(2) a new client money entitlement must be calculated for each client by the firm, to
Money held in each general client bank account and client transaction account of the firm for the general pool or a sub-pool2must be treated as pooled and:(1) any shortfall in client money held, or which should have been held, in general client bank accounts and client transaction accounts for the relevant pool2, that has arisen as a result of the failure of the bank, must be borne by all the clients of that pool2 whose client money is held in such 2general client bank account
For each client with a designated client bank account maintained by the firm for the general pool or a particular sub-pool and2 held at the failed bank:(1) any shortfall in client money held, or which should have been held, in designated client bank accounts that has arisen as a result of the failure, must be borne by all the clients of the relevant pool2 whose client money is held in a designated client bank account of the firm at the failed bank, rateably in accordance with
Money held by the firm2 in each designated client fund account for the general pool or a particular sub-pool with the failedbank must be treated as pooled with any other designated client fund accounts for the general pool or a particular sub-pool as the case may be2 which contain part of the same designated fund and:2(1) any shortfall in client money held, or which should have been held, in designated client fund accounts that has arisen as a result of the failure, must be borne
(1) 1A firm may deposit
safe custody assets2
held by it on behalf of its clients into an account or accounts opened with a third party, but only if it exercises all due skill, care and diligence in the selection, appointment and periodic review of the third party and of the arrangements for the holding and safekeeping of those safe custody assets.222(1A) A firm which arranges the registration of a safe custody investment through a third party must exercise all due skill, care
In discharging its obligations under this section, a firm should also consider, together with any other relevant matters:(1) once a
safe custody asset2
has been lodged by the firm with the third party, the third party's performance of its services to the firm;2(2) the arrangements that the third party has in place for holding and safeguarding the safe custody asset;22(3) current industry standard reports, for example Financial Reporting and Auditing Group (FRAG) 21 report or
(1) A firm must only deposit
safe custody assets2
with a third party in a jurisdiction which specifically regulates and supervises the safekeeping of
safe custody assets2
for the account of another person with a third party who is subject to such regulation.22(2) A firm must not deposit
safe custody assets2
held on behalf of a client with a third party in a country that is not an EEA State (third country) and which does not regulate the holding and safekeeping of
safe custody
6A firm should consider carefully the terms of any agreement entered into with a third party under CASS 6.3.4A R. The following terms are examples of the issues that should be addressed in these agreements (where relevant):(1) that the title of the account in the third party's books and records indicates that any safe custody asset credited to it does not belong to the firm;(2) that the third party will hold or record a safe custody asset belonging to the firm'sclient separately
1Firms are reminded that, under COBS 6.1.7 R, a firm that holds client designated investments or client money must provide its clients with specific information about how the firm holds those clientdesignated investments and client money and how certain arrangements might give rise to specific consequences or risks for those clientdesignated investments and client money.
1A firm that holds custody assets or client money must:(1) provide the information in COBS 6.1.7 R for any custody assets the firm may hold for a client, including any custody assets which are not designated investments; and(2) provide the information in COBS 6.1.7 R and in (1) to each of its clients.
The checks that a CASS small debt management firm is required to undertake under CASS 11.11.8 R include checking that its internal records and accounts accurately record the balances of client money held in respect of individual clients, and that the aggregate of those individual client money balances are equal to the total client money segregated in its client bank accounts. In undertaking the comparison between the internal records of balances of client money and the client
If a primary pooling event occurs, then4:(1) in respect of either the general pool or a sub-pool, 4client money held in a client bank account or a client transaction account1 of the firm relating to that pool is treated as a single notional pool of client money for the beneficiaries of that pool,4 except for client money held in a client transaction account at an authorised central counterparty3 or a clearing member which is, in either case, held as part of a 4regulated clearing
(1) 1Under EMIR, where a firm that is a
clearing member4
of an authorised central counterparty defaults, the authorised central counterparty may:4(a) portclient positions where possible; and(b) after the completion of the default management process:(i) return any balance due directly to those clients for whom the positions are held, if they are known to the authorised central counterparty; or(ii) remit any balance to the firm for the account of its clients if the clients are
1A firm must, when holding
safe custody assets2
belonging to clients, make adequate arrangements so as to safeguard clients' ownership rights, especially in the event of the firm's insolvency, and to prevent the use of
safe custody assets2
belonging to a client on the firm's own account except with the client's express consent.[Note: article 13(7) of MiFID]22
6A firm may either (i) liquidate an unclaimed safe custody asset it holds for a client, at market value, and pay away the proceeds or (ii) pay away an unclaimed safe custody asset it holds for a client, in either case, to a registered charity of its choice provided:(1) this is permitted by law and consistent with the arrangements under which that safe custody asset is held; (2) it has held that safe custody asset for at least 12 years;(3) in the 12 years preceding the divestment
The circumstances referred to in CASS 11.10.1 R are:(1) the contract between the client and the CASS debt management firm expressly provides that client money might be held for more than five business days without being distributed to creditors;(2) the existence of such a term expressly providing that client money might be held for more than five business days without being distributed to creditors has been separately brought to the attention of the client prior to his entering
On each occasion that a CASS debt management firm receives client money from a client in relation to a debt management plan, or for the purpose of distribution to the client's creditors, and it is proposed not to make a client's payment to creditors within five business days of receipt of the client money in the circumstances described in CASS 11.10.3 R (1), it must: (1) as soon as reasonably practicable and within the five business day period, inform the client's creditors of
On each occasion a CASS debt management firm receives client money from a client in relation to a debt management plan, or for the purpose of distribution to the client's creditors, and is unable for any reason other than in the circumstances described in CASS 11.10.3 R (1) to make a payment to the client's creditors within five business days of receipt, it must: (1) inform the client of the delay and the reason for the delay;(2) inform the client of the risks and implications
If a firm holds money as agent of an insurance
undertaking then the firm'sclients (who are not insurance
undertakings) will be adequately protected to the extent that
the premiums which it receives
are treated as being received by the insurance
undertaking when they are received by the agent and claims money and premium refunds
will only be treated as received by the client when
they are actually paid over. The rules in CASS
5.2 make provision for agency agreements between firms
(1) A firm must not agree to:(a) deal in investments as agent for an insurance undertaking in connection with insurance mediation; or(b) act
as agent for an insurance undertaking for
the purpose of settling claims or handling premium refunds;
or(c) otherwise
receive money as agent of an insurance undertaking;unless:(d) it
has entered into a written agreement with the insurance
undertaking to that effect; and(e) it
is satisfied on reasonable grounds that the terms of the policies
A firm may
operate on the basis of an agency agreement as provided for by CASS 5.2.3 R for
some of its clients and with
protection provided by a client money trust
in accordance with CASS
5.3 or CASS
5.4 for other clients.
A firm may also operate on either
basis for the same client but
in relation to different transactions. A firm which
does so should be satisfied that its administrative systems and controls are
adequate and, in accordance with CASS 5.2.4 G, should ensure that
Section 137B(1) of the Act (Miscellaneous ancillary matters) provides that rules may make provision which results in client money being held by a firm on trust (England and Wales and Northern
Ireland) or as agent (Scotland only). CASS 5.3.2 R creates a fiduciary relationship
between the firm and its client under which client
money is in the legal ownership of the firm but
remains in the beneficial ownership of the client.
In the event of failure of the firm,
costs relating to
A firm (other
than a firm acting in accordance
with CASS
5.4) receives and holds client money as
trustee (or in Scotland as agent) on the following terms:(1) for
the purposes of and on the terms of CASS
5.3, CASS
5.5 and
the client money (insurance) distribution
rules;(2) subject
to (4),1 for the clients (other than clients which
are insurance undertakings when
acting as such)1 for whom that money is
held, according to their respective interests in it;(3) after
all valid claims
(1) A
firm which holds client money can discharge its obligation
to ensure adequate protection for its clients in
respect of such money by complying
with CASS
5.3 which provides for such money to
be held by the firm on the terms
of a trust imposed by the rules.(2) The
trust imposed by CASS
5.3 is limited to a trust in respect of client money which a firm receives
and holds. The consequential and supplementary requirements in CASS
5.5 are
designed to secure the proper segregation
1A mandate is any means that give a firm the ability to control a client's assets or liabilities, which meet the conditions in (1) to (5): (1) they are obtained by the firm from the client, and with the client's consent;(2) they are in written form at the time they are obtained from the client;(3) they are retained by the firm;(4) they put the firm in a position where it is able to give any or all of the types of instructions described in (a) to (d):(a) instructions to another
The instructions referred to at CASS 8.2.1 R (4) are all instructions given by a firm to another person who also has a relationship with the firm'sclient. For example, the other person may be the client'sbank, intermediary, custodian or credit card provider. This means, for example, that any means by which a firm can control a client's money or assets for which it is itself responsible to the client (rather than any other person) would not amount to a mandate. This includes where
(1) 3A firm will, subject to (3), be deemed to comply
with CASS 5.3 to CASS
5.6 if it receives or holds client
money and it either:2(a) in relation to a service charge,
complies with the requirement to segregate such money in accordance with section
42 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1987 ("the 1987 Act"); or2(b) in relation to money which is clients'
money for the purpose of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors' Rules
of Conduct ("RICS rules") in force as at 14 January
3CASS
5.1.5 R (1)(b) and CASS
5.1.5 R (2) do not apply, and hence money is client money, in any case where:(1) in relation to an activity specified
in CASS 5.2.3 R (1)
(a) to CASS 5.2.3 R (1) (c), the insurance undertaking has agreed that the firm may treat money which
it receives and holds as agent of the undertaking,
as client money and in accordance
with the provisions of CASS
5.3 to CASS
5.6; and(2) the agreement in (1) is in writing
and adequate to show that the insurance
A firm may
not handle client money in accordance
with the rules in this section
unless each of the following conditions is satisfied:(1) the firm must have and maintain systems and controls
which are adequate to ensure that the firm is
able to monitor and manage its client money transactions
and any credit risk arising from the operation of the trust arrangement and,
if in accordance with CASS 5.4.2 R a firm complies
with both the rules in CASS
5.3 and CASS
5.4, such systems and
The deed referred to in CASS 5.4.6 R must
provide that the money (and,
if appropriate, designated investments)
are held:(1) for
the purposes of and on the terms of:(a) CASS
5.4;(b) the
applicable provisions of CASS
5.5; and(c) the client money (insurance) distribution rules(2) subject
to (41), for the clients (other than clients which
are insurance undertakings when
acting as such) 1for whom that money is
held, according to their respective interests in it;(3) after
all valid