Related provisions for BIPRU 12.5.20
1 - 20 of 98 items.
A firm must ensure that the information on contractual obligations to be communicated to a consumer during the pre-contractual phase is in conformity with the contractual obligations which would result from the law presumed to be applicable to the distance contract if that contract is concluded.[Note: article 3(4) of the Distance Marketing Directive]
A firm must communicate to the consumer all the contractual terms and conditions and the information referred to in the distance marketing disclosure rules in writing or another durable medium available and accessible to the consumer in good time before conclusion of any distance contract.[Note: article 5(1) of the Distance Marketing Directive]
(1) In the case of a voice telephony communication, and subject to the explicit consent of the consumer, only the abbreviated distance marketing information (ICOBS 3 Annex 3 R) needs to be provided during that communication.(2) However, unless another exemption applies (such as the exemption for means of distance communication not enabling disclosure) a firm must still provide the distance marketing information (ICOBS 3 Annex 2 R) in writing or another durable medium available
A firm may provide the distance marketing information (ICOBS 3 Annex 2 R) and the contractual terms and conditions in writing or another durable medium immediately after the conclusion of a distance contract, if the contract has been concluded at a consumer's request using a means of distance communication that does not enable the provision of that information in that form in good time before conclusion of any distance contract.[Note: article 5(2) of the Distance Marketing Di
At any time during the contractual relationship the consumer is entitled, at his request, to receive the contractual terms and conditions on paper. The consumer is also entitled to change the means of distance communication used unless this is incompatible with the contract concluded or the nature of the service provided.[Note: article 5(3) of the Distance Marketing Directive]
(1) A firm must not enforce, or seek to enforce, any obligations under a distance contract against a consumer, in the event of an unsolicited supply of services, the absence of reply not constituting consent.(2) This rule does not apply to the tacit renewal of a distance contract.[Note: article 9 of the Distance Marketing Directive]
If a firm proposes to enter into a distance contract with a consumer that will be governed by the law of a country outside the EEA, the firm must ensure that the consumer will not lose the protection created by the rules in this section if the distance contract has a close link with the territory of one or more EEA States.[Note: articles 12 and 16 of the Distance Marketing Directive]
(1) Subject to (2) and (3), this section applies to a firm that carries on any distance marketing activity from an establishment in the UK, with or for a consumer in the UK or another EEA State.(2) This section does not apply to an authorised professional firm with respect to its non-mainstream regulated activities.(3) This section does not apply to an activity in relation to a consumer hire agreement.
(1) Subject to (2), (3) and (4), a firm must provide a consumer with the distance marketing information (CONC 2 Annex 1R) in good time before the consumer is bound by a distance contract or offer.[Note: regulation 7(1) of SI 2004/2095][Note: articles 3(1) and 4(5) of the Distance Marketing Directive](2) Where a distance contract is also a contract for payment services to which the Payment Services Regulations apply, a firm is required to provide to the consumer only the information
A firm must ensure that information on contractual obligations to be communicated to a consumer during the pre-contractual phase accurately reflects the contractual obligations which would result from the law presumed to be applicable to the distance contract if that contract is concluded.[Note: regulation 7(5) of SI 2004/2095][Note: article 3(4) of the Distance Marketing Directive]
A firm must communicate to the consumer all the contractual terms and conditions and the information referred to in the distance marketing disclosure rules (CONC 2.7.2 R to CONC 2.7.5 R) in a durable medium1. That information must be made available and accessible to the consumer in good time before the consumer is bound by any distance contract or offer.1[Note: regulation 8(1) of SI 2004/2095][Note: articles 4(5) and 5(1) of the Distance Marketing Directive]
(1) Activities in relation to a consumer hire agreement are not financial services within the meaning of the Distance Marketing Directive and do not fall within CONC 2.7. Instead such agreements fall within the Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000 (SI 2000/2334).(2) A firm will provide information, or communicate contractual terms and conditions, to a consumer if another person provides the information, or communicates the terms and conditions, to the consumer
In the case of voice telephony communication, and subject to the explicit consent of the consumer, only the abbreviated distance marketing information (CONC 2 Annex 2R) needs to be provided during that communication. However, unless another exception applies (such as the exemption for means of distance communication not enabling disclosure), a firm must still provide the distance marketing information (CONC 2 Annex 1R) in a durable medium that is available and accessible to the
A firm may provide the distance marketing information (CONC 2 Annex 1R) and the contractual terms and conditions in a durable medium immediately after the conclusion of a distance contract, if the contract has been concluded at a consumer's request using a means of distance communication that does not enable the provision of that information in that form in good time before the consumer is bound by any distance contract or offer.[Note: article 5(2) of the Distance Marketing
At any time during the contractual relationship, the consumer is entitled, at request, to receive the contractual terms and conditions on paper. The consumer is also entitled to change the means of distance communication used unless this is incompatible with the contract concluded or the nature of the service provided.[Note: regulation 8(2) and (4) of SI 2004/2095][Note: article 5(3) of the Distance Marketing Directive]
(1) A firm must not enforce, or seek to enforce, any obligations under a distance contract against a consumer in the event of an unsolicited supply of services. The absence of a reply does not constitute consent.(2) This rule does not apply to the tacit renewal of a distance contract.[Note: regulation 15 of SI 2004/2095][Note: article 9 of the Distance Marketing Directive]
If a firm proposes to enter into a distance contract with a consumer that will be governed by the law of a country outside the EEA, the firm must ensure that the consumer will not lose the protection created by the rules in this section if the distance contract has a close link with the territory of one or more EEA States.[Note: regulation 16(3) of SI 2004/2095][Note: articles 12 and 16 of the Distance Marketing Directive]
3(1) This section applies to a firm that carries on any distance marketing activity from an establishment in the United Kingdom, with or for a consumer in the United Kingdom or another EEA State.3(2) If a firm is an intermediary rather than the supplier under the distance contract, references to 'firm' in COBS 5 Annex 1 R and COBS 5 Annex 2 R are to be interpreted as referring to the supplier except for references to 'firm' in COBS 5 Annex 1 R (2), (4) and (18).3
A firm must communicate to the consumer all the contractual terms and conditions and the information referred to in the distance marketing disclosure rules (COBS 5.1.1 R to COBS 5.1.4 R) on a durable medium available and accessible to the consumer in good time before the consumer is bound by any distance contract or offer. [Note: article 5(1) of the Distance Marketing Directive]
If, at any time during the contractual relationship, a consumer that is a party to a distance contract asks a firm:(1) for a paper copy of the terms and conditions of that contract; or(2) to change the means of distance communication used;the firm must provide that paper copy or change the means of distance communication used, unless (in the latter case) that would be incompatible with the contract or the nature of the service provided. [Note: article 5(3) of the Distance Marketing
(1) A firm must not enforce, or seek to enforce, any obligations under a distance contract against a consumer, in the event of an unsolicited supply of services, the absence of reply not constituting consent.(2) This rule does not apply to the tacit renewal of a distance contract. [Note: article 9 of the Distance Marketing Directive]
If a firm proposes to enter into a distance contract with a consumer that will be governed by the law of a country outside the EEA, the firm must ensure that the consumer will not lose the protection created by the rules in this section if the distance contract has a close link with the territory of one or more EEA States. [Note: articles 12 and 16 of the Distance Marketing Directive]
A consumer2 has no right to cancel a home finance transaction1 concluded with a firm but may have a right to cancel a distance contract concluded with a mortgage intermediary,3 a home purchase intermediary or a SRB intermediary31for the provision of his services. Whether a mortgage intermediary,3 a home purchase intermediary or a SRB intermediary31 concludes a distance mortgage mediation contract,3 a distance home purchase mediation contract or a distance regulated sale and rent
(1) A consumer2 has a right to cancel a distance mortgage mediation contract,3 a distance home purchase mediation contract or a distance regulated sale and rent back mediation contract31 in accordance with this section.23(2) The right to cancel must be exercised within 14 days beginning on the later of:(a) the day of the conclusion of the contract; or(b) the day on which the consumer2 receives the contractual terms and conditions and other information required by MCOB 4.4 and
A consumer2 who has a right to cancel a distance mortgage mediation contract, a distance home purchase mediation contract or a distance regulated sale and rent back mediation contract31 may, without giving any reason, cancel the contract by serving notice on the firm, before the expiry of the cancellation period in MCOB 4.6.4 R either:23(1) by serving on, or otherwise sending by post, notice to the firm's last known address, addressed to the firm, its appointed representative
When a consumer2 exercises a right to cancel under MCOB 4.6.4 R:2(1) the firm must:(a) pay to the consumer2 without delay, and no later than 30 days after the date on which the firm received notice of cancellation from him, any sums which he has paid to or for the benefit of the firm in connection with the contract (including sums paid by the consumer2 to agents of the firm) except for the amount referred to in (b);22(b) subject to (c), the firm is permitted to require the consumer2
(1) When a consumer exercises the right to cancel he may only be required to pay, without any undue delay, for the service actually provided by the firm in accordance with the contract.(2) The amount payable must not:(a) exceed an amount which is in proportion to the extent of the service already provided in comparison with the full coverage of the contract; and(b) in any case be such that it could be construed as a penalty.(3) A firm must not require a consumer to pay any amount:(a)
(1) A firm must, without any undue delay and no later than within 30 days, return to a consumer any sums it has received from him in accordance with the contract, except as specified in this section.(2) This period shall begin from the day on which the firm receives the notification of cancellation.[Note: article 7(4) of the Distance Marketing Directive]
(1) A firm is entitled to receive from a consumer any sums and/or property he has received from the firm without any undue delay and no later than within 30 days.(2) This period shall begin from the day on which the consumer dispatches the notification of cancellation.[Note: article 7(5) of the Distance Marketing Directive]
A consumer's notice to cancel a distance contract may also operate to cancel any attached contract which is also a distance financial services contract. This is unless the consumer gives notice that cancellation of the contract is not to operate to cancel the attached contract. (See the Distance Marketing Regulations.) Where relevant, this should be disclosed to the consumer along with other information on cancellation.
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 consumer5 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 consumer5and the intermediate broker in relation to the
(1) A firm which handles client
money in accordance with the rules for
a non-statutory trust in CASS
5.4 may, to the extent it considers appropriate, but
subject to (2), satisfy the requirement to segregate client
money by segregating or arranging for the segregation of designated investments with a value at least
equivalent to such money as
would otherwise have been segregated into a client
bank account.(2) A firm may not segregate designated
investments unless it:(a) takes
reasonable
(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
A firm may
allow another person, such as
another broker to hold or control client money,
but only if:(1) the firm transfers the client
money for the purpose of a transaction for a client through
or with that person; and(2) in
the case of a consumer,5 that customer has been notified (whether through
a client agreement,4terms of business, or otherwise in writing)
that the client money may be
transferred to another person.54
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 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
A firm must
not undertake any transaction for a consumer5 that involves client money being
passed to another broker or settlement agent located
in a jurisdiction outside the United Kingdom,
unless the firm has previously
disclosed to the consumer5 (whether in its terms of business, client agreement 4or otherwise in writing):554(1) that
his client money may be passed
to a person outside the United Kingdom but the client may
notify the firm that he does
not wish his money to be
A rejection of a consumerpolicyholder's claim is unreasonable, except where there is evidence of fraud, if it is :22(1) in relation to contracts entered into or variations agreed on or before 5 April 2013, for:2(a) non-disclosure of a fact material to the risk which the policyholder could not reasonably be expected to have disclosed; or2(b) non-negligent misrepresentation of a fact material to the risk; or2(2) in relation to contracts entered into or variations agreed on or after
2For the purposes of ICOBS 8.1.2R (2) a “qualifying misrepresentation” is one made by a consumer before a consumer insurance contract was entered into or varied if:(1) the consumer made the misrepresentation in breach of the duty set out in section 2(2) of the Consumer Insurance (Disclosure and Representations) Act 2012 to take reasonable care not to make a misrepresentation to the insurer; and(2) the insurer shows that without the misrepresentation, that insurer would not have
1A consumer has a right to cancel, without penalty and without giving any reason, within:(1) 30 days for a contract of insurance which is, or has elements of, a pure protection contract or payment protection contract; or(2) 14 days for any other contract of insurance or distance contract.[Note: article 6(1) of the Distance Marketing Directive in relation to a distance contract and article 35 of the Consolidated Life Directive in relation to a pure protection contract]
The right to cancel does not apply to:(1) a travel and baggage policy or similar short-term policy of less than one month's duration; (2) a policy the performance of which has been fully completed by both parties at the consumer's express request before the consumer exercises his right to cancel;(3) a pure protection contract of six months’ duration or less which is not a distance contract;(4) a pure protection contract effected by the trustees of an occupational pension scheme,
The cancellation period begins either:(1) from the day of the conclusion of the contract, except in respect of a pure protection contract where the time limit begins when the customer is informed that the contract has been concluded; or(2) from the day on which the consumer receives the contractual terms and conditions and any other pre-contractual information required under this sourcebook, if that is later than the date referred to above.[Note: article 35 of the Consolidated
If a consumer exercises the right to cancel he must, before the expiry of the relevant deadline, notify this following the practical instructions given to him. The deadline shall be deemed to have been observed if the notification, if on paper or another durable medium, is dispatched before the deadline expires.[Note: article 6(1) and (6) of the Distance Marketing Directive]
(1) This rule applies in relation to a distance contract that is not a life policy, personal pension scheme, cash deposit ISA or CTF.(2) When the consumer exercises his right to cancel he may be required to pay, without any undue delay, for the service actually provided by the firm in accordance with the contract. The performance of the contract may only begin after the consumer has given his approval. The amount payable must not:(a) exceed an amount which is in proportion to
(1) The firm may require the consumer to pay for any loss under a contract caused by market movements that the firm would reasonably incur in cancelling it. The period for calculating the loss shall end on the day on which the firm receives the notification of cancellation.(2) This rule:(a) does not apply for a distance contract or for a contract established on a regular or recurring premium or payment basis; and(b) only applies if the firm has complied with its obligations to
The firm must, without any undue delay and no later than within 30 calendar days, return to the consumer any sums it has received from him in accordance with the contract2, except for any amount that the consumer may be required to pay under this section. This period shall begin from the day on which the firm receives the notification of cancellation.2 [Note: article 7(4) of the Distance Marketing Directive]
The firm is entitled to receive from the consumer any sums and/or property he has received from the firm without any undue delay and no later than within 30 calendar days. This period shall begin from the day on which the consumer dispatches the notification of cancellation. [Note: article 7(5) of the Distance Marketing Directive]
1The rules in this section:(1) address the risk that a consumer believes that a firm's remuneration for its pure protection service is included in its adviser charge, where this is not the case; and(2) enable the consumer to evaluate a firm'sadviser charge in the light of any additional remuneration received by the firm for the pure protection service it provides.
A firm which agrees an adviser charge with a consumer and provides an associated pure protection service to that consumer must:(1) in good time before the provision of its services, take reasonable steps to ensure that the consumer understands:(a) how the firm is remunerated for its pure protection service; and(b) if applicable, that the firm will receive commission in relation to its pure protection service in addition to the firm'sadviser charge;(2) as close as practicable
A pure protection service is not associated with an adviser charge for the purposes of ICOBS 4.6.2 R if the adviser charge is agreed with the consumer by a firm or an appointed representative and the pure protection service is provided to that consumer by another firm or appointed representative. However, if a firm or an appointed representative refers a consumer with whom it is agreeing an adviser charge to another firm or appointed representative for the provision of a pure
1Different provisions in this sourcebook may apply depending on the type of person with whom a firm is dealing:(1) A policyholder includes anyone who, upon the occurrence of the contingency insured against, is entitled to make a claim directly to the insurance undertaking.(2) Only a policyholder or a prospective policyholder who makes the arrangements preparatory to him concluding a contract of insurance (directly or through an agent) is a customer. In this sourcebook, customers
2(1) Except where paragraph (2) applies, if a customer is acting in the capacity of both a consumer and a commercial customer in relation to a particular contract of insurance, the customer is a commercial customer.2(2) For the purposes of ICOBS 5.1.4 G and ICOBS 8.1.2 R, if, in relation to a particular contract of insurance, the customer entered into it mainly for purposes unrelated to his trade or profession, the customer is a consumer.2
In practice, private individuals may act in a number of capacities. The following table sets out a number of examples of how an individual acting in certain capacities should, in the FCA's view, be categorised.
Customer classification examples |
|
Capacity |
Classification |
Personal representatives, including executors, unless they are acting in a professional capacity, for example, a solicitor acting as executor. |
|
Private individuals acting in personal or other family circumstances, for example, as trustee of a family trust. |
|
Trustee of a trust such as a housing or NHS trust. |
|
Member of the governing body of a club or other unincorporated association such as a trade body and a student union. |
|
Pension trustee. |
|
Person taking out a policy covering property bought under a buy-to-let mortgage. |
|
Partner in a partnership when taking out insurance for purposes related to his profession. |
|
A firm must (except when otherwise agreed by parties who are not consumers):(1) give an ECA recipient the following information, clearly, comprehensibly and unambiguously, and prior to the order being placed by the recipient of the service:(a) the different technical steps to follow to conclude the contract;(b) whether or not the concluded contract will be filed by the firm and whether it will be accessible;(c) the technical means for identifying and correcting input errors prior
(1) A firm must draw a consumer's attention to the importance of reading payment protection contract documentation before the end of the cancellation period to check that the policy is suitable for the consumer.(2) This must be done orally if a firm provides information orally on any main characteristic of a policy.
(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 Regulations
The following numbers, if used by firms, would not comply with the call charges rule:(1) premium rate numbers that begin with the prefix 09;(2) other revenue sharing numbers in which a portion of the call charge can be used to either provide a service or make a small payment to the firm, such as telephone numbers that begin with the prefix 084 or 0871, 0872 or 0873; and(3) telephone numbers that begin with the prefix 0870 as the cost of making a telephone call on such numbers
If a consumer exercises his right to cancel he must, before the expiry of the relevant deadline, notify this following the practical instructions given to him. The deadline shall be deemed to have been observed if the notification, if in a durable medium available and accessible to the recipient, is dispatched before the deadline expires. [Note: article 6 (6) of the Distance Marketing Directive]
(1) There are certain additional disclosure requirements laid down by the Distance Marketing Directive that will have to be provided by a mortgage intermediary,6 a home purchase intermediary and a SRB intermediary64 to a consumer5 prior to the conclusion of a distance mortgage mediation contract,66 a distance home purchase mediation contract4 or a distance regulated sale and rent back mediation contract.6 The purpose of this section, MCOB 4.5, is to set out those additional requirements.
If the initial contact7 is with a consumer5 with a view to concluding a distance mortgage mediation contract,6 a distance home purchase mediation contract or a distance regulated sale and rent back mediation contract6,4 a firm must:7546(1) in addition to initial disclosure information and any other required information, provide the consumer5 with the information in MCOB 4 Annex 3 in a durable medium in good time before the conclusion of the distance mortgage mediation contract,6distance
(1) The information in MCOB 4 Annex 3 will be provided in 'good time' for the purposes of MCOB 4.5.2 R (1), if provided in sufficient time to enable the customer to consider properly the services on offer.(2) An example of the circumstances in which MCOB 4.5.2 R (4) or (5) may apply is given in MCOB 4.4.4 G. If the initial disclosure document and accompanying information (including that in MCOB 4 Annex 3) was previously provided to a customer and continues to be appropriate, there
(1) The rules in (2) do not apply to a firm with respect to a regulated mortgage activity or a home purchase activity2 exclusively concerning a distance contract if the following conditions are satisfied:2(a) the firm carries on the activity from an establishment maintained by the firm in an EEA State other than the United Kingdom; and(b) either the EEA State:(i) has implemented the Distance Marketing Directive3; or3(ii) has obligations in its domestic law corresponding to those
Parts of MCOB relate to distance contracts (or distance mortgage mediation contracts and distance home purchase mediation contracts2) with consumers3. These expressions are derived from the Distance Marketing Directive, and the following paragraphs provide some guidance to firms on their meaning:3(1) consumer3The Distance Marketing Directive applies for distance contracts with 'any natural person who is acting for purposes which are outside his trade, business or profession',
The mere fact that an intermediary (acting for the supplier or for the consumer3) is involved, does not make the sale of a financial product or service a distance contract. There will not be a distance contract if there has been simultaneous physical presence of the intermediary and the consumer3 at some stage in the offer, negotiation and conclusion of the contract.133
Where a firm provides services to a consumer by way of a distance contract, the firm must provide the consumer with the following information in a durable medium in good time before the distance contract has been agreed:(1) the information which is required by MCOB 4.4A.1 R to MCOB 4.4A.8 R;(2) whether or not the firm will be providing the consumer with advice;(3) the name and the main business of the firm, the geographical address at which it is established and any other geographical
(1) MCOB 4.4A.18 R contains the additional disclosure requirements for firms providing mortgage mediation activities to a consumer by way of a distance contract. MCOB 4.5 and MCOB 4.6 contain further rules and guidance applicable where firms enter into a distance contract in respect of their home finance mediation activities independent of any contractual arrangement with a consumer relating to a particular home finance transaction or transactions.(2) There is guidance on distance
(1) As soon as the customer expresses an interest in becoming a SRB agreement seller, a regulated sale and rent back firm must provide him with the Money Advice Service consumer factsheet on sale and rent back in a durable medium which may be accessed through http://www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk.(2) The firm on providing the Money Advice Service consumer factsheet in (1) to the customer must give him an oral explanation of it, so as to ensure that the customer fully understands
(1) A consideration of the customer's benefits position will need to focus on whether, by entering into the proposed regulated sale and rent back agreement, his entitlement to means-tested benefit will be adversely affected because of his receipt of the net proceeds of sale (if any) of the property. The customer's possible loss of entitlement to claim housing benefit should also be assessed. Where a firm has insufficient knowledge of means-tested and housing benefits to reach
The effect of MCOB 4.11.9R is that a SRB agreement provider is expected to advise2 in relation to a particular regulated sale and rent back agreement, unless it is reasonable for it to rely on another firm with permission to advise on regulated sale and rent back agreements,2 to have done so in relation to a particular transaction.2
During the course of a distance contract with a consumer4, the making or performance of which constitutes or is part of a regulated mortgage contract, home purchase plan or regulated sale and rent back agreement:54353(1) the firm must, at the consumer's4 request, provide a paper copy of the contractual terms and conditions of the regulated mortgage contract, home purchase plan,3regulated sale and rent back agreement5 or services being provided by the firm; and 43(2) the firm
(1) 12A firm must not:(a) supply a service to a consumer4 without a prior request on his part, when this activity includes a request for immediate or deferred payment; or 4(b) enforce any obligations against aconsumer4 in the event of unsolicited supplies of services, the absence of a reply not constituting consent. 4(2) Paragraph (1) applies in relation to mortgage mediation activities, entering into a regulated mortgage contract, home purchase mediation activities or entering