Related provisions for MCOB 9.4.121
41 - 60 of 252 items.
(1) In this section "default sum" means in relation to the borrower under a P2P agreement, a sum (other than a sum of interest) which is payable by the borrower under the agreement in connection with a breach of the agreement by the borrower.(2) But a sum is not a default sum in relation to the borrower simply because as a consequence of the breach of the agreement the borrower is required to pay the sum earlier than would otherwise have been the case.
The notice required by CONC 7.19.4 R must contain:(1) a form of wording to the effect that it relates to default sums and is given in compliance with FCArules;(2) the date of the notice;(3) a description of the agreement sufficient to identify it;(4) the firm's name, telephone number, postal address and, where appropriate, any other address;(5) the amount and nature of each default sum payable under the agreement which has not been the subject of a previous notice of default sums;(6)
A primary information provider must notify the FCA immediately if:(1) there is any change to the names and contact details of staff who are available to assist the FCA exercise its functions in relation to the dissemination of regulated information by the primary information provider; or(2) any contractual arrangement between the primary information provider and a media operator regarding the dissemination of regulated information is terminated; or(3) any changes are proposed
A firm must not pay or accept any fee or commission, or provide or receive any non-monetary benefit, in relation to designated investment business12 carried on for a client other than:(1) a fee, commission or non-monetary benefit paid or provided to or by the client or a person on behalf of the client; or(2) a fee, commission or non-monetary benefit paid or provided to or by a third party or a person acting on behalf of a third party, if:(a) the payment of the fee or commission,
A firm will satisfy the disclosure obligation under this section if it:(1) discloses the essential arrangements relating to the fee, commission or non-monetary benefit in summary form;(2) undertakes to the client that further details will be disclosed on request; and(3) honours the undertaking in (2).[Note:12article 29(2) of the UCITS implementing Directive]7
(1) 1If a firm is required to disclose commission (see COBS 6.4) to a client in relation to the sale of a packaged product (other than in relation to arrangements between firms that are in the same immediate group) the firm should not enter into any of the following:(a) volume overrides, if commission paid in respect of several transactions is more than a simple multiple of the commission payable in respect of one transaction of the same kind; and(b) an agreement to indemnify
(1) 1If a firm enters into an arrangement with another firm under which it makes or receives a payment of commission in relation to the sale of a packaged product that is increased in excess of the amount disclosed to the client, the firm is likely to have breached the rules on disclosure of charges, remuneration and commission (see COBS 6.4) and, where applicable, the rule on inducements in COBS 2.3.1R (2)(b), unless the increase is attributable to an increase in the premiums
1In interpreting the table of reasonable non-monetary benefits, retail investment product providers5 should be aware that where a benefit is made available to one firm and not another, this is more likely to impair compliance with the client's best interests rule and that, where any benefits of substantial size or value (such as adviser training programmes or significant software) are made available to firms that are subject to the rules on adviser charging and remuneration (COBS
(1) In relation to debt collecting and debt administration, the definition of customer refers to an individual from whom the payment of a debt is sought; this would include where a firm mistakenly treats an individual as the borrower under an agreement and mistakenly or wrongly pursues the individual for a debt.[Note: paragraph 1.12 of DCG](2) In relation to debt collecting and debt administration, the definitions of customer and borrower are given extended meanings to include,
Where a customer under a regulated credit agreement fails to make an occasional payment when it becomes due, a firm should, in accordance with Principle 6, allow for such unmade payments to be made within the original term of the agreement unless:(1) the firm reasonably believes that it is appropriate to allow a longer period for repayment and has no reason to believe that doing so will increase the total amount payable to be unsustainable or otherwise cause a customer to be in
Examples of treating a customer with forbearance would include the firm doing one or more of the following, as may be relevant in the circumstances:(1) considering suspending, reducing, waiving or cancelling any further interest or charges (for example, when a customer provides evidence of financial difficulties and is unable to meet repayments as they fall due or is only able to make token repayments, where in either case the level of debt would continue to rise if interest and
An example of where a firm is likely to contravene Principle 6 and CONC 7.3.4 R is where the firm does not allow for alternative, affordable payment amounts to repay the debt due in full, where the customer is in default or arrears difficulties and the customer makes a reasonable proposal for repaying the debt or a debt counsellor or another person acting on the customer's behalf makes such a proposal.[Note: paragraphs 7.16 of ILG and 3.7j of DCG]
A firm must not pressurise a customer:(1) to pay a debt in one single or very few repayments or in unreasonably large amounts, when to do so would have an adverse impact on the customer's financial circumstances;[Note: paragraph 7.18 of ILG](2) to pay a debt within an unreasonably short period of time; or[Note: paragraphs 3.7i of DCG and 7.18 of ILG](3) to raise funds to repay the debt by selling their property, borrowing money or increasing existing borrowing.[Note: paragraph
(1) Where a financial promotion concerns a facility for which security is or may be required, the promotion must:(a) state that security is or may be required; and(b) specify the nature of the security.[Note: regulation 7(1) of CCAR 2004](2) Where, in the case of a financial promotion, the security comprises or may comprise a mortgage or charge on a property used by the customer as a dwelling (whether or not the customer’s primary residence)4:(a) except where (c) applies, the
(1) A financial promotion must specify the typical APR if the promotion:(a) specifies any other rate of charge;(b) includes any of the items of information listed in CONC 3.6.10R (5) to (7);(c) indicates in any way, whether expressly or by implication,3 including by means of the name given to a business or of an address used by a business for the purposes of electronic communication, that:(i) credit is available to persons who might otherwise consider their access to credit restricted;
(1) A financial promotion must not include:(a) the word “overdraft” or any similar expression as describing any agreement for running-account credit, except where the agreement enables a customer to overdraw on a current account; (b) the expression “interest free” or any similar expression indicating that a customer is liable to pay no greater amount in respect of a transaction financed by credit than he would be liable to pay as a cash purchaser for the like transaction, except
(1) In the case of a financial promotion about running-account credit, the following assumptions have effect for the purpose of calculating the total charge for credit and any APR, notwithstanding the terms of the transaction advertised and in place of any assumptions in CONC App 1.1.11 R to CONC App 1.1.18 R that might otherwise apply:(a) the amount of the credit to be provided must be taken to be £1,500 or, in a case where credit is to be provided subject to a credit limit
(1) The amount of credit which may be provided under a credit agreement or an indication of one or both of the maximum amount and the minimum amount of credit which may be provided. [Note: paragraph 1 of schedule 2 to CCAR 2004]Deposit of money in an account(2) A statement of any requirement to place on deposit any sum of money in any account with any person. [Note: paragraph 2 of schedule 2 to CCAR 2004]Cash price(3) In the case of a financial promotion about credit to be provided
The illustration provided as part of the offer document in accordance with MCOB 6.4.1 R (1) must meet the requirements of MCOB 5.6 (Content of illustrations) with the following modifications:(1) the illustration must be suitably adapted and revised to reflect the fact that the firm is making an offer to a customer and updated to reflect changes to, for example, the interest rate, charges, the exchange rate or the APR required by MCOB 10 (Annual Percentage Rate), at the date the
In complying with MCOB 6.4.11 R (6) the firm is not required to repeat in this section of the offer document the cash amounts of the early repayment charges set out in the illustration provided as part of the offer document. The firm may instead insert a reference to the relevant section of that illustration.
If the firm knows at the point that the offer is made to the customer that its interest in the regulated mortgage contract will be assigned (by sale or transfer) and the firm will no longer be responsible for setting interest rates and charges, the offer document must:(1) state this; and(2) state, where known, who will be responsible for setting interest rates and charges after the sale or transfer.
For the purposes of this chapter, the total charge for credit which may be provided under an actual or prospective agreement is the total (determined as at the date of the making of the agreement) of the charges specified in MCOB 10.4.2 R which apply in relation to the agreement, but excluding the charges specified in MCOB 10.4.4 R.
The amounts of the following charges are included in the total charge for credit in relation to an agreement, with the exceptions in MCOB 10.4.4 R:(1) the total of the interest on the credit which may be provided under the agreement; (2) other charges at any time payable under the transaction by or on behalf of the customer, whether to the firm or any other person; and(3) a premium under a contract of insurance, payable under the transaction by the customer, where the making or
(1) MCOB 10.4.2 R means, for example, that the following charges must be included within the total charge for credit:(a) any fee payable to a mortgage intermediary for arranging the contract (see MCOB 10.4.2 R(2)); and(b) any higher lending charge.(2) The FCA takes the view that charges required to be included within the total charge for credit should not be excluded on the basis of these charges being refundable in certain circumstances. (3) The FCA also takes the view that the
(1) The amounts of the following items are not included in the total charge for credit in relation to an agreement:(a) any charge payable under the transaction to the firm upon failure by the customer to do or to refrain from doing anything which he is required to do or to refrain from doing;(b) any charge:(i) which is payable by the firm to any person upon failure by the customer to do or to refrain from doing anything which he is required under the transaction to do or to refrain
(1) A variation or supplement of, or an exercise of a contractual power to vary or supplement, an agreement for high-cost short-term credit made before 2 January 2015 will be covered by this chapter if it has the result that a new charge, or an increase in an existing charge, is payable. (2) An example of where a charge results from a variation or supplement is where the duration of an agreement made before 2 January 2015 is extended and a further charge by way of interest or
Section 137C of the Act (FCA general rules: cost of credit and duration of credit agreements) as amended by the Financial Services (Banking Reform) Act 2013, places a duty on the FCA to make general rules with a view to securing an appropriate degree of protection for borrowers against excessive charges.
In accordance with that duty, the purpose of this chapter is:(1) to specify the descriptions of regulated credit agreement appearing to the FCA to involve the provision of high-cost short-term credit to which this chapter applies by using the definition of high-cost short-term credit set out in the Glossary;(2) to secure an appropriate degree of protection for borrowers against excessive charges; and (3) as a result, to restrict the charges for such high-cost short-term credi
Examples of the sorts of charge (which expression is defined in CONC 5A.6) applied in connection with the provision of credit covered by this chapter include, but are not limited to:(1) interest on the credit provided;(2) a charge related to late payment by, or default of, the borrower;(3) a charge related to the transmission of credit or for using a means of payment to or from the borrower;(4) a charge related to early repayment, or refinancing or changing the payment date or
For the purposes of delivering best execution for a retail client where there is more than one competing venue to execute an order for a financial instrument, in order to assess and compare the results for the client that would be achieved by executing the order on each of the execution venues listed in the firm's order execution policy that is capable of executing that order, the firm's own commissions and costs for executing the order on each of the eligible execution venues
The obligation to deliver best execution for a retail client where there are competing execution venues is not intended to require a firm to compare the results that would be achieved for its client on the basis of its own execution policy and its own commissions and fees, with results that might be achieved for the same client by any other firm on the basis of a different execution policy or a different structure of commissions or fees. Nor is it intended to require a firm to
A firm would be considered to structure or charge its commissions in a way which discriminates unfairly between execution venues if it charges a different commission or spread to clients for execution on different execution venues and that difference does not reflect actual differences in the cost to the firm of executing on those venues.4
When a firm assesses whether the regulated mortgage contract is appropriate to the needs and circumstances of the customer for the purposes of MCOB 4.7A.5R (1), the factors it must consider include the following, insofar as relevant:(1) whether the customer's requirements appear to be within the mortgage lender's known eligibility criteria for the regulated mortgage contract;(2) whether it is appropriate for the customer to have an interest-only mortgage, a repayment mortgage,
2When a firm assesses whether a shared equity credit agreement is appropriate to the needs and circumstances of the customer for the purposes of MCOB 4.7A.5R (1) it must consider, in addition to the factors listed in MCOB 4.7A.6 R, whether it is appropriate for the customer to: (1) take out the shared equity credit agreement for a particular term, taking into account the customer's intentions about the repayment of that shared equity credit agreement and the term of the customer's
Different considerations apply when giving advice to a customer with a payment shortfall. For example, the circumstances of the customer may mean that, viewed as a new transaction, a customer should not be advised to enter into a regulated mortgage contract. In those cases, a firm may still be able to give advice to that customer where the regulated mortgage contract concerned is, in the circumstances, a more suitable one than the customer's existing regulated mortgage contra
(1) A firm must make and retain a record:(a) of the customer information, including that relating to the customer's needs and circumstances, that it has obtained for the purposes of MCOB 4.7A;(b) that explains why the firm has concluded that any advice given to a customer complies with MCOB 4.7A.2 R and satisfies the suitability requirement in MCOB 4.7A.5R (1);6(c) of the customer's positive choice in MCOB 4.6A.2 R (Rolling up of fees or charges into loan) where applicable; and6(d)
The effect of MCOB 5A.4.1R (1) and MCOB 5A.4.7 R is that a consumer will be deemed to be committed to an application if, for example, they pay a product-related fee (including a valuation fee) or provides electronic or verbal authority to process an application. It is not necessary for a consumer to provide an MCD mortgage lender with a completed application form to submit an application for an MCD regulated mortgage contract.
What constitutes “materially altered” or “different” requires consideration of the facts of each individual case. For example, a change of product such that the underlying terms and conditions of the MCD regulated mortgage contract have changed should normally be regarded as material or different, as would an additional charge, such as a higher lending charge, applying to the MCD regulated mortgage contract when it did not previously.
In meeting a request for an ESIS under MCOB 5A.4.1R (2)(b), the firm must not delay the provision of the ESIS by requesting information other than:(1) such information as is necessary to complete the ESIS in accordance with MCOB 5A.5.2 R and MCOB 5A.5.3 R, if the firm does not already know it;(2) where the firm acts in accordance with MCOB 5A.4.12R (2), such information as is necessary to ascertain whether or not the contract will be an MCD regulated mortgage contract;(3) where
(1) 1A firm must, as soon as a customer expresses an interest in becoming a SRB agreement seller, ensure that the 2disclosures and warnings set out in (1A) are 2made to the customer2, both orally and confirmed in writing, and he is given an adequate opportunity to consider them. The firm must not demand or accept any fees, charges or other sums from the customer, or undertake any action that commits the customer in any way to entering into a specific agreement, until:2222(a) 2the
2A firm may comply with the requirement in MCOB 5.9.1 R (Pre-sale disclosure) for disclosures and warnings to be confirmed in writing by providing the potential SRB agreement seller with the written pre-offer document that is required by MCOB 6.9.3 R (Written pre-offer document: Stage One) if this can be done as quickly as providing the pre-sale disclosures, provided that (in accordance with MCOB 5.9.1 R) the firm does not demand or accept any fees, charges or other sums from
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.
A mortgage intermediary must take reasonable steps to ensure that an illustration which it issues, or which is issued on its behalf, other than that provided by a mortgage lender:(1) is accurate within the following tolerances:(a) no more than one percent or £1, whichever is the greater, below the actual figures charged by the mortgage lender for the following:(i) the total amount payable in Section 15 of the illustration;(ii) the amounts that the customer must pay by regular
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
For a firm which carries on insurance distribution activity4 or home finance mediation activity1, annual income is the amount of all brokerage, fees, commissions and other related income (for example, administration charges, overriders, profit shares) due to the firm in respect of or in relation to those activities. But it does not include income generated from carrying on any home finance mediation activity for:31(1) second charge regulated mortgage contracts; or3(2) legacy CCA
(1) The purpose of the rule on annual income that applies to insurance intermediaries and mortgage intermediaries is to ensure that the capital resources requirement is calculated on the basis only of brokerage and other amounts earned by a firm which are its own income.(2) Annual income includes commissions and other amounts the firm may have agreed to pay to other persons involved in a transaction, such as sub-agents or other intermediaries.(3) A firm'sannual income does not,
For the purposes of the calculation of the capital resources of a firm carrying on home finance administration1only with all the assets it administers off balance sheet, annual income is the sum of:11(1) revenue (that is, commissions, fees, net interest income, dividends, royalties and rent); and(2) gains;(3) arising in the course of the ordinary activities of the firm, less profit:(a) on the sale or termination of an operation;(b) arising from a fundamental reorganisation or
Price information is likely also to include at least the total premium (or the basis for calculating it so that the customer can verify it) and, where relevant:(1) for policies of over one year with reviewable premiums, the period for which the quoted premium is valid, and the timing of reviews;(2) other fees, administrative charges and taxes payable by the customer through the firm; and(3) a statement identifying separately the possibility of any taxes not payable through the
(1) This rule applies when a premium will be paid using a credit agreement other than a revolving credit agreement. (2) A firm must provide price information in a way calculated to enable the customer to understand the additional repayments that relate to the purchase of the policy, and the total cost of the policy.(3) Price information must reflect any difference between the duration of the policy and that of the credit agreement.(4) A firm must explain to a customer, as applicable,
(1) Throughout the term of a policy, a firm must provide a customer with information about any change to:(a) the premium, unless the change conforms to a previously disclosed formula; and(b) any term of the policy, together with an explanation of any implications of the change where necessary.(2) This information must be provided in writing or another durable medium in good time before the change takes effect or, if the change is at the customer's request, as soon as is practicable
(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
1Using the methods and at the times specified in this section, a firm must provide the customer with the following information:(1) whether there are any limitations in the range of products that it will offer to the customer, and if so what those are;2(1A) if there are any limitations in the range of the firm’s products about which it will provide information during a spoken or other interactive dialogue with the customer, what those limitations are;7(2) the basis on which the
(1) The information about the basis of remuneration required by MCOB 4.4A.1R (2) must include all relevant information, including the following details:(a) any fees which the firm will charge to the customer;(b) when any such fees will be payable and, if applicable, reimbursable; and(c) whether the firm will receive commission from the mortgage lender or another third party and, if applicable, whether any commission will be offset against any fees charged and the arrangements
The information requirements in MCOB 4.4A.1 R, MCOB 4.4A.2 R, MCOB 4.4A.4R (1) and MCOB 4.4A.8 R do not apply where:(1) the information has already been provided by the firm and the firm has good reason to believe that it is still accurate and appropriate for the customer; or(2) the information has already been provided by the firm which first made contact with the customer in respect of the particular regulated mortgage contract, and the firm subsequently making contact with
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.8A R;22(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
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.
(1) A firm may draw down commission from
the client bank account if:(a) it
has received the premium from
the client (or from a third party premium finance
provider on the client's behalf);2 and(b) this
is consistent with the firm'sterms of business which it maintains with
the relevant client and 2the insurance undertaking to
whom the premium will become2 payable;and the firm may
draw down commission before
payment of the premium to the insurance undertaking, provided that the
conditions
(1) As
soon as commission becomes due
to the firm (in accordance with CASS
5.5.16 R (1)) it must be treated as a remittance which must be withdrawn in
accordance with CASS
5.5.16 R (2). 2The procedure required by CASS 5.5.16 R will also 2apply where moneyis 2due and payable 2to the firm in
respect of fees due from clients (whether to the firm or
other professionals).(2) Firms are reminded that money received
in accordance with CASS
5.2 must not,
except where a firm and an insurance
The individual client balance
for each client must be calculated
as follows:(1) the
amount paid by a client to the firm (to include all premiums);
plus(2) the
amount due to the client (to
include all claims and premium refunds);
plus(3) the
amount of any interest or investment returns due to the client;(4) less
the amount paid to insurance undertakings for
the benefit of the client (to
include all premiums and commission due
to itself) (i.e. commissions that
are due but have not
A firm's client money (accruals)
requirement is the sum of the following:(1) all
insurance creditors shown in the firm's business
ledgers as amounts due to insurance undertakings, clients and other persons;
plus(2) unearned commission 2being the amount of commission 2shown as accrued (but not shown
as due 2and payable) as at the date of
the calculation (a prudent estimate must be used if the firm is
unable to produce an exact figure at the date of the calculation).