COLL 6.4 Title and registers
Application
- (1)
- (2)
COLL 6.4.9 (Plan registers) also applies to the ACD, any other director and the depositary of an ICVC.
Purpose
The aim of this section is to protect consumers, by setting out the requirements for a register of unitholders for an AUT and for a plan register for an authorised fund, so a proper record of ownership of units is maintained, whether held directly or indirectly through a group plan.
Explanation of this section
- (1)
This section deals with matters relating to the register of unitholders of units in an AUT including its establishment and contents. The manager or trustee may be responsible for the register. In any event, the person responsible for the register must be stated in the trust deed and this section details what his duties are. The provisions relating to documents evidencing title to units, including the issue of bearer certificates are dependent on the provisions in the trust deed and their operation should be set out in the prospectus.
- (2)
For an ICVC, requirements as to the register of holders and transfer of units are contained in Schedule 3 of the OEIC Regulations (Register of shareholders).
- (3)
COLL 6.4.9 makes provision to ensure that if the cost of the plan register is borne by the scheme, plan investors have the same rights in respect of notice and disclosure as unitholders on the main register.
Register: general requirements and contents
- (1)
Either the manager or the trustee (as nominated in the trust deed) must establish and maintain a register of unitholders as a document in accordance with this section.
- (2)
The manager or trustee in accordance with their duties under (1) must exercise all due diligence and take all reasonable steps to ensure the information contained on the register is at all times complete and up to date.
- (3)
The register must contain:
- (a)
the name and address of each unitholder (for joint unitholders, no more than four need to be registered) other than units represented by bearer certificates;
- (b)
the number of units of each class held by each unitholder (other than units represented by bearer certificates);
- (c)
the date on which the unitholder was registered for units standing in his name (other than units represented by bearer certificates); and
- (d)
the number of units of each class currently in issue, including bearer certificates and the number of units of those bearer certificates.
- (a)
- (4)
No notice of any trust, express, implied or constructive which may be entered in the register is binding on the manager or trustee, but this does not affect their obligations under COLL 6.4.9 R (1) (Plan registers).
- (5)
The register is conclusive evidence of the persons entitled to the units entered in it.
- (6)
The person responsible for the register in (1) must:
- (a)
take reasonable steps to alter the register on receiving written notice of a change of name or address of any unitholder;
- (b)
in relation to a change of name in (a) where a certificate has been issued, either endorse the existing certificate or issue a new one;
- (c)
make the register available for inspection free of charge in the United Kingdom by or on behalf of any unitholder (including the manager), during office hours, but it may be closed for periods not exceeding 30 business days in any one year;
- (d)
supply free of charge to any unitholder or his authorised representative a copy of the entries on the register relating to that unitholder on request;
- (e)
where a unitholder defaults on paying for the issue or sale of units, make an alteration or deletion in the register to compensate for the default after which the manager becomes entitled to those units (until those units are either cancelled or re-sold and paid for); and
- (f)
carry out any conversion of units allowed for by COLL 6.4.8 R (Conversion of units) after consultation with the manager or trustee, as appropriate.
- (a)
The manager as Unitholder
- (1)
If no person is entered in the register as the unitholder of a unit, the manager must be treated as the unitholder of each such unit which is in issue (other than a unit which is represented by a bearer certificate).
- (2)
Where units are transferred to the manager, they need not be cancelled and the manager need not be entered on the register as the new unitholder.
Transfer of units by act of parties
- (1)
Every unitholder is entitled to transfer units held on the register by an instrument of transfer in any form that the person responsible for the register may approve, but that person is under no duty to accept a transfer unless:
- (a)
it is permitted by the trust deed or prospectus; and
- (b)
the transfer is excluded by Schedule 19 of the Finance Act 1999 from a charge to stamp duty reserve tax, or there has been paid to the trustee, for the account of the AUT, an amount agreed between the trustee and the manager not exceeding the amount that would be derived by applying the rate of stamp duty reserve tax to the market value of the units being transferred.
- (a)
- (2)
Every instrument of transfer of units must be signed by, or on behalf of, the unitholder transferring the units (or, for a body corporate, sealed by that body corporate or signed by one of its officers (or in Scotland, two of its officers)) authorised to sign it and, unless the transferee is the manager, the transferor must be treated as the unitholder until the name of the transferee has been entered in the register.
- (3)
Every instrument of transfer (stamped as necessary) must be left for registration, with the person responsible for the register, accompanied by:
- (4)
The details of instruments of transfer must be kept for a period of six years from the date of its registration.
- (5)
On registration of an instrument of transfer, a record of the transferor and the transferee and the date of transfer must be made on the register.
Certificates (including bearer certificates)
- (1)
Following the sale of units or as a result of COLL 6.4.6 R (Transfer of units by act of parties) a document recording title to those units may be issued in such a form as the trust deed permits.
- (2)
The person responsible for the register must issue any document in (1) or provide relevant information in a timely manner where the procedures for redeeming units require the unitholder to surrender that document.
- (3)
Bearer certificates may only be issued if they are permitted by the instrument constituting the scheme.
Conversion of units
Where there is more than one class of units offered for issue or sale, the unitholder has a right to convert from one to the other, provided that doing so would not contravene any provision in the prospectus.
Plan registers
- (1)
The ACD and any other directors of an ICVC or the person responsible for the register of an AUT may arrange for a plan register to be established and maintained.
- (2)
Where payments are made out of scheme property to establish and maintain a plan register, plan investors must be treated as unitholders for the purposes of COLL 4.3 to COLL 4.5 and COLL 6.4.4 R (Register: general requirements and contents).