GEN 4.2 Purpose

This chapter requires the provision of appropriate minimum information about the identity of the regulator that authorised a firm. It also governs the way in which a firm may describe its regulation by the appropriate regulator.

This chapter builds upon the Consumer Duty, which requires a firm to act to deliver good outcomes for retail customers. It also builds upon Principle 7 (Communications with clients), which requires a firm to pay due regard to the information needs of its clients. This assists in the achievement of the statutory objectives, including the FCA's strategic objective of ensuring that relevant markets function well and the consumer protection and integrity objectives.

There are other pre-contract information requirements outside this chapter, including:

1. (1) for financial promotions, inthe financial promotion rules;
2. (2) for designated investment business, inCOBS 8 and COBS 8A (Client agreements), COBS 5 (Distance Communications), COBS 6 (Information about the firm, its services and remuneration), COBS 13 and 14 (which relate to product information) and CASS (Client assets);
3. (2A) for PRIIPs, a requirement under the PRIIPs Regulation to provide retail investors (as defined in that Regulation) with a key information document;
4. (3) for non-investment insurance contracts, distance communication requirements in ICOBS 3, initial disclosure requirements in ICOBS 4, disclosures relating to client needs and advice in ICOBS 5 and product information requirements in ICOBS 6;
5. (4) for electronic commerce activities carried on from an establishment in the United Kingdom, in COBS 5.2, ICOBS 3.2 and MCOB 2.8;
6. (5) for regulated mortgage contracts and home purchase plans, initial disclosure requirements in MCOB 4, pre-application disclosure requirements in MCOB 5, and disclosure at the offer stage in MCOB 6;
7. (6) for equity release transactions, initial disclosure requirements in MCOB 8.4, pre-application disclosure requirements in MCOB 9.4 and disclosure at the offer stage in MCOB 9.5;
8. (7) for regulated sale and rent back agreements, initial disclosure requirements in MCOB 4.11, pre-sale disclosure requirements in MCOB 5.9 and disclosure at the offer stage requirements in MCOB 6.9;
9. (8) for regulated credit agreements, apart from regulated deferred payment credit agreements, the pre-contract information requirements in the Consumer Credit (Disclosure of Information) Regulations 2010 (SI 2010/1013) and in the Consumer Credit (Disclosure of Information) Regulations 2004 (SI 2004/1481);
10. (8A) for regulated deferred payment credit agreements, the product information requirements in CONC 4.2A; and
11. (9) for regulated claims management activities, the pre-contract information and other requirements in CMCOB 4.2 and CMCOB 4.3.