Related provisions for COBS 6.2A.2

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COBS 6.1A.1RRP
(1) 1This section applies to a firm which makes personal recommendations to retail clients in relation to retail investment products.1111(2) This section does not apply to a firm giving advice, or providing services, to an employer in connection with a group personal pension scheme or group stakeholder pension scheme.2
COBS 6.1A.1AGRP
8Guidance on the regulated activity of advising in relation to a new or existing investment can be found in PERG 8.24 to PERG 8.29. Although the guidance in PERG 8.29.7 G relates to advising on investments under article 53 of the Regulated Activities Order, exactly the same answers apply to a personal recommendation because the examples given relate to the relationship between a firm and a particular client and advice given to that specific client. A firm wishing to know when
COBS 6.1A.2RRP
This section does not apply to a firm when it gives basic advice in accordance with the basic advicerules.
COBS 6.1A.2ARRP
4This section does not apply to a firm when it makes a personal recommendation to a retail client in relation to a Holloway sickness policy, provided that the Holloway policy special application conditions are met.
COBS 6.1A.3RRP
This section does not apply if the retail client is outside the United Kingdom.
COBS 6.1A.4RRP
Except as specified in COBS 6.1A.4A R, COBS 6.1A.4AB R, COBS 6.1A.4AC G11 and COBS 6.1A.4B R, a firm must:6(1) only be remunerated for the personal recommendation (and any other related services provided by the firm) by adviser charges; and(2) not solicit or accept (and ensure that none of its associates solicits or accepts) any other commissions, remuneration or benefit of any kind in relation to the personal recommendation or any other related service, regardless of whether
COBS 6.1A.4ARRP
6A firm and its associates may:(1) solicit and accept a commission, remuneration or benefit of any kind in the circumstances set out in COBS 6.1A.4 R if:(a) the personal recommendation was made on or before 30 December 2012;(b) the solicitation and acceptance of the commission, remuneration or benefit of any kind was permitted by the rules in force on 30 December 2012;(c) the contract under which the right to receive the commission, remuneration or benefit of any kind was entered
COBS 6.1A.4AAGRP
(1) 8A firm may continue to accept a commission, remuneration or benefit of any kind after 30 December 2012 if there is a clear link between the payment and an investment in a retail investment product which was made by the retail client following a personal recommendation made, or a transaction executed, on or before 30 December 2012. This is the case even if the firm makes a personal recommendation to the same retail client after 30 December 2012 to the extent that the continued
COBS 6.1A.4ABRRP
11A firm and its associates may solicit and accept a commission, remuneration or benefit of any kind from a discretionary investment manager in the circumstances in COBS 6.1A.4 R if:(1) the firm or its associates recommended the discretionary investment manager to a retail client on or before 30 December 2012;(2) the solicitation and acceptance of the commission, remuneration or benefit of any kind was permitted by the rules in force on 30 December 2012;(3) the contract under
COBS 6.1A.4ACGRP
(1) 11If a firm makes a recommendation of a discretionary investment manager to a retail client and wishes to:(a) receive remuneration for that recommendation in addition to any commission, remuneration or benefit of any kind it receives in the circumstances contemplated by COBS 6.1A.4AB R; or(b) be paid additional amounts for any actions linked to a new amount invested by the retail client through the same discretionary investment manager;it should only be paid those additional
COBS 6.1A.4BRRP
6If a retail client chooses to become a client of a firm and that firm or its associate enters into an arrangement in COBS 6.1A.4AR (2), the firm must:(1) before the arrangement is entered into, disclose to the retail client that the transfer of the commission, remuneration or benefit of any kind will be requested by the firm or its associate;(2) throughout the period during which the firm or its associate receives the commission, remuneration or benefit of any kind, provide the
COBS 6.1A.5GRP
A firm may receive an adviser charge that is no longer payable (for example, after the service it is received in payment for has been amended or terminated) provided the firm refunds any such payment to the retail client.
COBS 6.1A.6RRP
7‘Related service(s)’ for the purposes of COBS 6.1A includes:(1) arranging or executing a transaction which has been recommended to a retail client by the firm, an associate or another firm in the same group or conducting administrative tasks associated with that transaction; or(2) managing a relationship between a retail client (to whom the firm provides personal recommendations on retail investment products) and a discretionary investment manager or providing a service to such
COBS 6.1A.6AGRP
11‘Other services’ in COBS 6.1A.6R (3) includes:(1) providing information relating to retail investment products to the retail client, for example, general market research; or(2) passing on information from the discretionary investment manager to the retail client.
COBS 6.1A.8GRP
Examples of payments and benefits that should not be accepted under the requirement to be paid through adviser charges include:(1) a share of the retail investment product charges or platform service provider's charges, or5retail investment product provider’s or platform service provider's5 revenues or profits; and5(2) a commission set and payable by a retail investment product provider in any jurisdiction.
COBS 6.1A.9RRP
If the firm or its associate is the retail investment product provider, the firm must ensure that the level of its adviser charges is at least reasonably representative of the services associated with making the personal recommendation (and related services).
COBS 6.1A.11RRP
A firm must determine and use an appropriate charging structure for calculating its adviser charge for each retail client.
COBS 6.1A.12GRP
A firm can use a standard charging structure.
COBS 6.1A.13GRP
In determining its charging structure and adviser charges a firm should have regard to its duties under the client's best interests rule. Practices which may indicate that a firm is not in compliance with this duty include:(1) varying its adviser charges inappropriately according to provider or, for substitutable and competing retail investment products, the type of retail investment product; or(2) allowing the availability or limitations of services offered by third parties
COBS 6.1A.14RRP
A firm must not use a charging structure which conceals the amount or purpose of any of its adviser charges from a retail client.
COBS 6.1A.14ARRP
9A firm must not make a personal recommendation to a retail client in relation to a retail investment product if it knows, or ought to know, that:(1) the product’s charges, or the platform service provider's charges are presented in a way that offsets or may appear to offset any adviser charges or platform charges that are payable by that retail client; or(2) the product’s charges or other payments are maintained by the retail investment product provider at a level such that a
COBS 6.1A.15GRP
A firm is likely to be viewed as operating a charging structure that conceals the amount or purpose of its adviser charges if, for example:(1) it makes arrangements for amounts in excess of its adviser charges to be deducted from a retail client's investments from the outset, in order to be able to provide a cash refund to the retail client later; or(2) it provides other services to a retail client (for example, advising on a home finance transaction or advising on an equity release
COBS 6.1A.16GRP
In order to meet its responsibilities under the client's best interests rule and Principle 6 (Customers’ interests), a firm should consider whether the personal recommendation or any other related service7 is likely to be of value to the retail client when the total charges the retail client is likely to be required to pay are taken into account.
COBS 6.1A.17RRP
A firm must disclose its charging structure to a retail client in writing, in good time before making the personal recommendation (or providing related services).
COBS 6.1A.18GRP
A firm may wish to consider disclosing as its charging structure a list of the advisory services it offers with the associated indicative charges which will be used for calculating the adviser charge for each service.
COBS 6.1A.19GRP
In order to meet the requirement in the rule on information disclosure before providing services (COBS 2.2.1 R), a firm should ensure that the disclosure of its charging structure is in clear and plain language and, as far as is practicable, uses cash terms. If a firm's charging structure is in non-cash terms, examples in cash terms should be used to illustrate how the charging structure will be applied in practice.
COBS 6.1A.20GRP
A firm is unlikely to meet its obligations under the fair, clear and not misleading rule and the client's best interests rule unless it ensures that:(1) the charging structure it discloses reflects, as closely as is practicable, the total adviser charge to be paid; for example, the firm should avoid using a wide range; and(2) if using hourly rates in its charging structure, it states whether the rates are indicative or actual hourly rates, provides the basis (if any) upon which
COBS 6.1A.21GRP
A firm may meet the disclosure requirements in this section by using a services and costs disclosure document or a combined initial disclosure document (COBS 6.3 and COBS 6 Annex 1G or COBS 6 Annex 2).
COBS 6.1A.22RRP
A firm must not use an adviser charge which is structured to be payable by the retail client over a period of time unless (1) or (2) applies:(1) the adviser charge is in respect of an ongoing service for the provision of personal recommendations or related services and: (a) the firm has disclosed that service along with the adviser charge; and6(b) the retail client is provided with a right to cancel the ongoing service, which must be reasonable in all the circumstances, without
COBS 6.1A.22AGRP
6To comply with the rule on providing a retail client with the right to cancel an ongoing service for the provision of personal recommendations or related services without penalty (COBS 6.1A.22R (1)(b)) a firm should:(1) ensure that any notice period of the retail client's right of cancellation is reasonable; (2) not make any charge in respect of cancellation of the ongoing service except for an amount which is in proportion to the extent of the service already provided by the
COBS 6.1A.22BRRP
6If a retail client exercises his right to cancel an ongoing service, the firm must clearly disclose to the retail client whether charges for other services provided by the firm, such as custody services, will continue to be payable by the retail client.
COBS 6.1A.23RRP
If COBS 6.1A.22R(1) or (2) do not apply, a firm may not offer credit to a retail client for the purpose of paying adviser charges unless this would be in the best interests of the retail client.
COBS 6.1A.24RRP
(1) A firm must agree with and disclose to a retail client the total adviser charge payable to it or any of its associates by a retail client.(2) A disclosure under (1) must:(a) be in cash terms (or convert non-cash terms into illustrative cash equivalents);(b) be as early as practicable;(c) be in a durable medium or through a website (if it does not constitute a durable medium) if the website conditions are satisfied; and(d) if there are payments over a period of time, include
COBS 6.1A.24AGRP
3If the price of the retail investment product may vary as a result of fluctuations in the financial markets and the adviser charge is expressed as a percentage of that price, a firm need not disclose to the retail client the total adviser charge payable to the firm or any of its associates by the retail client until after execution of the transaction, provided it then does so promptly.
COBS 6.1A.25GRP
A firm may include the information required by the rule on disclosure of total adviser charges (COBS 6.1A.24 R) in a suitability report.
COBS 6.1A.26GRP
To comply with the rule on disclosure of total adviser charges (COBS 6.1A.24 R) and the fair, clear and not misleading rule, a firm's disclosure of the total adviser charge should:(1) provide information to the retail client as to which particular service an adviser charge applied to;(2) include information as to when payment of the adviser charge is due; (3) inform the retail client if the total adviser charge varies materially from the charge indicated for that service in the
COBS 6.1A.27RRP
A firm must keep a record of:(1) its charging structure;(2) the total adviser charge payable by each retail client; and(3) if the total adviser charge paid by a retail client has varied materially from the charge indicated for that service in the firm's charging structure, the reasons for that difference.
COBS 6.2A.4BGRP
5When a firm considers whether a platform service provider's selection of retail investment products is based on an unbiased analysis of the relevant market, a firm should take into account any fees, commission or non-monetary benefits the platform service provider receives in relation to those retail investment products.
COBS 6.2A.5RRP
A firm must disclose in writing to a retail client, in good time before the provision of its services in respect of a personal recommendation or basic advice in relation a retail investment product, whether its advice will be:(1) independent advice; or(2) restricted advice.
COBS 6.2A.6RRP
(1) A firm must include the term “independent advice” or “restricted advice” or both, as relevant, in the disclosure.(2) If a firm provides independent advice in respect of a relevant market that does not include all retail investment products, a firm must include in the disclosure an explanation of that market, including the types of retail investment products which constitute that market.(3) If a firm provides restricted advice, its disclosure must explain the nature of the
COBS 6.2A.7RRP
A firm must provide the disclosure information required by the rule on describing the breadth of a firm's advice service (COBS 6.2A.5 R) in a durable medium or through a website (if it does not constitute a durable medium) provided the website conditions are satisfied.
COBS 6.2A.8GRP
A firm may meet the disclosure requirements in the rule on describing the breadth of a firm's advice service (COBS 6.2A.5 R) and the rule on content and wording of disclosure (COBS 6.2A.6R) by using a services and costs disclosure document or a combined initial disclosure document (COBS 6.3 and COBS 6 Annex 1G or COBS 6 Annex 2).
COBS 6.2A.9RRP
If a firm provides restricted advice and engages in spoken interaction with the retail client, a firm must disclose orally in good time before the provision of its services in respect of a personal recommendation that it provides restricted advice and the nature of that restriction.
COBS 6.2A.11GRP
A relevant market should comprise all retail investment products which are capable of meeting the investment needs and objectives of a retail client.
COBS 6.2A.12GRP
A relevant market can be limited by the investment needs and objectives of the retail client. For example, ethical and socially responsible investments or Islamic financial products could both be relevant markets. However, a firm would be expected to consider all retail investment products within those investment parameters.
COBS 6.2A.13GRP
For a firm not specialising in a particular market, the relevant market will generally include all retail investment products.
COBS 6.2A.14GRP
A personal recommendation on a retail investment product that invests in a number of underlying investments would not of itself meet the requirements for providing unbiased and unrestricted advice even if the retail investment product invests in a wide range of underlying investments.
COBS 6.2A.15GRP
In order to satisfy the rule on firms holding themselves out as independent (COBS 6.2A.3 R) a firm should ensure that it is not bound by any form of agreement with a retail investment product provider that restricts the personal recommendation the firm can provide or imposes any obligation that may limit the firm's ability to provide a personal recommendation which is unbiased and unrestricted.
COBS 6.2A.16GRP
A firm may be owned by, or own in whole or part, or be financed by or provide finance to, a retail investment product provider without contravening the ‘unbiased, unrestricted’ requirement provided the firm ensures that that ownership or finance does not prevent the firm from providing a personal recommendation which is unbiased and unrestricted.
COBS 6.2A.17GRP
In providing unrestricted advice a firm should consider relevant financial products other than retail investment products which are capable of meeting the investment needs and objectives of a retail client, examples of which could include national savings and investments products and cash deposit ISAs.
COBS 6.2A.18GRP
A firm may provide a personal recommendation on a comprehensive and fair analysis basis required by the rule on firms holding themselves out as independent (COBS 6.2A.3 R) by using ‘panels’. A firm would need to ensure that any panel is sufficiently broad in its composition to enable the firm to make personal recommendations based on a comprehensive and fair analysis, is reviewed regularly, and that the use of the panel does not materially disadvantage any retail client.
COBS 6.2A.19GRP
When using a panel a firm may exclude a certain type or class of retail investment product from the panel if, after review, there is a valid reason consistent with the client's best interests rule, for doing so.
COBS 6.2A.20GRP
If a firm chooses to use a third party to conduct a fair and comprehensive analysis of its relevant market, the firm is responsible for ensuring the criteria used by the third party are sufficient to meet the requirement. For example, criteria which selected retail investment product providers on the basis of payment of a fee (or facilitation of adviser charges), whilst excluding those not paying a fee (or such a facilitation) would not meet the comprehensive and fair analysis
COBS 6.2A.21GRP
Firms are reminded of the general record keeping requirements in SYSC 3.2 and SYSC 9. A firm should keep appropriate records of the disclosures required by this section.
COBS 6.1C.3RRP
In this section ‘giving advice, or providing services, to an employer in connection with a group personal pension scheme or group stakeholder pension scheme’ includes:(1) giving advice or assistance to an employer on the operation of such a scheme;(2) taking, or helping the employer to take, the steps that must be taken to enable an employee of the employer to become a member of such a scheme; and(3) giving advice to an employee, pursuant to an agreement between the employer and
COBS 6.1C.4GRP
COBS 6.1C.1 (Application - Who? What?) and COBS 6.1C.3 (Interpretation) mean (for example) that the cost of any advice given to an employee pursuant to an agreement between the employer and the adviser about the benefits that are, or might be, available to the employee if he is, or if he becomes, a member of a group personal pension scheme or group stakeholder pension scheme are subject to the rules in this section, not the rules on adviser charging (COBS 6.1A).
COBS 6.1C.5RRP
Except as specified in COBS 6.1C.5A R,4COBS 6.1C.5B R and COBS 6.1C.5C R4,3 a firm must:4(1) only be remunerated for giving advice, or providing services, to an employer in connection with a group personal pension scheme or group stakeholder pension scheme by consultancy charges or by a fee payable by the employer;(2) not solicit or accept (and ensure that none of its associates solicits or accepts) any other commissions, remuneration or benefit of any kind in relation to that
COBS 6.1C.5ARRP
3A firm and its associates may:(1) solicit and accept a commission, remuneration or benefit of any kind in the circumstances set out in COBS 6.1C.5 R if:(a) the employer’s part of the relevant scheme was established on or before 30 December 2012; and(b) the solicitation and acceptance of the commission, remuneration or benefit of any kind was permitted by the rules in force on 30 December 2012; and(2) enter into an arrangement under which the right to receive the commission, remuneration
COBS 6.1C.5BRRP
3If an employer chooses to appoint a firm to provide advice or services in connection with a group personal pension scheme or a group stakeholder pension scheme and that firm or its associate enters into an arrangement in COBS 6.1C.5AR (2), the firm must:(1) before the arrangement is entered into, disclose to the employer that the transfer of the commission, remuneration or benefit of any kind will be requested by the firm or its associate;(2) throughout the period during which
COBS 6.1C.5CRRP
4In connection with a qualifying scheme, a firm may only solicit or accept consultancy charges from an operator of a qualifying scheme if the operator has confirmed that express agreement has been given by members of that scheme under COBS 19.6.4 R.
COBS 6.1C.6GRP
A firm may receive a consultancy charge that is no longer payable (for example, after the service it is received in payment for has been amended or terminated) provided the firm passes any such payments to the relevant group personal pension scheme or group stakeholder pension scheme.
COBS 6.1C.7GRP
The requirement to be paid through consultancy charges does not prevent a firm from making use of any facility for the payment of consultancy charges provided by another firm or other third parties provided that the facility complies with the requirements of COBS 6.1D.9 R.
COBS 6.1C.8GRP
Examples of payments and benefits that should not be accepted under the requirement only to be paid through consultancy charges include:(1) a share of the charges applied to a group personal pension scheme, group stakeholder pension scheme or the scheme provider’s revenues or profits (except if the firm providing the advice to an employer in relation to such a scheme is the scheme provider);(2) a commission set and payable by a retail investment product provider in any jurisdiction.Requirements
COBS 6.1C.9RRP
If the firm or its associate is the group personal pension scheme or group stakeholder pension scheme provider, the firm must ensure that the level of its consultancy charges is at least reasonably representative of the cost associated with giving the advice to the employer in relation to the relevant scheme.
COBS 6.1C.10GRP
A consultancy charge is likely to be reasonably representative of the services associated with giving advice, or providing services, to an employer in connection with a group personal pension scheme or group stakeholder pension scheme if:(1) the expected long term costs associated with advising the employer in relation to the group personal pension scheme or group stakeholder pension schemedo not include the costs associated with establishing and operating that scheme;(2) the
COBS 6.1C.11RRP
A firm must determine and use an appropriate charging structure for calculating its consultancy charge for each employer.
COBS 6.1C.12GRP
A firm can use a standard charging structure.
COBS 6.1C.13GRP
(1) In determining its charging structure and consultancy charges a firm should have regard to the best interests of the employer and the employer’s employees.(2) A firm may not be acting in the best interests of the employer and the employer’s employees if it:(a) varies its consultancy charges inappropriately according to product provider; or(b) allows the availability or limitation of services offered by third parties to facilitate the payment of consultancy charges to influence
COBS 6.1C.14RRP
A firm must not use a charging structure which conceals the amount or purpose of any of its consultancy charges from an employer or an employee.
COBS 6.1C.15GRP
A firm is likely to be viewed as operating a charging structure that conceals the amount or purpose of its consultancy charges if, for example, it makes arrangements for amounts in excess of its consultancy charges to be deducted from an employee’s investments from the outset, in order to be able to provide a cash payment to the employer or employee later.
COBS 6.1C.16RRP
A firm must disclose its charging structure to an employer in writing, in good time before giving advice, or providing services, to the employer in connection with a group personal pension scheme or group stakeholder pension scheme.
COBS 6.1C.17GRP
A firm should ensure that the disclosure of its charging structure is in clear and plain language and, as far as is practicable, uses cash terms. If a firm's charging structure is in non-cash terms, examples in cash terms should be used to illustrate how the charging structure will be applied in practice.
COBS 6.1C.18RRP
(1) A firm must agree with and disclose to an employer the total consultancy charge payable to it or any of its associates.(2) A disclosure under (1) must:(a) be in cash terms (or convert non-cash terms into illustrative cash equivalents);(b) be made as early as practicable and, in any event, before the employer: (i) selects a particular group personal pension scheme or group stakeholder pension scheme for the benefit of its employees; or(ii) if applicable, reviews its group personal
COBS 6.1C.19GRP
To comply with the rule on disclosure of total consultancy charges payable (COBS 6.1C.18R) and the fair, clear and not misleading rule, a firm's disclosure of the total consultancy charge should:(1) provide information to the employer as to which particular service a consultancy charge applies;(2) include information as to when payment of the consultancy charge is due;(3) if an ongoing consultancy charge is expressed as a percentage of funds under management, clearly reflect in
COBS 6.1C.20RRP
When an employer asks a firm to provide advice to the employer’s employees, the firm:(1) may make a consultancy charge for the cost of preparing and giving advice to each employee who chooses to accept his employer’s offer of advice;(2) must not make a consultancy charge for the cost of preparing or giving advice to an employee who chooses not to accept the offer of advice; (3) (if the firm prepares generic advice to be given to more than one employee) must not make more than
COBS 6.1C.21RRP
A firm must keep a record of:(1) its charging structure;(2) the consultancy charges payable by each employer and each of the employer’s employees; and(3) if the consultancy charge for a particular service has varied materially from that indicated in the firm's charging structure, the reasons for that difference.
COBS 6.1B.2RRP
This section does not apply to a firm when a retail client receives basic advice in accordance with the basic advicerules.
COBS 6.1B.2ARRP
3This section does not apply to a firm in circumstances where a retail client receives a personal recommendation in relation to one of7 the firm'sHolloway sickness policies,7 provided that the Holloway policy special application conditions are met.
COBS 6.1B.3GRP
This section applies to a firm when it makes a personal recommendation on a retail investment product and where a retail investment product for which it is the retail investment product provider is the subject of a personal recommendation made by another firm.
COBS 6.1B.4RRP
This section does not apply if the retail client is outside the United Kingdom.
COBS 6.1B.5RRP
Except as specified in COBS 6.1B.5A R,5 a firm must not offer or pay (and must ensure that none of its associates offers or pays) any commissions, remuneration or benefit of any kind to another firm, or to any other third party for the benefit of that firm, in relation to a personal recommendation (or any related services), except those that facilitate the payment of adviser charges from a retail client's investments in accordance with this section.
COBS 6.1B.5ARRP
5A firm and its associates may:(1) offer and pay a commission, remuneration or benefit of any kind in the circumstances set out in COBS 6.1B.5 R if:(a) the personal recommendation was made on or before 30 December 2012;(b) the offer and payment was permitted by the rules in force on 30 December 2012;(c) the contract under which the right to receive the commission, remuneration or benefit of any kind was entered into on or before 30 December 2012; (d) the terms of that contract
COBS 6.1B.5BGRP
8A firm may continue paying commission, remuneration or benefits of any kind to another firm in relation to a personal recommendation made by that other firm in circumstances where that other firm may accept that commission, remuneration or benefit of any kind (see COBS 6.1A.4A R and COBS 6.1A.4AA G).
COBS 6.1B.7RRP
A firm must:(1) take reasonable steps to ensure that its retail investment product charges are not structured so that they could mislead or conceal from a retail client the distinction between those charges and any adviser charges payable in respect of its retail investment products;9(2) not include in any marketing materials in respect of its retail investment products or facilities for collecting adviser charges any statements about the appropriateness of levels of adviser charges
COBS 6.1B.7ARRP
10A retail investment product provider may maintain retail investment product charges at a level such that a cash rebate is payable to the retail client if:(1) the retail investment product transaction was agreed on or before 5 April 2014 and executed within a reasonable time of that agreement; and (2) the retail client's right to receive the cash rebate arose on or before 5 April 2014; and(3) on or after 6 April 2014 no change is made to that product, or, where there is such
COBS 6.1B.7BGRP
10In the FCA's view, if the platform service provider retained any part of a rebate on or before 5 April 2014, the retail client is unlikely to have had a right to receive that part of the rebate.
COBS 6.1B.7CGRP
10The following examples do not entail changes to the retail investment product: (1) no change is made to the retail client's investment in the relevant product or to the level of the retail client's regular contributions into that product;(2) the retail client's investment in, or regular contribution to, the relevant product is reduced: the retail investment product provider may continue to pay the cash rebate associated with the reduced investment amount;(3) the retail client's
COBS 6.1B.8GRP
COBS 6.1B.7 R does not prevent a firm from offering a promotional discount to a retail client in the form of extra units or additional investment, but a firm should not offer to invest more than 100% of the retail client's investment.99
COBS 6.1B.9RRP
COBS 6.1B.7 R does not prevent a firm from offering a promotional discount to a retail client in the form of extra units or additional investment, but a9firm that offers to facilitate, directly or through a third party, the payment of adviser charges, including6 by means of a platform service must:49(1) obtain and validate instructions from a retail client in relation to an adviser charge;(2) offer sufficient flexibility in terms of the adviser charges it facilitates; and(3) not
COBS 6.1B.9AGRP
6A firm facilitates the payment of adviser charges for the purposes of COBS 6.1B.9 R if the adviser charge is not paid directly by the retail client, but is instead paid on behalf of the retail client via the firm.
COBS 6.1B.9BGRP
6A firm may facilitate the payment of adviser charges for the purposes of COBS 6.1B.9 R by:(1) selling all or part of the retail client'sretail investment product to pay the adviser charge; or(2) disposing of or reducing all or part of the retail client's rights under the retail investment product (for example, by way of a part disposal which creates benefits under a life policy) to pay the adviser charge; or(3) separating out an amount or amounts for the payment of the adviser
COBS 6.3.1ARRP
4This section does not apply to a firm when it makes a personal recommendation to a retail client and that retail client is outside the United Kingdom.
COBS 6.3.3GRP
(1) In the FCA's opinion, a firm may3 comply with the rules referred to in (4) of which (a) to (g) are derived from the Single Market Directives and the Distance Marketing Directive4 by ensuring3 that in good time before:3343(a) a retail client is bound by an agreement for the provision of a personal recommendation on packaged products; or (b) the firm performs an act preparatory to the provision of a personal recommendation;(c) (3in relation to the amendment of a life policy
COBS 6.3.4RRP
For the purposes of GEN 5, a firm may not use the Key facts logo in relation to any document that is designed to comply with rules in COBS 5, 6.1 or COBS 7 unless it is a services and costs disclosure document or a 3combined initial disclosure document produced in accordance with the templates and Notes in the annexes to this chapter. 33
COBS 6.3.5GRP
Each of the services and costs disclosure document and3combined initial disclosure document that a firm provides to a client should be documents which the firm reasonably considers will be, or are likely to be, appropriate for the client having regard to the type of service which the firm may provide or business which the firm may conduct. 33
COBS 6.3.6GRP
(1) A firm will satisfy the requirements as to timing in the rules referred to in COBS 6.3.3G (4) if its representative provides information to the client on first making contact with the client.23(2) [deleted]323
COBS 6.3.7GRP
(1) A services and costs disclosure document3 is a document that contains the Key facts logo, headings and text in the order shown in COBS 6 Annex 1 and in accordance with the Notes.3(2) A combined initial disclosure document is a document that contains the Key facts logo, headings and text in the order shown in COBS 6 Annex 2 and in accordance with the Notes.
COBS 6.3.8GRP
A firm may include, in a services and costs disclosure document or a combined initial disclosure document,3 information required by COBS or by the rule on disclosing a tied agent's capacity (SUP 12.6.13 R) and which is not in the template for the services and costs disclosure document or combined initial disclosure document,3if the information would be sufficiently prominent. For example, a firm may wish to use those documents to satisfy:333333(1) the parts of the rule on information
COBS 6.3.9GRP
Firms can obtain from the FCA website http://www.fca.org.uk a specimen of the services and costs disclosure document and the combined initial disclosure document.3 A firm may produce its services and costs disclosure document or combined initial disclosure document3by using its own house style and brand. Electronic tools to help firms to construct their own versions of these documents 3 are available from the FCA website.3333
COBS 6.3.14GRP
A firm would be unlikely to comply with the client's best interests rule and the fair, clear and not misleading rule, 3if:33(1) the services and costs disclosure document or the combined initial disclosure document that it provided initially did not reflect the relevant adviser charge or 4expected commission arrangements; or34(2) the firm arranged to retain any commission which exceeded the amount or rate disclosed without first providing further appropriate inducements information
COBS 6.3.19GRP
In cases where firms make initial contact with a client on the telephone a firm may, in addition, have to take into account and comply with the requirements in this sourcebook applicable to the conclusion of distance contracts3 (see COBS 5). 3
COBS 6.3.20GRP
(1) In accordance with the rule on information disclosure before providing services (COBS 2.2.1 R), if a firm's initial contact with a retail client with a view to providing a personal recommendation on packaged products is by telephone then the following information should be provided before proceeding further:(a) the name of the firm and, if the call is initiated by or on behalf of a firm, the commercial purpose of the call;(b) whether the firm provides independent advice or
COBS 6.3.21RRP
A firm must take reasonable steps to ensure that its representatives,5 when making contact with an employee with a view to giving a personal recommendation on his employer's group personal pension scheme or group stakeholder pension scheme,5 inform the employee:555(1) that the firm will be providing a personal recommendation on a group personal pension scheme5 and/or a group stakeholder pension scheme5 provided by the employer;(2) whether the employee will be provided with a personal
COBS 6.1E.1RRP
(1) 1A2platform service provider must clearly disclose the total platform charge to the retail client32 in a durable medium in good time before the provision of designated investment business.22(2) In the event that it is not possible to make the disclosure in (1) in good time before the provision of designated investment business, the disclosure must be made as soon as practicable thereafter.
COBS 6.1E.2GRP
A2platform service provider should pay due regard to its obligations under Principle 6 (Customers’ interests), Principle 7 (Communications with clients) and the client's best interests rule, and ensure that it presents retail investment products without bias.2232
COBS 6.1E.3GRP
2A platform service provider should pay due regard to its obligations under Principle 6 (Customers’ interests) and the client's best interests rule and not vary its platform charges inappropriately according to provider or, for substitutable and competing retail investment products, the type of retail investment product.
COBS 6.1E.4RRP
2Except as specified in COBS 6.1E.6 R and COBS 6.1E.7 R, a platform service provider must:(1) only be remunerated for its platform service (and any other related services it provides), by platform charges; and(2) ensure that none of its associates accepts any remuneration in respect of those services.
COBS 6.1E.5GRP
2Examples of remuneration that should not be accepted by a platform service provider or its associates include (but are not limited to):(1) a share of an annual management charge; and(2) any payment (other than a product charge or a platform charge) made to a platform service provider in its capacity as a retail investment product provider where the relevant retail investment product is distributed to retail clients by its platform service.
COBS 6.1E.6RRP
2A platform service provider or its associates may solicit and accept payments from:(1) a firm, other than a retail investment product provider, which is in the business of making personal recommendations to retail clients in relation to retail investment products; and/or(2) a firm, other than a retail investment product provider, which is in the business of arranging or dealingretail investment products for retail clients.
COBS 6.1E.7RRP
2Other than in COBS 6.1E.6 R, a3platform service provider or its associates may solicit and accept payments from any3firm, including a retail investment product provider,3 which are only for:(1) pricing error corrections;(2) administering corporate actions;(3) research carried out by the platform service provider and management information; and(4) advertising;provided that:(5) the services are available to firms at a price which does not vary inappropriately according to firm;(6)
COBS 6.1E.8RRP
2A platform service provider must not arrange for a retail client to buy a retail investment product if:(1) the product’s charges are presented in a way that offsets or may appear to offset any adviser charges or platform charges that are payable by that retail client; or(2) the platform service provider's charges are presented in a way that offsets or may appear to offset any product charges or adviser charges that are payable by the retail client; or(3) the product’s charges
COBS 6.1E.9RRP
2A firm must not use a platform service as part of a personal recommendation to a retail client in relation to a retail investment product unless it has satisfied itself that the platform service provider, and its associates, only receive remuneration for business carried on in the UK which is permitted by the rules in this section.
COBS 6.1E.10RRP
2COBS 6.1E.4 R does not prevent a platform service provider receiving a share of an annual management charge from an authorised fund manager if the platform service provider passes that share on to the retail client in the form of:(1) additional units; or(2) cash, provided that it does not offset or appear to offset any adviser charges or platform charges.
COBS 6.1E.11GRP
2Examples of a cash share of an annual management charge that would not offset or appear to offset any adviser charges or platform charges are:(1) where the retail client has redeemed his retail investment product; or(2) where the value of the payment made to the retail client in each month does not exceed £1 for each fund.
COBS 6.1E.12GRP
2If a platform service provider passes a share of an annual management charge on to a retail client by way of additional units or cash, it should pay due regard to its obligations under Principle 7 (Communications with clients).
COBS 6.1D.8GRP
A firm should not offer to invest more than 100% of the retail client's contribution to a group personal pension scheme or group stakeholder pension scheme.
COBS 6.1D.12GRP
To comply with COBS 6.1D.11R, a firm's disclosure should be in cash terms (or convert non-cash terms into illustrative cash equivalents) and should:(1) include information as to the period over which the consultancy charge is payable;(2) provide information on the implications for the employee if the employee leaves the employer’s service or their contributions to the group personal pension scheme or group stakeholder pension scheme are cancelled before the consultancy charge
COBS 6.1D.13GRP
A firm may provide the disclosure in COBS 6.1D.11R at the same time as it provides a key features document.
COBS 6.4.2GRP
Under the territorial application rules in COBS 1, the rules in this section apply to:(1) a UK firm's business carried on from an establishment in an EEA State other than the United Kingdom for a retail client in the United Kingdom unless, if the office from which the activity is carried on were a separate person, the activity:(a) would fall within the overseas persons exclusion in article 72 of the Regulated Activities Order; or(b) would not be regarded as carried on in the United
COBS 16.6.1RRP
3(1) This section applies to a long-term insurer, unless, at the time of application, the client, other than an EEA ECA recipient, was habitually resident:3(a) in an EEA State other than the United Kingdom; or(b) outside the EEA and he was not present in the United Kingdom.(2) In addition, COBS 16.6.8 R applies to an operator of a personal pension scheme or stakeholder pension scheme in relation to a retail client who elects to make income withdrawals.3
COBS 4.1.8RRP
(1) In relation to communications by a firm to a client in relation to its designated investment business this chapter applies in accordance with the general application rule and the rule on business with UKclients from an overseas establishment (COBS 1 Annex 1 Part 2 paragraph 2.1R).(2) In addition, the financial promotion rules apply to a firm in relation to:(a) the communication of a financial promotion to a person inside the United Kingdom;(b) the communication of a cold call
COBS 6.1F.-1RRP
This section does not apply if the retail client is outside the United Kingdom.
COBS 6.1F.1RRP
1A firm which:2(1) arranges for retail clients to buy retail investment products or makes personal recommendations to retail clients in relation to retail investment products; and22(2) uses a platform service for that purpose;must take reasonable steps to ensure that it uses a platform service which presents its retail investment products without bias.