Credit, Collections & Insolvency News
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has today launched a consultation on its Mission, which is designed to provide a guiding set of principles around the strategic choices the FCA makes. It will inform the FCA’s strategy and day-to-day work over the coming years. The intention of the Mission is to provide clarity over the objectives, the…
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While budgets for training and development came under pressure during the recent economic downturn, they are now firmly back on the agenda in the financial services sector, according to new research from leading specialist recruitment consultancy, Robert Half Financial Services. Recognising the perceived value of training and certification to employees, nearly four in 10 (39%)…
Read moreMore customers in vulnerable situations will get extra help, under changes to the Priority Services Register announced by Ofgem. Customers on the Priority Services Register can get free, vital services from network operators and suppliers to help them manage their energy. These include: customers being given a password so that they can safely identify representatives…
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Vodafone will be fined £4,625,000 by Ofcom for serious and sustained breaches of consumer protection rules. The Ofcom investigation uncovered mis-selling, inaccurate billing and poor complaints handling procedures The penalty is the result of two investigations into Vodafone completed by Ofcom. One investigation found that 10,452 pay-as-you-go customers lost out when Vodafone failed to credit their…
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Company directors could be fined up to £500,000 if their business is behind nuisance phone calls, under government moves to clamp down on the problem. The law is to be changed in Spring 2017 to make directors personally liable for breaches of regulations. At the moment only firms can be fined for ignoring rules on cold calling,…
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The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has issued a warning over an unauthorised lender which is using the details of an authorised firm. Brits Finance claims to offer personal loans that can be used for house repairs, but the FCA has confirmed it does not authorise this firm. Instead, the FCA has warned that Brits Finance…
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The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has published findings from its thematic review of packaged bank accounts. In 2013, the FCA introduced new rules on packaged bank accounts. These were designed to help customers understand whether the product was right for them. Firms are now required to establish and record whether customers are eligible to claim…
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The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has today announced that it will consult on new guidance on the treatment of customers with mortgage payment shortfalls (commonly referred to as arrears). This guidance covers remediation for mortgage customers who may have been affected by the way firms calculate these customers’ monthly mortgage payments. The FCA has identified…
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The energy industry has launched a new set of principles to help protect prepayment customers. Citizens Advice worked with Energy UK to make sure the new standards support the most vulnerable prepayment meter customers at risk of self-disconnecting because they are unable to top up their meter.The principles include commitments by energy suppliers to: consider the…
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The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has banned Andrew Barry Hart, the sole director, controller and ultimate owner of Wage Payment and Payday Loans Limited (WPPL), from performing any role in regulated financial services. The FCA has also cancelled WPPL’s interim permission and refused its applications for WPPL to be authorised to carry out regulated activities…
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The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has fined Sonali Bank (UK) Limited (SBUK) £3,250,600 and has imposed a restriction, preventing it from accepting deposits from new customers for 168 days. It has also fined the bank’s former money laundering reporting officer (MLRO), Steven Smith, £17,900 and prohibited him from performing the MLRO or compliance oversight functions…
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Glasgow-based independent law firm Yuill & Kyle Limited has secured full authorisation from the Financial Conduct Authority. Yuill + Kyle managing partner Stephen Cowan said: “Quite often as part of an audit process a creditor may take the view that they will not deal with a legal firm unless they have the FCA consent. Because Y+K…
Read moreFollowing a decision by the United States Department of the Treasury(link is external) to designate the PacNet Group as a ‘significant transnational criminal organisation’, we understand that the ceasing of PacNet Group firms’ operations has led to some customer payments, including direct debits, not reaching creditors and firms. Firms affected by this should assess their payment…
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