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Full Handbook / MCOB / 13 / 3

Click here to view amending instruments for this sectionMCOB 13.3 Dealing fairly with customers in arrears: policy and procedures

MCOB 13.3.1 Rule25/06/2010

(1) A firm must deal fairly with any customer who:

(a) is in arrears on a regulated mortgage contract1 or home purchase plan;1

(b) has a 1sale shortfall; or1

(c) is otherwise in breach of a home purchase plan.

(2) A firm must put in place, and operate in accordance with, a written policy (agreed by its respective governing body) and procedures for complying with (1). Such policy and procedures must reflect the requirements of MCOB 13.3.2A R and MCOB 13.3.4A R.2

MCOB 13.3.2 Evidential25/06/2010

(1) 2, [deleted]21112

(2) 2, [deleted]21

MCOB 13.3.2A Rule25/06/2010
2A firm must, when dealing with any customer in payment difficulties:

(1) make reasonable efforts to reach an agreement with a customer over the method of repaying any payment shortfall or sale shortfall, in the case of the former having regard to the desirability of agreeing with the customer an alternative to taking possession of the property;

(2) liaise, if the customer makes arrangements for this, with a third party source of advice regarding the payment shortfall or sale shortfall;

(3) allow a reasonable time over which the payment shortfall or sale shortfall should be repaid, having particular regard to the need to establish, where feasible, a payment plan which is practical in terms of the circumstances of the customer;

(4) grant, unless it has good reason not to do so, a customer's request for a change to:

(a) the date on which the payment is due (providing it is within the same payment period); or

(b) the method by which payment is made;

and give the customer a written explanation of its reasons if it refuses the request;

(5) where no reasonable payment arrangement can be made, allow the customer to remain in possession for a reasonable period to effect a sale; and

(6) not repossess the property unless all other reasonable attempts to resolve the position have failed.

MCOB 13.3.3 Guidance31/10/2004
The requirement in MCOB 13.3.1 R(2) for a written policy and procedures is intended to ensure that a firm has addressed the need for internal systems to deal fairly with any customer in financial difficulties. MCOB 13.3.1 R(2) does not oblige a firm to provide customers with a copy of the written policy and procedures. Nor, however, does it prevent a firm from providing customers with either these documents or a more customer-orientated version.
MCOB 13.3.3A Rule25/06/2010
2In complying with MCOB 13.3.2A R, a firm must give a customer a reasonable period of time to consider any proposals for dealing with the payment difficulties.
MCOB 13.3.4 Guidance25/06/2010
112

(1) 2, [deleted]211111

(2) 2, [deleted]211

MCOB 13.3.4A Rule25/06/2010
2In complying with MCOB 13.3.2AR(6):

(1) a firm must consider whether, given the individual circumstances of the customer, it is appropriate to do one or more of the following in relation to the regulated mortgage contract or home purchase plan with the agreement of the customer:

(a) extend its term; or

(b) change its type; or

(c) defer payment of interest due on the regulated mortgage contract or of sums due under the home purchase plan (including, in either case, on any sale shortfall); or

(d) treat the payment shortfall as if it was part of the original amount provided (but a firm must not automatically capitalise a payment shortfall); or

(e) make use of any Government forbearance initiatives in which the firm chooses to participate;

(2) a firm must give customers adequate information to understand the implications of any proposed arrangement; one approach may be to provide information on the new terms in line with the annual statement provisions.

MCOB 13.3.4B Rule25/06/2010
2A firm must make customers aware of the existence of any applicable Government schemes to assist borrowers in payment difficulties in relation to regulated mortgage contracts.
MCOB 13.3.4C Guidance25/06/2010
2Firms should note that the list of options to consider set out at MCOB 13.3.4AR(1) is not exhaustive. The FSA would expect firms to be able to justify a decision to offer a particular option.
MCOB 13.3.4D Guidance25/06/2010
2In the FSA's view, in order to comply with Principle 6, firms should not agree to capitalise a payment shortfall save where no other option is realistically available to assist the customer.
MCOB 13.3.5 Guidance25/06/2010
2[deleted]112
MCOB 13.3.6 Guidance06/04/2007
In relation to 1adopting a reasonable approach to the time over which the payment shortfall or sale shortfall should be repaid,1the FSA takes the view that the determination of a reasonable repayment period will depend upon the individual circumstances. In appropriate cases this will mean that repayments are arranged over the remaining term1.
MCOB 13.3.7 Guidance06/04/2007
In relation to1granting a customer's request for a change to the payment date, a term 1that purported to allow a firm to change the payment date unilaterally might in any event contravene the Unfair Terms Regulations.
MCOB 13.3.8 Guidance06/04/2007
Firms that propose to outsource aspects of customer relationships (including 1collection of debts or any other sums due1) should note that1 and SYSC 8,3 a firm cannot contract out its regulatory obligations and1 the FSA will continue to hold them responsible for the way in which this work is carried on.

Record keeping: arrears and repossessions

MCOB 13.3.9 Rule25/06/2010

(1) A 1mortgage lender or administrator 1must make and retain an adequate record of its dealings with a customer whose account is in arrears or who has a1 sale shortfall1, which will enable the firm to show its compliance with 1this chapter1. That record must include a recording of all telephone conversations between the firm and the customer which discuss the sums due.2

(2) A mortgage lender or administrator 1must retain the record required by (1) for 2 three years 2from the date 12of the dealing.21

MCOB 13.3.10 Guidance25/06/2010
The record referred to in MCOB 13.3.9 R should contain, or provide reference to, matters such as:

(1) the date of first communication with the customer after the account was identified as being in arrears;

(2) in relation to correspondence issued to a customer in arrears, the name and contact number of the employee dealing with that correspondence, where known;

(3) the basis for issuing tailored information in accordance with MCOB 13.7.1 R;

(4) information relating to any new payment arrangements proposed;

(5) the date of issue of any legal documents;

(6) the arrangements made for sale after the repossession (whether legal or voluntary); and

(7) the date of any communication summarising the customer's outstanding debt after sale of the repossessed property;2

(8) the date and time of each call for the purposes of MCOB 13.3.9R(1).2

MCOB 13.3.11 Guidance31/10/2004
For details of the standard expected of firms in relation to maintaining records, see MCOB 2.8 (Record keeping)