COBS 6.2B Describing advice services

(1) P2P agreements are neither financial instruments nor retail investment products. This section does not apply to a firm when it is advising on P2P agreements.

(2) The provision of a targeted support service is not included within the scope of the Handbook definition of investment advice. This section does not apply to a firm in relation to the provision of a targeted support service.

1. (1)

   This section applies in accordance with the territorial scope of the general application of this sourcebook as modified in COBS 1 Annex 1.

2. (2)

   But the effect of COBS 6.2B.1R(1) and COBS 6.2B.6R to COBS 6.2B.9R includes that:

   1. (a)

      this section does not apply to a firm that provides investment advice to a retail client in relation to a retail investment product that is not a financial instrument if the retail client is outside the United Kingdom; and

   2. (b)

      a firm that carries on MiFID or equivalent third country business with a retail client outside the United Kingdom need only have regard to financial instruments and structured deposits (and not other retail investment products) in conducting its assessment for the purposes of COBS 6.2B.11R.

This section contains UK law on markets in financial instruments on describing advice services relating to financial instruments and structured deposits for all clients. The requirements apply in relation to MiFID, equivalent third country or optional exemption business. The requirements are extended to apply to other investment advice and cover other retail investment products when the client is a retail client in the United Kingdom.

References to financial instruments include structured deposits (but not other retail investment products) when a firm is complying with the relevant rules in the course of MiFID business with a retail client outside the United Kingdom or with a professional client.

The combined effect of COBS 6.2B.6R and COBS 6.2B.11R is that the assessment undertaken by a firm for the purpose of COBS 6.2B.11R must:

1. (1)

   where the client is a retail client in the United Kingdom, include a sufficient range of financial instruments, structured deposits and other retail investment products; or otherwise

2. (2)

   include a sufficient range of financial instruments and structured deposits,

which in each case must meet the requirements as to diversity and scope in COBS 6.2B.11R(1) and (2) respectively.

A firm that holds itself out as providing independent advice may provide broad and general advice or specialist and specific advice.

1. (1)

   COBS 6.2B.15R means that a firm providing independent advice need not provide advice on all relevant products. A firm may market itself as, for example, an independent stockbroker that provides independent advice on shares only. A firm might alternatively market itself on the basis of providing independent advice on a particular product market such as ethical and socially responsible investments. The requirements in COBS 6.2B.15R apply to ensure that clients of a firm that provides independent advice on a focused basis properly understand the nature of the advice that they will receive and that the service is appropriate.

2. (2)

    A firm that provides independent advice in respect of a relatively narrow market should not hold itself out as acting independently in a broader sense. A firm which specialises in providing advice in respect of a particular market might include reference to the provision of independent investment advice in its name. However, it would need to be clear in any marketing materials, and when describing its service, that it only provides independent advice in respect of that particular product market.

The extent of the assessment which a firm is required to undertake in order to meet the requirement to assess a sufficient range of relevant products will depend on:

1. (1)

    the nature of the independent advice service provided by the firm (general or focused) for the purposes of COBS 6.2B.15R;

2. (2)

    the investment objectives of the client (COBS 6.2B.11R(1)); and

3. (3)

    the firm’s close links and relationships with product providers and issuers (COBS 6.2B.11R(2)).

1. (1)

   COBS 6.2B.11R does not require a firm providing independent advice to assess every relevant product available on the market before making a personal recommendation.

   [Note: recital 73 to MiFID]

2. (2)

    Notwithstanding (1), since the assessment conducted by the firm must be such as to ensure the client’s investment objectives can be suitably met, a firm providing independent advice should be in a position to advise on all types of relevant product within the scope of the market (for the purposes of COBS 6.2B.15R) on which it provides advice. When the client is a retail client in the United Kingdom, this means being in a position to advise on all types of financial instrument, structured deposit and other retail investment products.

3. (3)

    For example, a firm providing independent advice on personal pension schemes should be in a position to consider all personal pension schemes. What will constitute a sufficient range of personal pension schemes to be considered before providing a client with a personal recommendation will, however, depend upon the investment objectives of that client.

4. (4)

    A firm not specialising in a particular market would generally be expected to be in a position to consider all relevant product types which would be capable of meeting the investment objectives of its clients.

5. (5)

    If a firm that provides focused independent advice is not able to recommend a financial instrument that would meet the investment objectives of a client, the firm should not provide that client with a personal recommendation. For example, if a firm providing independent advice on shares considered that a client’s investment objectives would be better met by way of investment in an accumulation product, it should not provide that client with a personal recommendation.

A personal recommendation on a relevant product that invests in a number of underlying relevant products would not of itself enable the firm providing the personal recommendation to satisfy the requirement to have considered a sufficient range of relevant products which are sufficiently diverse (COBS 6.2B.11R), even if the relevant product invests in a wide range of underlying investments.

The effect of COBS 6.2B.11R(2) is that a firm which is subject to any form of agreement with an issuer or provider of relevant products that confines that firm to providing advice on relevant products issued or provided by that other person only will not be in a position to provide independent advice.

The fact that a firm is owned by, or owns, in whole or in part, the issuer or provider of relevant products does not prevent that firm from providing independent advice, provided that the firm’s assessment of relevant products is:

1. (1)

    not limited to relevant products issued or provided by that related issuer or provider (COBS 6.2B.11R(2));

2. (2)

    proportionate; and

3. (3)

    not biased (COBS 6.2B.18R).

In providing independent advice to a retail client in the United Kingdom a firm should consider financial products other than relevant products which are capable of meeting the investment needs and objectives of that retail client, examples of which could include national savings and investments (ns&i) products and cash deposit ISAs.

When a firm considers whether a platform service provider’s selection of relevant products enables it to satisfy the requirements of COBS 6.2B.11R, a firm should take into account any fees, commission or non-monetary benefits the platform service provider receives in relation to those relevant products.

A firm providing independent advice may satisfy the requirement to assess a sufficient range of relevant products which are sufficiently diverse (COBS 6.2B.11R) by using ‘panels’. Such 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 an assessment of a sufficient range of relevant products available on the market which are sufficiently diverse. The firm would need to review the panel regularly and ensure that the client’s investment objectives can be suitably met.

When using a panel a firm may exclude a certain type or class of relevant product from the panel if, after review, there is a valid reason, consistent with this section and the client’s best interests rule, for doing so.

If a firm providing independent advice chooses to engage a third party to conduct an assessment of the relevant products available on the market, the firm remains responsible for complying with the requirements of COBS 6.2B.11R to ensure that its advice is based on an assessment of a sufficient range of relevant products which are sufficiently diverse as to ensure that the client’s investment objectives can be suitably met.

A firm that offers an unlimited range of regulated mortgage contracts, or gives advice in relation to contracts of insurance on the basis of a fair analysis, but offers restricted advice on relevant products should not hold itself out as acting independently for its business as a whole, for example by holding itself out as an independent financial adviser. However, it may disclose that it offers an unlimited range of regulated mortgage contracts or gives advice in relation to contracts of insurance on the basis of a fair analysis provided it makes clear in accordance with the fair, clear and not misleading rule (COBS 4.2.1R) that it provides restricted advice on relevant products.

A firm that provides basic advice on stakeholder products may still use the facilities and stationery it uses for other business in accordance with the rule on basic advice on stakeholder products: other issues (COBS 9.6.17 R (2)).

A firm should provide the disclosure information required by the rule on describing the breadth of a firm’s advice service (COBS 6.2B.33R) in a durable medium or through a website (if it does not constitute a durable medium) provided the website conditions are satisfied.

Examples of statements which would comply with COBS 6.2B.38R include:

1. (1)

   “I am a [Firm X] adviser offering restricted advice, which means that my advice is restricted to advice on [Firm X] [products/stakeholder products] only”; or

2. (2)

   “I am a [Firm X] adviser offering restricted advice, which means that my advice is restricted to advice on [products/stakeholder products] from a limited number of companies that [Firm X] has selected”.

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.

1. (1)

   Firms are reminded of the systems and controls requirements in SYSC.

2. (2)

   A firm providing restricted advice should take reasonable care to establish and maintain appropriate systems and controls to ensure that if there is no relevant product in the firm’s range of products which meets the investment needs and objectives of the client, no personal recommendation should be made.

3. (3)

   A firm specialising in a particular market should take reasonable care to establish and maintain appropriate systems and controls to ensure that it does not make a personal recommendation if there is a relevant product outside the market on which it provides investment advice which would meet the investment needs and objectives of the client.