PDCOB 9 Third-party dashboard arrangements

This chapter applies to a firm that enters into a third-party dashboard arrangement.

Before a third-party dashboard access provider is able to offer a firm’s pensions dashboard platform to a customer, the firm must ensure that there is an enforceable written agreement in place between the firm and the third-party dashboard access provider that:

1. (1)

   allows the firm reasonable access to the third-party dashboard access provider’s operations as necessary to allow the firm to carry out proper monitoring;

2. (2)

   requires the third-party dashboard access provider to represent and warrant that it will not:

   1. (a)

      modify, edit or alter the pensions dashboard platform;

   2. (b)

      charge or attempt to charge a customer for any services connected to the firm’s pensions dashboard platform; or

   3. (c)

      promote the firm’s pensions dashboard platform in a way that may breach any protections within the FCA’s regulatory framework or the general law;

3. (3)

   requires the third-party dashboard access provider to take all reasonable steps to remedy a breach of the requirements in (2);

4. (4)

   requires the third-party dashboard access provider to indemnify the firm (or, where applicable, a successor) against all losses suffered by the firm (or, where applicable, a successor) arising out of, or in connection with, a breach by the third-party dashboard access provider of any of the requirements set out in (2); and

5. (5)

   permits the firm to terminate the third-party dashboard access provider’s access to the pensions dashboard platform immediately where the third-party dashboard access provider has breached, or has attempted to breach, one of the requirements in (2).

The firm retains responsibility for compliance with the rules in PDCOB and any other relevant FCA rules in relation to the pensions dashboard platform. This includes responsibility for the actions of a third-party dashboard access provider in relation to the firm’s pensions dashboard platform.

Prior to entering into a third-party dashboard arrangement and routinely thereafter, a firm must satisfy itself that the third-party dashboard access provider is a suitable and reputable entity through which to make its pensions dashboard platform available to customers.

A firm must ensure that the pensions dashboard platform is not capable of being altered, modified or edited by another person.

A firm must ensure that, when a customer accesses the firm’s pensions dashboard platform under the third-party dashboard arrangement, no part of the third-party dashboard access provider website or other application or similar is visible alongside the pensions dashboard platform.

A firm must ensure that, where a customer accesses the pensions dashboard platform through a third-party dashboard arrangement, the first point of contact with a customer on a pensions dashboard platform contains a prominent message that:

1. (1)

   the firm is authorised to carry on regulated pensions dashboard activity;

2. (2)

   the firm is responsible for the pensions dashboard platform;

3. (3)

   the third-party dashboard access provider has entered an arrangement with the firm to make the pensions dashboard platform available to customers; and

4. (4)

   complaints about the pensions dashboard platform should be directed to the firm, not the third-party dashboard access provider.