TREATING CUSTOMERS FAIRLY

 

The Financial Conduct Authority launched its “Treating Customers Fairly” (TCF)  initiative as part of a wide-ranging move away from prescriptive rules and regulations, to a more “principles-based” approach. In particular, TCF is geared towards delivering one of the FCA's key aims and objectives - “helping retail consumers achieve a fair deal.”

 

FCA Rules have always required fair treatment of customers. The FCA “Principles for Businesses” include Principle 6 - “A firm must pay due regard to the interests of their customers and treat them fairly”.  

 

TCF, however, requires regulated firms to demonstrate more formally that the fair treatment of their customers is fundamental to their everyday operations, and to set out measures and processes to evidence fair treatment of customers is being delivered.

 

Statement and Policy on Treating Customers Fairly

 

The Money Bee has always placed a strong emphasis on providing the highest standards of customer service.

We believe our existing and potential customers' satisfaction is essential to our business model. Customers who feel they have been treated well are likely to refer their friends and family to us as new customers. Those customers, in turn, will also refer us, to their friends and family, if they are satisfied with our service levels.

 

However, we appreciate because a customer is satisfied, it does not necessarily mean they have been treated fairly.

We therefore regularly review our business practices to ensure we not only deliver exceptional customer service, but we also make certain our customers receive a fair deal.

 

Senior Management Responsibility

 

Senior management of regulated firms are also responsible for ensuring the fair treatment of customers is central to the firm's culture and everyday operations.

 

The owner of The Money Bee will, therefore, be responsible for delivering this fair treatment to the company's customers and ensuring all staff have the customer's best interests at the forefront of their minds at all times.

 

Failure to deliver consistently fair treatment to customers is likely to be seen by the FCA as a failure by the company's senior management to implement adequate systems and controls.

 

What does TCF mean to The Money Bee ( a trading name of Mortgages & Loans Limited)?

 

In the context of our business which provides advice on mortgages, general insurance, and pure protection products, primarily (but not solely) to private customers, we have identified the following objectives we believe will deliver fair treatment to The Money Bee's customers.

 

We have published these objectives in The Money Bee - Bee Sure Customer Charter.