Articles by author
The law on undisclosed commissions: ripe for review by the Supreme Court
The judgment in the conjoined appeals of: (i) Johnson v FirstRand Bank Limited (London Branch) T/A Motonovo Finance; (ii) Wrench v FirstRand Bank Limited; and (iii) Hopcraft v Close Brothers Ltd [2024] EWCA Civ 1282 is the most recent in a series of Court of Appeal decisions on secret and half-secret commissions paid in a consumer context. The appeals considered claims regarding the payment by lenders of commission to car dealers for arranging claimants’ hire-purchase agreements. The judgment sent shock waves through the motor finance industry, triggering falls in share prices and withdrawals from the motor finance market, with warnings that the decision may lead to a wave of consumer claims similar to the PPI scandal. Two aspects of the judgment that have caused concern are the decision that the commission was “secret” when the terms and conditions of the hire-purchase agreement said it might be paid, and the finding that car dealers, in selecting finance from a panel of lenders for their customers, are acting under a fiduciary duty to their customers.
13 JAN 2025The new FCA Consumer Duty: the interrelationship with the Senior Managers and Certification Regime
2023 sees the introduction of what the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) hopes will be a significant increase in the standard of consumer customer care: the new Consumer Duty (the Duty) will apply to firms from 31 July 2023 in respect of new products and services and of existing products and services that remain on sale or open for renewal (it will be another year before the Duty will apply to closed products and services). This in turn brings changes to, and greater responsibilities under, the existing Senior Management and Certification Regime (SM&CR), which are considered in this article.
1 FEB 2023The new FCA Consumer Duty: the interrelationship with common law contractual obligations
The new Consumer Duty is not actionable under s 138D Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. While some existing legislation affecting contracts address the concepts of fairness and good faith similar to those in the Duty, such legislation is of limited application. Might it be possible to use contractual obligations in order to give a right of action? The case law suggests that only the clearest language of incorporation would incorporate the rules underlying the Duty. The Duty will however inform the standards expected under the implied term of care and skill in contracts for financial services.
1 JAN 2023
