Terms of Business
This page sets out the basis on which we operate, as well as our responsibilities to you.
How we work
About us:
ISA.co.uk is a trading name of Fair Investment Company Limited (of 2 Portland Street, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 4JH), which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA). Our FSA registration number is 192852. You can check the company’s registration by consulting the FSA website at www.fsa.gov.uk or by writing to: The Financial Services Authority, 25 The North Colonnade, London, E14 5HS.
Advice:
This Terms of Business document relates solely to our non-advisory service, which provides customers with information to assist them in selecting products that they feel are most appropriate for their needs. Nothing on the www.fairinvestment.co.uk website or in any of the documentation/information sent to you shall be deemed to constitute advice or a recommendation to purchase a particular product or service. If you are in any doubt as to the suitability of the product or service we suggest that you seek independent financial advice.
Our service:
Fair Investment Company Limited effectively acts as an ‘introducer’ and will make you aware of other companies who provide financial products and services. Our website provides you with the opportunity of researching and selecting financial products over the Internet. Investment products featured on the www.fairinvestment.co.uk website are promoted on a non-advised sale basis. This means that in many cases we will send to you, at your request, key features of a specific investment. If you decide to proceed, we will process the application for you.
Risk:
Please be aware that the value of investments can fall as well as rise, and that you may not get back the full amount invested. The price of investments may depend on fluctuations in the financial markets, which are outside our control. Past performance is not necessarily a guide to future performance.
Non-regulated products and services:
Please note that the FSA does not regulate all of the products featured on the website. For example, the FSA currently does not regulate commercial mortgages/finance, credit cards and some forms of buy-to-let mortgages and secured loans.
Client money:
We are not authorised by the FSA to handle client money. We never accept cheques made out to us unless it is in settlement of charges for which we have sent you an invoice. In addition, we do not accept or handle cash.
Investment documents:
We will register all investments in your name unless otherwise agreed in writing. All documents of title in respect of investments will be forwarded to you directly by the investment manager. We will aim to acknowledge receipt of your application form (except online application forms) within two working days of receiving it.
Financial Services Compensation Scheme:
We are covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). You may be entitled to compensation under the scheme if we cannot meet our obligations. Further information about the compensation scheme arrangements is available from the FSCS website (www.fscs.org.uk).
Cancellation rights:
As no advice has been provided by Fair Investment Company Limited, please be aware that certain investments may not qualify for cancellation during a cooling off period. If any of the products or investments you take out have a right of cancellation, full details can be found in the individual product literature which should be read carefully. You should be aware that some investments will have no such rights. Again, this information can be found in the product literature.
Mode of communication:
We will enter into communication with you through whatever means are convenient to you and us, including face-to-face, telephone, email and other acceptable electronic communication methods.
Data protection:
Fair Investment Company Limited is registered under the Data Protection Act 1998. We will use the information you provide to us to process your application and provide you with information that we consider will be of interest to you.
Processing includes obtaining, recording or holding information or data, transferring it to other companies associated with us, product providers, the FSA or any other statutory, governmental or regulatory body for legitimate purposes including, where relevant, to solicitors and/or other debt collection agencies for debt collection purposes and carrying out operations on the information or data.
We may also process information about other individuals (e.g. your spouse) which you provide to us. In providing such information on other individuals you agree that you have obtained those individuals’ consent to our processing information about them.
Upon request, we will supply copies of entries in our records relating to your transactions. You may be charged a fee (subject to the statutory minimum) for supplying you with such data. We undertake to retain such records for at least six years (and many documents we retain for a significantly longer period) from the date of each transaction.
If at any time you wish us or any company associated with us to cease processing your personal data or contacting you for marketing purposes, please contact The Data Protection Officer at our address.
Complaints:
If you wish to register a complaint, please write to the Compliance Officer at: 2 Portland Street, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 4JH. Alternatively, contact us on 0117 933 5500.
If you are unable to settle your complaint with us, you may be entitled to refer it to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
Accuracy:
Whilst every attempt has been made to ensure that the information on the website and that which is being sent to you is correct and up to date, no warranty or representation is given as to its accuracy or reliability. Whilst the website covers a wide range of products, you should also be aware that there may be other products available on the market, which are not shown on the site, and which may or may not be more competitive.
Paying for our services:
Fair Investment Company receives introductory fees, or commissions, or both, from third parties to whom introductions are made. Fair Investment Company is entitled to an introductory fee of up to 3% of the amount invested in respect of an investment. However, the actual amount that we receive will depend on the type of investment effected on your behalf.
For investments in collective investments – such as unit trusts, open ended investment companies (OEICs) and venture capital trusts (VCTs) – we have elected to receive no introductory fee, in order to enhance the terms to you. In addition, a trail commission of up to 0.5% each year may be payable to us and again this is included within the standard charging structure of the investment. For savings products we take an initial commission or a trail commission, but not both. You will receive full details of the introductory fee/initial commission payable/given up and the trail commission to be paid directly from the investment manager.
For Example:
| Regular contributions | E.g. £100 a month investment |
| Collective investments (unit trusts, OEICs, etc) | Nil initial commission plus up to 0.5% of your fund value each year; e.g. £0 initial commission plus £6 trail commission in year two and so on (the actual amount in later years will vary in line with the value of your fund). The trail commission is included within the standard charging structure of the investment. |
| Structured products | Not applicable – regular contributions are not permitted |
| Venture Capital Trusts (VCTs) | Not applicable – regular contributions are not permitted |
| Savings Accounts | Accounts pay either initial commission (up to 1.2%) or trail commission (up to 0.4%), but not both. Therefore, depending on the product, this could mean £1.20 initial commission, or £4.80 trail commission in year two and so on (actual amount will vary in line with the value of your savings account). |
| Lump sum investment | E.g. £30,000 investment |
| Collective investments (unit trusts, OEICs, etc) | Nil initial commission, plus up to 0.5% of your fund value each year; e.g. £0 initial commission plus £150 trail commission in year two and so on (the actual amount in later years will vary in line with the value of your fund). The trail commission is included within the standard charging structure of the investment. |
| Structured products | Initial commission of up to 3% – so with a £30,000 investment, Fair Investment Company will receive £900. This commission will be paid directly to us by the product provider and is taken into account within the standard charging structure of the product. No annual trail commission will be payable. |
| Venture Capital Trusts (VCTs) | Nil initial commission, plus up to 0.5% of your current fund value, or initial investment each year, e.g. £0 initial commission plus £150 trail commission in year two and so on (the actual amount in later years may vary in line with the value of your fund). The trail commission is paid directly to us by the investment manager and is included within the standard charging structure of the investment. |
| Savings Accounts | Accounts pay either initial commission (up to 0.3%) or trail commission (up to 0.4%), but not both. So, depending on the product, it could be £90 initial commission or £120 trail commission in year two and so on (actual amount will vary in line with the value of your savings account). |
Links to other sites:
The Fair Investment Company website contains links to other websites. Fair Investment Company cannot accept responsibility for any information given or advice provided by these other sites.
UK residents:
The Fair Investment Company (www.fairinvestment.co.uk) website is aimed at UK residents and those ordinarily resident only and the terms and conditions are governed by English Law. Those considering investing through Fair Investment Company, but who are currently residing outside the UK, should contact Fair Investment prior to proceeding.
Fair Investment Company Limited, 2 Portland Street, Clifton,Bristol, BS8 4JH
Tel: 0117 933 5500
Email: helpdesk@fairinvestment.co.uk
Registered in England no. 3980180 V.A.T no. 814365927
Fair Investment Company Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority