1. This document sets out the basis on which we will conduct business with you and on your behalf. It is an important document and we would ask you to read it carefully and if you are unsure of any of its terms, please ask.
  2. These Terms come into force immediately on issue and remain in force until further notice.
  3. The Taylor Oliver Partnership (Taylor Oliver) is authorised & regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA). Our FSA number is 207659. The FSA can be contacted at 25 The North Colonnade, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5HS.

Financial Planning Objectives

  1. In order to provide you with personal advice and recommendations suitable for your particular circumstances, we will undertake a ‘fact-find’ to gather the appropriate information. We will then be able to set out clearly your financial planning objectives based on your stated objectives, acceptable level of risk and any restrictions you may wish to place on the type of investments or policies that you are willing to consider. Details of your stated objectives will be set out in a Suitability Report which we will issue to you to confirm our recommendation. Unless confirmed in writing, to the contrary, we will assume that you do not wish to place any restrictions on the advice we give you.
  2. You hereby acknowledge that in the event of Taylor Oliver assisting you in the completion of any investment application or policy proposal forms you will in any event continue to bear full responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of the information entered on such forms. You must understand that inclusion of incorrect information or omission of any material facts may result in the investment or policy to which the application or proposal relates to, being adversely adjusted, made void and/or any claim(s) made against it being refused.
  3. We will forward to you all documents showing ownership of your investments/contracts as soon as practicable after we receive them. All such documents may be sent to you by post at your own risk.
  4. Unless you inform us of any restrictions as to the type of investment or general insurance on which you require advice, we will provide advice based on the products from the whole of the market, within our authorisation and which we believe are suitable for you. We will not provide any service relating to futures, options or contracts for difference.
  5. We are permitted to advise on investments and general insurance and arrange transactions in these products. We may also include unregulated collective investment schemes where these are suitable for you.
  6. When we have arranged any investments for you, we will not give you further advice unless you request it, but will be glad to advise you at any time you ask us to do so. In conducting insurance mediation activity, the firm does not act contractually on behalf of, or for, its customers & consequently the rules for distance non-investment mediation contracts do not apply.  Ordinarily we will agree a review interval with you in accordance with your requirements and this will be documented separately.
  7. The advice we provide to you on all contracts is INDEPENDENT on products from the whole market.

Customer Classification

  1. The firm proposes to classify you in accordance with FSA rules, as a ‘Retail Client’.

Payment for Services

  1. We will agree a level of fee with you for our services prior to undertaking any work.  As our services are bespoke this will vary depending upon the degree of input and the amount of funds under management in relation to investment business.
  2. We will agree an initial fee with you and in addition to this, where appropriate, an annual fee to cover financial planning reviews and ongoing administration and management.
  3. Once the work is complete we will invoice you for the agreed fee.  We will require payment of this fee within 28 days of the invoice.
  4. If there is a specific product/investment being implemented we can agree, if practical, that your fees are deducted from your product/investment and paid to us directly by the product/investment provider.
  5. Should any commissions be generated by the implementation of products or investments this can be offset against our fees provided that it has been agreed prior to the transaction?  
  6. You will receive from the provider in question, information about any commission we receive. We will also inform you of the amount of any commission payable to us on all contracts. All trail or renewal commission payable by providers belongs to the firm.
  7. In respect of any regular premium policy which we may recommend, should you subsequently cease to pay premiums on the policy and in consequence we are obliged to refund the commission that has been paid to us, we reserve the right to charge you a fee representing the amount we have to repay, for a period of up to four years after commencement of the policy. We will not charge the fee if you exercise your right to cancel in accordance with the cancellation notice sent to you by the life company. Details of the commission payable will be notified to you in a specific key features illustration prior to any transaction proceeding
  8. We require our clients to provide instructions in writing, to avoid possible disputes. This will usually be in the form of a proposal or application form. We will, however, accept oral instructions in certain instances provided they are subsequently confirmed in writing.
  9. If we receive a commission or other form of benefit from the issuer of a security or from another intermediary, we will inform you of the amount.                                  
  10. We will provide you with a fee agreement in relation to any work we undertake in accordance with our ‘Treating Customers Fairly Culture’

Client Money

  1. For your additional security we do not handle clients’ money. We never handle cash or accept a cheque made out to us (unless it is a cheque in settlement of charges or disbursements for which we have sent you an invoice).

Accounting to You

  1. Unless in exceptional circumstances, we will confirm to you in writing the basis of our reason for recommending the transaction executed on your behalf.  We will make arrangements for all your investments/contracts to be registered in your name unless you first instruct us otherwise in writing.
  2. We will forward to you all documents showing ownership of your investments as  soon as practicable after we receive them; where a number of documents relating to a series of transactions is involved, we will normally hold each document until the series is complete and then forward them to you.
  3. Unless you specifically request otherwise, we may telephone or visit you during normal social hours to offer you further advice or inform you of products and services in which you may be interested. We may also contact you by mail or e-mail. If you do not want to receive such information, please let us know.

Financial Services Compensation Scheme

  1. We are covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. You may be entitled to compensation from the scheme if we cannot meet our obligations. This depends on the type of business and the circumstances of the claim. Most types of investment business are covered for 100% of the first £30,000 and 90% of the next £20,000, so the maximum compensation is £48,000. Further information about compensation arrangements is available from the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.

Complaints

  1. If you should have any complaint about the advice you receive or a product you have bought please write to The Complaints Officer at Taylor Oliver Partnership, 16 The Bridge Business Centre, Beresford Way, Chesterfield. Derbyshire, S41 9FG.
  2. If, following our subsequent investigation and response you are still not satisfied, you may contact the Financial Ombudsman Service. Full details are contained within our complaints procedure, which is available to you on request at any time.

Cancellation Rights

  1. You will not have any cancellation rights for ISAs which are not invested in packaged products. Nor will you have cancellation rights for ‘execution only’ transactions in authorised unit trusts & OEIC’s whether or not in an ISA. The effect of cancelling the last component of an ISA has the effect of cancelling the entire ISA agreement & may also delay you from entering into another ISA agreement until the next tax year. Where the ISA results from a transfer, you may also lose that ISA allowance.

Material Interests

  1. We offer independent financial advice, but occasions can arise where we, or one of our other customers, will have some form of interest in business, which we are transacting for you. If this happens, or we become aware that our interests or those of one of our other customers conflict with your interests, we will inform you in writing and obtain your consent before we carry out your instructions. There may be occasions when we will be unable to act for one of the parties.
  2. As a consequence of such potential conflicts arising, we have put arrangements in place to ensure our clients are treated fairly.  We have also implemented a conflicts of interest policy to help us manage such risks, which you may access on request.

Risk Warnings

  1. The value of investments may go down as well as up, and you may not get back the amount invested. Levels of income from investments may fluctuate. We cannot be held liable for any depreciation in the value of investments arranged for you. Non-readily realisable investments will generally have a restricted market, and therefore it may be difficult to deal in that investment or to obtain reliable information about its value.

Termination of Authority

  1. You or we may terminate our authority to act on your behalf at any time, without penalty. Notice of this termination must be given in writing and will take effect from the date of receipt. Termination is without prejudice to any transactions already initiated which will be completed according to these terms of business unless otherwise agreed in writing. You will be liable to pay for any transactions made prior to termination and any fees which may be outstanding.

Data Protection

  1. We are registered under the Data Protection Act 1998. It is understood that we keep personal and financial information with regard to your circumstances on file (electronic and/or paper based) as required to be able to advise you as to your financial planning needs. We confirm that this information will not be used, or transferred by us to any other firm or company.
  2. We confirm that we cannot be held responsible for the information held on your file becoming inaccurate due to your change of circumstances if you fail to inform us of those changes.
  3. Where investment business services are provided to Taylor Oliver by third parties then circumstances may arise which warrant the disclosure of more than just your basic contact details. On these occasions such as processing business, and obtaining compliance and regulatory advice you agree that personal      information held by Taylor Oliver may be disclosed on a confidential basis, and in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998, to such third parties. You agree that this information may be transferred electronically, e.g. email. You also agree that we, or any such company, may contact you in future by any means of communication which we consider appropriate at the time.
  4. We keep records of our business transactions for at least five years. We are required to verify your identity in accordance with the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and the Money Laundering Regulations 2003. We reserve the right to approach third parties and to delay any applications until adequate verification of identity has been obtained.
  5. We reserve the right to amend these Terms at our discretion where changes in regulation, law etc. necessitate by giving you notice in writing.  These terms of business shall be governed by and construed according to English Law. Any disputes shall be determined in the English courts.

Client’s Consent

  1. I/We understand and consent to the above terms and I hereby authorise the transfer of information, as described above, on a confidential basis when warranted between such third parties
  2. I/We authorise you to liaise with my other professional advisers in exchanging relevant personal information pertinent to my/our financial planning requirements and to rely on any such information provided.
  3. I/We agree that these Terms of Business will come into effect from the date of issue.