FCA MEMBERSHIP
SMG F.S Ltd is authorised to conduct investment business under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
INVESTMENT SERVICES
SMG F.S Ltd is authorised as an INDEPENDENT ADVISER Firm and will act on your behalf in advising you on the arrangement of life assurance, pensions, investments and mortgages from different companies. With regard to investments which we have arranged for you, we will provide further advice and services if required and agreed.
FINANCIAL SERVICES COMPENSATION SCHEME
We are covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). If you make a valid claim against SMG F.S Ltd in respect of the investments we arrange for you and we are unable to meet our obligations in full, you may be entitled to redress from the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.
INVESTOR PROTECTION
The Client is advised that investment in UK Investments and Long-Term Insurance contracts are protected by the Financial Service Compensation Scheme (FSCS). Compensation limits are per person and per investment firm in the event of the collapse of a UK life insurance, investment or pensions company (but not to cover losses resulting from any exposure to falls in the stock market). Details of the cover provided by the FSCS are given in a leaflet which we will send you at your request. Further information available from the FCA and the FSCS (FSCS helpline, 020 7892 7300).
DISCLOSURE OF CLIENT PERSONAL DATA
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) 2018 requires us to manage personal information in accordance with Data Protection Principles and in particular requires us to process your personal information fairly and lawfully.
The privacy and security of your personal information is extremely important to us. SMG's 'Privacy Notice' explains why and how we use your personal data, record keeping, your individual rights, complaints process and to make sure you stay informed and be confident about giving us your information.
TERMINATION OF AUTHORITY
Our authority to act on your behalf can be terminated at any time by either party, without penalty. Notice of this termination must be given in writing. The Client shall pay for any transactions made prior to termination and any fees outstanding.
CLIENT MONEY
SMG F.S Ltd does not handle Client money. We never accept cash or a cheque made out to SMG F.S Ltd (unless it is a cheque in settlement of fees, charges or disbursements for which we have sent you an invoice). We never accept cheques made out to an adviser by name under any circumstances.
PERSONAL INTERESTS
SMG F.S Ltd offers independent advice, but occasions can arise where we or one of our other clients will have some form of interest in business being transacted for you. If this happens or we become aware that our interests or those of one of our other clients conflict with your interests, we will write to you and obtain your consent before we carry out your instructions.
EXECUTION ONLY TRANSACTIONS
Any instructions to SMG F.S Ltd to buy investments that have not been recommended by us will be carried out on an "Execution Only" basis. In these instances, SMG F.S Ltd will not be bound by the FCA's "Suitable Advice" or "Know your Client" rules and cannot be held responsible for the suitability of that investment for any purpose.
E JOINER TRANSACTIONS
Any instructions to SMG F.S Ltd to purchase investments for group pension scheme members specifying requirements to apply for membership online ('E Joiners') have not received advice from SMG F.S Ltd. In these instances, SMG F.S Ltd will not be bound by the FCA's 'Personal recommendation' rules and cannot be held responsible for the suitability of that investment for any purpose. 'Execution Only' and 'E Joiners' are however invited to specifically request formal advice for which SMG F.S Ltd will accept full suitability rules.
MONEY LAUNDERING REGULATIONS
The Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing (Amendment) Regulations 2019 (MLR 2019), which came into force on 10 January 2020, implement the EU 5th Money Laundering Directive in the UK.
The requirements of the UK anti-money laundering regime are set out in:
- The Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds Regulations 2017 (SI 2017 No. 692)
- The Criminal Finances Act 2017
- The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (as amended by the Crime and Courts Act 2013 and the Serious Crime Act 2015)
- The Money Laundering Regulations 2007 (SI 2007 No. 2157)
- The Terrorism Act 2000 (as amended by the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001, the Terrorism Act 2006 and the Terrorism Act 2000 and Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (Amendment) Regulations 2007).
No investment will be made until such statutory verification has been obtained.
Our Money Laundering Reporting Officer is Colin Vickers (Chief Operating Officer).
CLIENT INSTRUCTIONS
We require our Client to give us instructions in writing (which shall include fax and e-mail transmission) to avoid possible disputes. We will, however, accept oral instructions at our discretion, provided they are confirmed in writing.
CLIENT RISK
You are advised that because investments can fall as well as rise, you may not get back the full amount invested. Past performance is not necessarily a guide to future performance.
CLIENT DOCUMENTS
We will make arrangements for all your investments to be registered in your name unless you first instruct us otherwise in writing.
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. All documents, not issued by post, will be sent using 'Signable' an electronic signature software program that encrypts all communications.
All cheques, documents of title etc may be sent by post to the Client last known address and shall be sent at the Client's own risk. The Recorded Delivery Service will not normally be used.
REMUNERATION
SMG F.S Ltd provides advice which is offered on a fee basis.
COMPLAINTS
If you should have any complaint about the advice you receive or a product you have bought from SMG F.S Ltd, please write to Colin Vickers, Chief Operating Officer, at SMG F.S Ltd, 6A Harewood Yard, Harewood, Leeds LS17 9LF. Telephone 0113 3873470. Complaints we cannot settle may be referred to the Financial Ombudsman Service. The Financial Ombudsman Service is available to sort out individual complaints that clients and financial services businesses aren't able to resolve themselves. To contact the Financial Ombudsman Service please visit www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk.
DISCLAIMER, COPYRIGHT, BROWSER & COOKIES NOTICE, E-MAIL USE AND PRIVACY POLICY
DISCLAIMER
Whilst we endeavour to ensure that the information contained on this site is true and accurate, we cannot give any warranty to that effect. We cannot be responsible for the consequences of reliance on that information, and any information of an advisory nature is general only and cannot be regarded as applicable to a specific case. However, this disclaimer is not intended to affect your statutory rights. In particular, please note that we cannot accept any responsibility for the contents of materials viewable from this site which are not provided or maintained by us. These materials may be provided by (but are not limited to) links, frames and portals.
COPYRIGHT NOTICE
The materials contained on this site except as where identified as being the copyright of any other person, are copyright to us and may be subject to other intellectual property rights such as trademarks. Whilst the pages may be downloaded or copied for the purposes for which the site is intended, such copies may only be used by you and within your organisation, and not for any commercial use without our express consent. All copyrights and trademark notices, marks, disclaimers and other such elements must be preserved and upheld at all times.
Communications in connection with this service may be sent by e-mail. E-mail unless encrypted, is not a fully secure means of communication. Any emails that contain personal information will be sent by SMG using 'Signable' an electronic signature software program that encrypts all communications.
PRIVACY POLICY
Preservation of your privacy is important to us and we are committed to letting you know how we use your personal information. Information which identifies you personally will be utilised only to provide the services you require and for providing you with information about our products and services. It will not be sold or intentionally disclosed to third parties without your permission unless we are required to do so by law - see our Privacy Notice for further details.
OWNERSHIP OF SITE
For the purposes of the General Data Protection Regulation GDPR (25 May 2018) and the Business Names Act 1985 we confirm that the proprietors of this site are SMG F.S Ltd, 6A Harewood Yard, Harewood, Leeds, LS17 9LF.