Member Centre

Treating Customers Fairly

The Kensington Friendly Collecting Society is committed to treating its members fairly. In this, we are following the guidelines set out by our regulator, the Financial Services Authority.

We are committed to:

  • Providing you with clear, accurate information about how we do business and
    where applicable any costs or charges involved.
  • Making sure that we only provide you with products that meet your demands and
    needs.
  • Ensuring that our advertising is clear, fair and not misleading.
  • Handling any concerns or complaints sympathetically.
  • Treating your personal details confidentially.
  • Explaining the significance or implications of any products that we discuss with you.

If you are dissatisfied with our service.

If you are dissatisfied with any aspect of the service that we provide, please write to us at the following address:

The Chief Executive
The Kensington friendly Collecting Society Limited
1 Kensington Road
Linthorpe
Middlesbrough
TS56AL

Or call us on: 01642 855199
Or email us at: philcarey@careyskens.com

We subscribe to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

Treating Members Fairly Mission Statement.

This statement is designed to ensure that the Kensington Friendly Collecting Society is treating its customers fairly through the adoption of the FSA’s principles that drive “TCF”.

These are as follows:

  • The Society must pay due regard to its customers and treat them fairly.
  • The Society must conduct its business with integrity.
  • The Society must pay due regard to the information needs of its customers, and
    communicate information to them in a way that is clear fair and not misleading.
  • The society must manage conflicts of interest fairly between itself and Its members.

Mission Statement.

  • We will endeavour at all times to deal openly and tell the truth.
  • We will give correct information and adequate explanation to enable a member to make
    informed decisions.
  • We will endeavour to honour any promises and representations we make to members.
  • As our role is in dealing directly with the customer we will do this:
  • By ensuring we have good information through fact-finding to ensure that we know our
    customer.
  • By clearly identifying needs and dealing with those needs that are a priority for the
    customer in a clear, concise and fair way.
  • By discussing all the customer’s options and ensuring we disclose clearly any key facts.
    This includes declining to act where our products are not suitable.
  • To use our expertise to ensure we match products to needs.
  • To do what we promise in terms of advice and service in a clear and concise manner.

In addition:

  • We will keep records of business transacted and communications with our members.
  • We will operate a database to ensure that members are contacted at pre-agreed times
    for reviews.
  • That all employees of the Society are aware of and understand this mission statement.
    That all employees will ensure that it is implemented and are fully aware of the
    procedures to report breaches of the statement.

Kensington Treating Members Fairly Principles.

  • Strategic Change
    We consider the impact of strategic change, whether driven internally or externally, upon our customers as a key influence upon how we deal with that change.
  • Identification of Target Market
    We take care to identify what products and services to provide for members, ensuring that the key product or service attributes are generally appropriate for and easily explainable to members.
  • Product Design and Governance
    We build our products and services to cater to the needs and reasonable expectations of our members and are confident that the products or services that we provide do what they are intended to do and that relevant costs are disclosed appropriately.
  • Marketing and Promotion
    We design our marketing campaigns and literature so that the key messages are clear, balanced and useful for the target member segments and enable them to make informed decisions, based upon a reasonable understanding of product features and the impact of charges.
  • Sales and Advice Process
    Where we provide advice to members, we have processes for collecting and assessing the relevant customer information and make sure that our customers are offered appropriate products and services.
  • After-Sales Information
    We monitor the progress of the products that we provide to our customers and take action in line with members’ reasonable expectations as to our ongoing service.
  • Complaint Handling
    We handle customer complaints with sensitivity and with due regard for the needs and understanding of each complainant. We assess the root of complaints made, particularly where the complaint is upheld in favour of the customer and ensure that any learning arising is fed back to avoid future repetition.
  • Management Information
    We continually collect, analyse and use information about our customer service and product sales to identify ways to improve our service to our customers. We escalate information to senior management to ensure appropriate consideration of significant matters.