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CCC's
Mortgage Providers
A Customer Guide
As a regional building society who's roots are firmly embedded in the North, we strive to assist local people with a wide range of key financial services. These include:
Savings and Investments
Buying a home
Borrowing money
Insurances
Travellers Cheques and Foreign Currency
Credit Cards
Personal Loans
We aim to help customers manage their money matters safely and successfully and we pride ourselves on our open and friendly manner. If you would like further details about any of the services mentioned on this page, contact your local Branch, Agency or Customer Services Department at Head Office for further details, or click here to fill in our online form.
We look forward to hearing from you.
THE SERVICES WE OFFER
As a building society, our services fall broadly into three categories:
Savings and investments
Mortgages and loans
Other related financial services
SAVINGS AND INVESTMENTS
Barnsley Building Society offers a secure home for your savings with a range of attractive returns dependent upon the amount you wish to save and how quickly you wish to have access to your funds.
Instant Access Accounts
These enable you to invest and withdraw money immediately without having to give prior notice. Some offer tiered rates with a higher level of interest dependent upon the balance held within the account. Further information regarding the various accounts of this type is available in our leaflet 'Instant Access Accounts'.
High Interest Earning Accounts
These accounts usually require you to give notice before you may withdraw funds below specified limits. You have the option of either waiting for the end of the stated notice period, or forfeiting the interest earned on the withdrawal, if taken within the notice period. They have tiered rates which offer a higher level of interest dependent upon the balance held within the account. Further information regarding the various accounts of this type is available in our leaflet 'Notice and Monthly Income Accounts'.
ISA Accounts Mini Cash ISA And Falcon TESSA Only ISA
We developed these accounts under government guidelines to offer a tax free method of saving. Falcon Cash ISA is a mini ISA developed for cash only. Falcon TESSA Only ISA is a tax free home for maturing TESSA capital only. Further information regarding the various accounts of this type is available in our leaflet 'Tax Free ISA Accounts'.
Monthly Income Accounts
These accounts pay interest on a regular monthly basis at premium interest rates on sums starting at £10,000. They require specific notice periods for withdrawals but also carry the option of forfeiting the interest earned on the withdrawal, if it is taken within that period. Further information regarding the various accounts of this type is available in our leaflet 'Notice & Monthly Income Accounts'.
Age Specific Accounts
Trustee Accounts
When an account is set up for a named individual and a third party acts as a trustee on the account, the funds held in the account must be used for the benefit of the named beneficiary.
Falcon First (AGES 016)
This account caters for childrens savings from 1 up to 10,000. It offers instant access to the funds with no withdrawal penalties and an attractive interest rate regardless of the amount invested. See 'Instant Access Accounts'.
Falcon Club (AGES 1623)
This account follows on from Falcon First and caters for young adults from 1623 who wish to develop their savings up to a maximum of £10,000. It offers instant access to funds with no withdrawal penalties and an attractive interest rate regardless of the amount invested. Incentives are offered on 17th, 18th and 21st birthdays, as detailed in the account leaflet. See 'Instant Access Accounts'.
Falcon 50 Years +
This account caters for individuals aged 50 and over. It offers tiered interest rates which pay a higher level of return dependent upon the account balance. The account requires notice for withdrawals and also offers a monthly income option for those wishing to take a regular income from their savings. See 'Notice & Monthly Income Accounts'.
Affinity Accounts
Affinity accounts have been developed with local sporting clubs. These accounts have been branded to their own unique identities and are available to their supporters only, who will be asked to provide evidence of this. The accounts all offer instant access and have one attractive interest rate on investments of £100 or more for adults and £10 or more for under 16's. The Club involved receives an annual bonus payment based upon the average daily balance held within the account type throughout the year.
Accounts are currently available for Barnsley Football Club, Rotherham United Football Club, Chesterfield Football Club, Wakefield Trinity Wildcats RLFC and Castleford Tigers RLFC.
Mortgages and Loans
We have a selection of mortgage products which offer solutions to the wide ranging requirements of today's homebuyer. Our Mortgage Advisers will be pleased to discuss which scheme may be the most appropriate for your individual circumstances. We can also offer additional mortgage loans to existing borrowers in the shape of Further Advances or Secured Homeowner Loans for home improvements or other personal spending.
YOUR HOME IS AT RISK IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON A MORTGAGE OR OTHER LOAN SECURED ON IT.
Insurances
We arrange insurance cover for a wide range of risks for your home and its contents, which can also be extended to encompass caravans. We will also provide quotations for the cover of more specialised requirements should the need arise. Cover is arranged in conjunction with a major insurance company who can provide the best combination of protection and value.
The Society is also able to offer a specialist Loancare insurance which offers protection against accident, sickness and unemployment. Should any of these situations occur your mortgage payments will be covered for a set period.
Travellers Cheques and Foreign Currency
When travelling abroad you can order your American Express travellers cheques and foreign currency through any of our Branches.
Credit Cards
We also offer our customers a Barnsley Building Society Credit Card which has the backing of Mastercard and is managed through MBNA Europe Bank Ltd, which is the worlds largest bank card issuer. In addition to many other benefits, our credit card has a low interest rate and attracts no annual fee.
Personal Loans
We can offer a personal unsecured loan service to our customers through MBNA Europe Bank Ltd. The product offers an attractive rate for loans from 1,000 to 15,000 over a period of 1 to 5 years.
Zurich Financial Services
We're always looking for ways to help you make your money work for you. So we're delighted to announce that we've teamed up with Zurich, one of the world's largest financial services organisations.
Zurich have been around for more than 130 years and are able to offer you expert financial advice on:
Savings and investments
regular and lump sum investments
investing taxfree
finding the level of risk you're comfortable with
Pensions and retirement planning
starting a pension plan
topping up your existing plans
getting the best income in retirement
Protection
life insurance
critical illness cover
protecting your income
Zurich Financial Advisers are highly trained professionals who are experts on many different areas of financial planning. But before they use their knowledge and experience to find the right answers for you, they'll make sure they understand your current financial situation and your goals for the future by meeting with you facetoface.
You can make an appointment to meet a Zurich Financial Adviser at any of our branches either in person or by calling your local branch number as seen on the back of the leaflet.
THE WAY WE WORK
Opening an Investment Account
Before you open an account with us we will provide you with full written details of the product including Terms and Conditions, to ensure that they match your requirements. We will also provide current interest rate information.
Our investment application form also includes a section regarding Charitable Assignment.
To open an account with the Society you will be asked to provide certain identification requirements.
If sending information by post, please do not send originals but send certified photocopies only.
PERSONAL IDENTITY
ONE from this List
CURRENT SIGNED UK PASSPORT
CURRENT FULL UK DRIVING LICENCE (OLD VERSION) or CURRENT UK PHOTOCARD DRIVING LICENCE (if not used for evidence of address verification)
BENEFIT BOOK OR LETTER FROM BENEFITS AGENCY CONFIRMING BENEFITS (if not used for evidence of address verification)
INLAND REVENUE TAX NOTIFICATION
SELFEMPLOYED IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY TAX EXEMPTION CERTIFICATE/CARD WITH PHOTO OF HOLDER
RESIDENCE PERMIT ISSUED BY THE HOME OFFICE
BIRTH CERTIFICATE (only acceptable up to the age of 17)
BLUE DISABLED DRIVERS PASS
SHOTGUN/FIREARMS CERTIFICATE
FOR YOUR PERMANENT ADDRESS VERIFICATION
ONE from this List
RECENT UTILITY BILL
CURRENT FULL UK DRIVING LICENCE (OLD VERSION) or CURRENT UK PHOTOCARD DRIVING LICENCE (if not used for evidence of personal identification verification)
BANK, BUILDING SOCIETY STATEMENT or PASSBOOK (the most recent and showing current address)
BANK, BUILDING SOCIETY STATEMENT OR PASSBOOK (the most recent and showing current address) MORTGAGE STATEMENT (the most recent from a recognised lender) RECENT SYSTEMS GENERATED OR SIGNED DOCUMENTATION FROM A REGULATED FINANCIAL SECTOR FIRM INDICATING THAT AN ACCOUNT/INVESTMENT/INSURANCE RELATIONSHIP EXISTS AND WHICH CONTAINS THE CUSTOMERS ADDRESS.
LOCAL AUTHORITY RENT BOOK OR TENANCY AGREEMENT
BENEFIT BOOK OR LETTER FROM BENEFITS AGENCY CONFIRMING BENEFITS (if not used for evidence of personal identification verification)
COUNCIL TAX BILL (current year)
SOLICITOR'S LETTER CONFIRMING RECENT HOUSE PURCHASE (in such cases the previous address should also be verified)
INLAND REVENUE CORRESPONDENCE ADDRESSED TO THE APPLICANT AT THE STATED ADDRESS (provided Inland Revenue notification has not been used for personal identification)
We may carry out a voters roll check as additional confirmation of your permanent address.
If the account is opened remotely i.e. not in person at either a branch or agency, you will be asked to provide two items from each of the lists shown above.
Cooling Off Period
If, after careful consideration, you decide that you are not happy with your choice of savings or investment account(s) and you bring this to our attention within 14 days of your initial receipt, we will help you to either switch accounts or return your money with any interest earned over that period. We will ignore any notice periods and additional charges in these cases. Fixed rate accounts are excluded from this concession.
Please note: Cheques paid in within the 14 day period will have to clear before a refund can be given.
Check Clearance
Cheques paid into accounts will take 9 working days to appear as cleared funds. The day of receipt is classed as day one.
Joint Investment Accounts
The Society is happy to set up joint access for most types of accounts when requested. However as a joint account is actually owned by two parties, there are subtle differences over a standard account opening. One of the parties must elect to be the Representative Joint Account Shareholder to receive Notices of Annual General Meetings, newsletters and updated information about that account. This person will be the first named person on the account passbook and will be able to attend meetings and vote.
You should consider your withdrawal signing options with accounts requiring joint responsibility:
For example, if you set up your account as either party to sign, only one signature is required to withdraw funds from that account.
To add further security to your joint account you could consider setting your account up as 'both to sign', where more than one signature is required to withdraw funds. Should you end up in dispute with the other party, the Society has the ability to freeze the joint account, to ensure that both parties agree with the final destination of the funds held within it. This temporary measure allows for communication between the Society and all parties involved.
This can also be the case in relationship breakdown where joint funds may require apportioning to other alternative accounts.
In the unfortunate event of the death of one or other of the parties, the account becomes the property of the remaining account holder. As such, the account will be transferred into the name of the remaining account holder for continuing use. This is legally binding and takes precedence over any arrangements laid down in a will.
Note: If the Society has been notified of cases of divorce, separation or dispute, the account will be frozen and no withdrawals will be allowed until both parties are able to authorise the relevant paperwork.
Charitable Assignment
All new customers who wish to open accounts which provide membership to the Society will be required to sign a declaration assigning to the Charities Aid Foundation any windfall conversion benefits to which they may become entitled. This agreement will last for the first five years of membership, after which, the declaration will cease to have an effect for the member in question.
Customers whose membership begins on or after the effective date, will have the same rights as any other member including the right to vote on all issues. However, the declaration will have the effect that, for the first five years of membership, any windfall conversion benefits to which that member might become entitled, would automatically be passed over to the Charities Aid Foundation.
The declaration is included on all investment application forms.
However, it is drafted in such a way that if you are already a member through having a shareholder account at the effective date or if you are a borrowing member, then the declaration does not affect you at all.
Assignment will last for 5 years.
From the effective date, a customer opening a new membership account will agree to assign to the Charities Aid Foundation any benefit which they might receive if conversion took place at any time in the five year period from the date the account was opened.
We have a comprehensive list of exemptions which may be obtained by contacting the Society's Secretary at our Head Office. In summary they are:
All mortgage members.
Existing investing members with accounts opened before the effective date.
In order that certain customers are not unfairly treated, the following will not be considered as new account openings:
Transfer of an account of a deceased member to a personal representative, widow(er) or child.
Change of operating signature for trustee accounts into the child's sole operation.
The effect of the above is that no new five year period will begin as a result of any of these events.
If you cease to be a member for any reason you will be required to assign when you return to open your next account. The best advice is not to close all your accounts if you think that there may be a possibility that you may wish to reopen them in the near future.
How Interest is Calculated
Interest is calculated on a daily basis, including the day of receipt but excluding the day of withdrawal. If you ask us, we will also give you a full explanation of how we work out interest.
Protecting Your Account
Please take care of your passbooks
It is essential that you tell us as soon as you suspect or discover that your passbook has been lost or stolen by telephoning your Local Branch.
If you change any of the personal details we hold on record for you, please ensure that you let either Head Office or your local branch know at your earliest convenience.
Changes in Terms and Conditions (Investment Accounts)
Occasionally terms and conditions regarding your investment accounts may have to be changed. If this occurs, the Society will give you reasonable notice (of at least 30 days) in writing before implementation, explaining the nature of any change.
Mortgages and Loans
Choosing a Mortgage
Information about the various types of mortgages available can be obtained by speaking to staff at any of our Branches. Under the Mortgage Code the Society offers three levels of service to all customers dealing direct with the Society, to help them choose a mortgage, these being:
Advice and recommendation as to which of our mortgage products is most suitable for you based on your particular requirements.
Information on the range of mortgage products we offer.
Information on a particular mortgage product from our range, if you have made up your mind already.
We can also provide information on the particular mortgage chosen by customers who apply to the Society through a mortgage intermediary.
Interest Rates
The Society's traditional interest rate is variable, which means it can be changed upwards or downwards by the Society's Board of Directors. This rate is known as the Society's basic variable rate. The level of this rate depends on the current conditions in the financial market within which the Society operates.
For new borrowers, the Society usually offers a discount off the basic variable rate for an initial period, typically 2 or 4 years.
From time to time the Society may have a fixed rate available, where the rate does not move either upwards or downwards for a certain period.
A capped rate may sometimes be available where the interest rate will not be higher than a given figure for a limited period. However, the interest rate on the capped mortgage will follow the Society's basic variable rate when it is below the capped rate.
All borrowers are notified of the terms and conditions that apply to the discount, fixed and capped interest rate mortgages. After the agreed discount, fixed or capped rate period the interest rate changes to the Society's basic variable rate for the remaining term of the mortgage.
Full details of the various interest rates available can be obtained from any of the Society's branches.
The Mortgage In Operation
Whenever you borrow money from us, we will supply details of the conditions and costs involved. Subsequently, you will always be given at least 7 days notice of any change of interest rates and payments.
Shortly after the Societys financial year end on 31st December each year, you will be sent a statement detailing the transactions made on your account during the past year.
Changes in Terms and Conditions (Mortgage Accounts)
Occasionally terms and conditions regarding your mortgage may have to be changed. If this occurs, the Society would give you reasonable notice (of at least 30 days) in writing before implementation, explaining the nature of any change.
Financial Difficulties
Should your personal circumstances change and you experience difficulties in making repayments you should contact us quickly, as doing so will help us to try and make suitable arrangements before serious arrears develop.
The Society will be as sympathetic as possible in genuine cases of hardship. You can also get help and advice from debt counselling organisations. At your request and with your consent, we will liaise, wherever possible, with debt counselling organisations that we recognise, for example:
Citizens Advice Bureau, or
Money Advice Centres, or
The Consumer Credit Counselling Service
Charges and Fees
Uptodate information on any charges and fees associated with mortgage and investment accounts, as well as cheque clearance periods and rules concerning overdrawn accounts is contained in our "Charges and Fees" pages.
Data Protection
The Society complies with the requirements of the Data Protection Act 1998 that lays down principles for good information handling in relation to personal data. Barnsley Building Society is a data controller for the purposes of the Act.
The Society's mortgage and investment application forms contain a statement on data protection, which explains how the information you provide us with, is used. This statement should be read fully before opening an account.
If you do open an account with the Society, please assist us in keeping our recorded data current by advising us of any changes that may occur in your personal details such as possible address or name change.
The Act gives you the right to access your personal details held on file by organisation such as ourselves. We will be happy to provide you with a copy of these details upon receipt of your written request, which should be addressed, to the Data Protection Liaison Officer. A nominal fee is payable for this information as detailed in our Charges and Fees page.
Confidentiality
We go to great lengths to protect the right to confidentiality of all our customers. We will treat all your personal information as private and confidential. Nothing about your accounts nor your name and address will be disclosed to anyone, including other companies in our group, other than in four exceptional cases permitted by law. These are:
If we have to give the information by law
If there is a duty to the public to reveal the information
If it is in our interests to give the information (but not for marketing purposes)
If you ask us to reveal the information, or if we have your permission
You will be reminded every three years of your right to withdraw your consent to receive Marketing/Advertising material by notice in the Members' Newsletter The Falcon.
Complaints Procedure & the
Financial Ombudsman Service
The Society is a member of the Financial Ombudsman Service Scheme.
Although we are committed to providing you with a first class service, we recognise that there may be an occassion when you feel that we may not have done this, and you may wish to make a complaint. We will always try to resolve any complaint speedily and at the earliest possible stage.
In many cases we find that issues are able to be resolved within the department by speaking with the appropriate Supervisor or Manager.
We will try to ensure that complaints are resolved by the close of business the following day. If this has not been possible, we do have a formal complaints procedure which we ask you to follow.
Write to the Manager of the Branch or Department where the complaint has arisen. The initial response or an acknowledgement will be given within 5 working days of receiving the complaint, followed if necessary, by a more substantive response within a further 9 working days.
If you are not satisfied with the response you should write to the Assistant General Manager Compliance, who will investigate your complaint independently, in discussion with the Chief Executive and send a written response within the same above time scales.
If you are still not satisfied, you could then refer your complaint further, within 6 months of the reply from Head Office, to the Financial Ombudsman Service, South Quay Plaza, 183 Marsh Wall London E14 9SR Tel: 0207 931 0044
Financial Services Compensation Scheme
The Barnsley Building Society is a participant in the Financial Services Compensation Scheme established under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. Payments under the scheme are limited to a maximum 0f £31,700, that is 100% of the first £2,000 of an investor's total shares and/or deposits in a society, and 90% of the next £33,000. Most investors are covered, including individuals and small firms. All our shares and deposits are denominated in sterling. Further details are available on request from the Society.
The Members Newsletter
'The Falcon'
We will send all members a copy of The Falcon, the Societys newsletter, produced to keep our members informed about new products and ventures. It also includes updates regarding changes to account Terms and Conditions, as well as details regarding new legislation.
The Banking Code
The Barnsley Building Society is committed to the Banking Code. Copies of the Code are available on request. The standards of the Code revolve around its key commitments, under which we promise that we will:
Act fairly and reasonably in all our dealings with you.
Help you to understand how our financial products and services work
Deal with things that go wrong quickly and sympathetically
Publicise the Code, have copies available and make sure that our staff are trained to put it into practice.
The Mortgage Code
The Barnsley Building Society is committed to the Mortgage Code, which sets standards of good mortgage lending practice. Copies of the Code are available on request. The standards of the Code are encompassed in its ten key commitments, under which we promise that we will:
act fairly and reasonably in all our dealings with you;
ensure that all services and products comply with the Code, even if they have their own terms and conditions;
give you information on our services and products in plain language, and offer help if there is any aspect which you do not understand;
unless you have already decided on your mortgage, help you to choose a mortgage to fit your needs;
help you to understand the financial implications of a mortgage;
help you to understand how your mortgage account works;
ensure that the procedures our staff follow reflect the commitments set out in the Code;
correct errors and handle complaints speedily;
consider cases of financial difficulty and mortgage arrears sympathetically and positively;
ensure that all services and products comply with relevant laws and legislation.
March 04 0085
© CCC Financial
sub prime lender
offering secured
and unsecured loans
UK.