Consumer Protection (Regulation of Credit Servicing Firms) Act 2018

Transitional provision for existing credit servicing firms: supplementary

2. The Central Bank Act 1997 is amended by inserting the following section after section 34F:

“34FA.(1) Notwithstanding section 29, a person (other than a regulated financial service provider taken to be authorised to carry on the business of a credit servicing firm by virtue of section 28(3) or a person taken to be carrying on the business of a credit servicing firm by virtue of section 28(4)) carrying on the business of a credit servicing firm, in so far as that business relates to credit servicing within the meaning of paragraph (a), (b)(iii)(IX) or (b)(iii)(X), as the case may be, of the definition of ‘credit servicing’ in section 28(1) (in this subsection referred to as ‘the specified matters’), immediately before the coming into operation of the Consumer Protection (Regulation of Credit Servicing Firms) Act 2018, is taken to be authorised to carry on the business of a credit servicing firm, in so far as that business relates to the specified matters, after such coming into operation until the Bank has granted or refused authorisation to the person, provided that—

(a) the person applies to the Bank under section 30 for authorisation no later than 3 months after that coming into operation, and

(b) a credit servicing firm undertakes, on behalf of that person, credit servicing within the meaning of subparagraphs (i), (ii) and (iii)(I) to (VIII) of paragraph (b) and paragraph (c) of the definition of ‘credit servicing’ in section 28(1).

(2) If a person is taken to be authorised to carry on the business of a credit servicing firm under subsection (1), the Bank may do either or both of the following:

(a) impose on that person such conditions or requirements or both as the Bank considers appropriate relating to the proper and orderly regulation and supervision of credit servicing firms;

(b) direct that person not to carry on the business of a credit servicing firm for such period (not exceeding 3 months) as is specified in the direction.

(3) A condition or requirement imposed, or a direction given, under this section is an appealable decision for the purposes of Part VIIA of the Act of 1942.