SQ2 managing director Steve Clawley said marketing and advertising issues should be a serious consideration when advisers are making their regulation decision.
Steve said: “The choice of who you want to have overall responsibility for all your promotional material should effect your decision as to whether you become directly authorised (DA), or become an appointed representative.
“We all have three months after the 31st October 2004, or 12 months for annual publications, to make sure that our advertising and marketing literature has been approved or ‘signed off’ by the authorised firm (i.e. the DA firm).
“The authorised firm must have a written sign off procedure, and records must be kept for one year from the date the item was last communicated. Promotions include all sales presentations, telesales, adverts, brochures, websites, mail shots, and emails.”
He called on financial advisers to learn more about what SQ2 has to offer and urged the mortgage brokerage community to look closely at all aspects of any regulation offering.
SQ2 was launched in January and offers network benefits, including Appointed Representative status, and compliance services.
Birmingham-based SQ2 offers brokers Appointed Representative status, Introducer status, and Registered Individual status. Further services include ongoing training, as well as compliance, training and competence support.
SQ2 also offers a mortgage packaging service.
