ABA caves in over fees for no service
In a further reaction to the royal commission, the Australian Banking Association has changed its Banking Code of Practice to ensure a customer's estate is treated more responsively; the ABA will also push to end 'fees for no service' across the industry. According the ABA, its members are working with their customers to refund those charged a fee where no service was provided. "It has always been unacceptable for any organisations to charge fees without providing a service," said Anna Bligh, the ABA's chief executive officer. "This announcement will put beyond the shadow of a doubt that this practice has no place in Australia's banking industry.As part of this process, the ABA said it would also seek new legislation to end grandfathered payments and trail commissions for financial advisers, a move the ABA's chief executive called "another important piece in the puzzle of ensuring there are no conflicts for advisers."In a press conference yesterday, Anna Bligh re-iterated that these changes show the banking industry was addressing two of the most serious concerns raised by the royal commission, with putting an end to fees for no service at the top of the list. "Banks will change the way that they manage ongoing financial advice. They will proactively contact customers to confirm what advice, if any, is required, and only charge when it is provided," Bligh promised. She also pledged that the Banking Code of Practice - only recently relaunched - would be modified to give customers the right to go to the new Financial Complaints Authority, who can order banks to repay, if they haven't done so. The other change Bligh announced was that the ABA will support any legislative changes needed to end grandfathered payments and trail commissions in financial advice, which she conceded are not in the interests of customers, saying it was time for them to cease. "Right now, banks are working with customers to refund anyone who was charged a fee where no service was provided. The latest ASIC estimates indicate that customers could receive more than A$1 billion in refunds," Bligh said. She then sidestepped questions on what the ABA is doing to address banking culture which is at the heart of all the problems identified, noting that is a topic that will be covered in the ABA's submission to the royal commission's interim report.