Regulation

The number of new complaints taken on by the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) almost doubled over the past year, figures show.

The legal industry is set to launch a new will writing quality scheme to bridge the gap left by the government's refusal to regulate the practice.

Providers and fund managers have shown "complete inconsistency" over issues such as legacy trail and facilitating adviser charging - showing they were underprepared for the Retail Distribution Review (RDR), according to the Personal Finance Society (PFS)....

Advisers have to stop criticising each other to better build the image of the profession and increase consumer confidence, Keith Richards has said.

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Payday loan companies routinely fail to treat their customers fairly and often encourage those struggling to repay the debt to extend their loan, according to research from the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB).

Financial advisers have embraced the Retail Distribution Review's (RDR) push for higher qualifications and are looking to extend their level of expertise beyond the mandatory QCF Level 4, an advisory support group said.

The proportion of high earners referring unresolved complaints to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) almost doubled last year, illustrating, it said, that "few people are immune" from the effects of the economic crisis.

Jon Pain, a former managing director and one-time interim chief executive of the Financial Services Authority (FSA), is to join state-owned Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS).

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is set to ban and fine a former non-executive director (NED) at two mutual societies for failing to disclose her conflicts of interest.