The Australian Banking Association has today partnered with Illawarra Business Chamber to brief the local business community and stakeholders on the new Banking Code of Practice, the new Financing Your Small Business website and to hear firsthand from small businesses affected by the recent bushfires.
In force since July 1 last year, the new ASIC-approved Banking Code of Practice contains a big step up in protections for customers.
Under the new Banking Code of Practice, banks no longer:
- Offer unsolicited credit card limit increases
- Charge commissions on Lenders Mortgage Insurance
- Sell insurance with credit cards and personal loans at the point of sale.
Under
the new Code banks must:
- Offer low-fee or no-fee accounts to low income customers
- Have a 3 day grace period on all guarantees to give guarantors enough time to make sure it’s the right option for them
- Actively promote low-fee or no-fee accounts to low income customers
- Provide reminders when introductory offers on credit cards end
- Provide simpler and fairer loan contracts for small business using plain English that avoids legal jargon
- Provide customers a list of direct debits and recurring payments to make it easier to switch banks.
Local businesses are the lifeblood of communities like the Illawarra, providing jobs and services across the community.
ABA CEO Anna Bligh
/Public Release. View in full here.
