Building Societies Act 1986

7 Power to raise funds and borrow money and limit on non-retail funds and borrowing

(1) Subject to the provisions of this section and sections 8 and 9, a building society may—

(a) raise funds by the issue of shares to members, or

(b) borrow money and accordingly receive deposits from any person,

to be applied for the purposes of the society.

(2) The power to raise funds by the issue of shares is a power to issue shares of one or more denominations, either as shares paid up in full or as shares to be paid by periodical or other subscriptions, and with or without accumulating interest; and funds so raised may be repaid when they are no longer required for the purposes of the society.

(3) Subject to subsection (14) below, the liabilities of a building society in respect of its non-retail funds and deposits shall not exceed at any time the prescribed percentage of the society's total liabilities at that time in respect of shares in or money deposited with the society.

(4) For the purposes of subsection (3) above, a building society's liabilities in respect of its non-retail funds and deposits are, subject to subsections (5) and (9) below, its liabilities in respect of the principal of and interest payable on or under—

(a) transferable instruments,

(b) qualifying time deposits,

(c) shares in the society held by, or by a trustee for, and (to the extent the liabilities do not fall within (a) or (b) above) sums deposited with the society by, or by a trustee for—

(i) any body corporate,

(ii) a friendly society registered under the [1974 c. 46.] Friendly Societies Act 1974 or the [1970 c. 31 (N.I.).] Friendly Societies Act (Northern Ireland) 1970,

(iii) a trade union (within the meaning of the [1974 c. 52.] Trade Union and Labour Relations Act 1974),

(d) shares in the society (to the extent the liabilities do not fall within (c) above) held by, and (to the extent the liabilities do not fall within (a), (b) or (c) above) sums deposited with the society by—

(i) a body of persons or trust established for charitable purposes only, or

(ii) the administrator of an approved retirement benefits scheme.

(5) If a building society so elects with respect to any financial year its liabilities in respect of shares or deposits falling within paragraphs (c) or (d) (but no other provision) of subsection (4) above shall, subject to subsections (6) and (7) below, not be counted towards the limit in force under subsection (3) above.

(6) The liabilities of the society to any person shall not, by virtue of an election under subsection (5) above, be disregarded at any time during the financial year to which the election relates if at that time the liabilities to that person exceed the prescribed amount; and in that event all the society's liabilities to that person shall count towards the limit in force under subsection (3) above.

(7) To be effective for the purposes of subsection (5) above, an election must apply to the society's liabilities in respect of all its shareholders and depositors who fall within subsection (4)(c) and (d) above and notice of it must be given to the Commission before the beginning of the financial year to which it relates.

(8) A copy of the notice shall also be sent to the central office and the central office shall keep the copy in the public file of the society.

(9) The Commission may by order made with the consent of the Treasury amend subsection (4) above by adding to or deleting from it any description of property or right or by varying any description of property or right for the time being specified in it and an order under this subsection may—

(a) define property or rights by reference to any criteria including the description of person who holds the property or rights,

(b) make any consequential amendment or repeal in that subsection, subsections (5) to (8) above or subsection (19) below, and

(c) make such supplementary, transitional and saving provision as appears to the Commission to be necessary or expedient.

(10) In determining for the purposes of subsection (3) above the liabilities of a building society with which another body corporate is associated there shall, subject to subsection (13) below, be attributed to the society, in accordance with aggregation rules made by the Commission with the consent of the Treasury under this subsection, the whole or part of the liabilities of whatever description of the associated body, as provided in the rules and subject to any exceptions provided in the rules.

(11) The power to make aggregation rules under subsection (10) above includes power to make—

(a) different rules for different circumstances,

(b) provision for liabilities of societies to be disregarded; and

(c) such supplementary, transitional and saving provision as appears to the Commission to be necessary or expedient.

(12) The power to make aggregation rules under subsection (10) above is exercisable by statutory instrument which shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

(13) The Commission may, on the application of a building society, approve rules to be applied for the purposes of subsection (3) above for the attribution to the society of liabilities of bodies associated with the society; and so long as the rules continue to be approved by the Commission they, and not the aggregation rules in force under subsection (10) above, shall apply for the attribution of liabilities for the purposes of subsection (3) above.

(14) Where money is lent to a building society by another such society in accordance with an authority given by the Commission under section 33 the liabilities in respect of the loan shall be disregarded for the purposes of subsection (3) above.

(15) The prescribed percentage for the purposes of subsection (3) above is 20 per cent, or such other percentage not exceeding 40 per cent, as is for the time being substituted for it by order of the Commission made with the consent of the Treasury.

(16) The prescribed amount for the purposes of subsection (6) above is £50,000 or such other amount as is for the time being substituted for it by order of the Commission made with the consent of the Treasury.

(17) The power to make an order under subsection (9), (15) or (16) above is exercisable by statutory instrument which shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

(18) If the liabilities of a building society to which subsection (3) above applies exceed at any time the limit in force under that subsection the powers conferred on the Commission by section 36 shall become exercisable in relation to the society, but exceeding the limit shall not affect the validity of transactions effected in excess of it.

(19) In this section—

• " qualifying time deposit" means a deposit in sterling made with the society as to which the following conditions are satisfied, that is to say—

  (i)

  the amount of the deposit is or exceeds £50,000;

  (ii)

  the deposit is repayable at the end of a specified period which expires before the end of the period of 12 months beginning on the date on which the deposit is made ; and

  (iii)

  the right to repayment is not assignable ;

• " retirement benefits scheme " means a retirement benefits scheme within the meaning of Chapter II of Part II of the [1970 c. 24.] Finance Act 1970 (occupational pension schemes) and " approved " means approved for the time being by the Commissioners of Inland Revenue for the purposes of that Chapter; and

• " transferable instrument" means an instrument which embodies a right, transferable by delivery of the instrument, to receive an amount referable to a deposit with the society.