Online terms and conditions

The terms and conditions covered on this page refer to the Bank of Scotland Investment Service - Online Client Service only and should be read before using the online service.

Terms and conditions

1. What do special words and phrases mean?

1. In these conditions, the following words have a special meaning.
   
   "We", "us" and "our" refers to Bank of Scotland plc trading as Bank of Scotland Investment Service.
   
   "You" and "your" refers to a person authorised to use the online services. This can be the owner of a Bank of Scotland Investment Service plan or a person authorised by that person to use certain online services on their behalf.
   
   
2. In these conditions, we have put the following words and phrases in bold type because they have a special meaning.
   • Bank of Scotland Investment Service plans are any plans issued by Halifax Life Limited or HBOS Investment Fund Managers Limited or St Andrew's Life Assurance plc or Clerical Medical Investment Group Limited, which are branded Bank of Scotland Investment Service.
   • The online services are extra services relating to Bank of Scotland Investment Service plans, available through our website, to which you gain access by using your security details.
   • Your security details for the online services are your password and your personal identity number (PIN).

3. These conditions explain the relationship between you and us in relation to the online services. You should read the conditions carefully to understand how the online services work and your and our rights and duties under them.
   

2. How do these conditions work?

1. By registering for the online services, you accept these conditions and agree that we may communicate with you by e-mail or through our Web site.
   
   
2. These conditions will apply only to the online services provided as part of your Bank of Scotland Investment Service plans.
   
   
3. In relation to the online services, if there is any conflict between these conditions and the relevant Bank of Scotland Investment Service plan conditions, these conditions will apply.

3. What services are available online?

1. Through the online services, you will be able to:
   • view information about Bank of Scotland Investment Service plans.
   • make contributions to your Bank of Scotland Investment Service plans.
   • view certain personal and product information we hold for you in our records and update some of that information.
   Not all of these online services will be available immediately or at the same time. You can find out which online services are available by viewing our Web site.
   
   
2. If you send any instructions through the online services (for example, an application for a Bank of Scotland Investment Service plan or a request to make a contribution), you must make sure that the details are correct before you send them.
   
   
3. Any instructions you send through the online services do not bind us until we accept them. We will confirm that we have received your instructions by sending you a screen message. This does not confirm that we accept your instructions.
   
   
4. If, at any point, the flow of information between us is interrupted (for example, your computer crashes or you can no longer access our Web site), and you are not certain whether we have received your instructions, do not try to send your instructions again. Instead, please telephone us on 0870 901 0137 and we will confirm the position.
   
   
5. For requests to change certain information we hold for you in our records, we will send you a letter by post confirming any changes you have requested. For a joint plan, you will be able to view information about that plan but we can accept a request through the online services to change only a limited amount of information relating to that plan.

4. What rules apply to security?

1. You are responsible for all instructions and other information sent using your security details.
   
   
2. You must not let anybody else know your security details.
   
   
3. If you think that someone knows any of your security details, or has used any of them to use the online services, you must do the following.
   • For your password, change it online as soon as possible.
   • For your PIN (or if you cannot change your password online), notify us straightaway by ringing our Online Help Desk on 0870 901 00137.
   You will not be held responsible for any instructions or information sent after you have notified us that someone knows any of your security details, or has used any of them to access the online services.
   
   
4. We do not accept responsibility for any loss you or anybody else may suffer because of a breach of security (other than a breach that occurs after you have given us notice under condition 4c) unless this is caused by our wilful default or negligence.
   
   
5. We may give the police or any prosecuting authority (for example, the Crown Prosecution Service) any information they need if we think that it will help them find out if someone else is using your security details.
   
   
6. We may keep any e-mails sent to or from us. We do this to check what was written and also to help train our staff.

5. When can we withdraw, suspend or change the online services?

1. We can suspend or withdraw all or part of the online services from you or generally at any time. If we have already received any instructions from you, we will still carry out your instructions in line with these conditions.
   
   
2. If we give you notice either by writing to you or by publishing the change on our Web site, we may change these conditions for any reason. If we have already received any instructions from you before we gave notice of the change, we will carry out your instructions in line with the conditions before the change is made.
   
   
3. We may give you written notice by writing to the last e-mail address you notified to us. For this reason, if you have notified your e-mail address to us, you must make sure that we have your most up-to-date e-mail address at all times (you can notify us of the change online).

6. What is the extent of our liability?

1. We do not accept responsibility for any loss you or anybody else may suffer because any instructions or information you send us are sent in error, fail to reach us or are distorted unless this is caused by our wilful default or negligence.
   
   
2. We do not accept responsibility for any loss you or anybody else may suffer because any instructions or information we send you fail to reach you or are distorted unless this is caused by our wilful default or negligence.
   
   
3. Nothing in these conditions excludes or restricts our duties under the rules of the Financial Services Authority, the Financial Services Markets Act 2000 (or any successor to the act) or any regulations issued under that Act (or any successor to that Act).