LEXLAW Solicitors & Barristers
The Financial Conduct Authority has today published its’ final report into the misconduct of the Royal Bank of Scotland‘s GRG unit. The report purports to explain the FCA’s…
In October 2018, the complaints process closed to individuals with claims against the Royal Bank of Scotland’s notorious Global Restructuring Group. Individuals and SMEs are now starting to receive updates on their complaints with some receiving outcome letters. Your complaint to GRG The complaints process is a…
The APPG on Fair Business Banking launched their highly anticipated dispute resolution report on 11 July 2018. The report, authored by Kevin Hollinrake MP and undertaken by the Centre…
Ali Akram and Jaron Dosanjh attended Parliament on LEXLAW’s behalf at the New City Agenda Event, Tuesday 10th July 2018, Committee Room 14, House of Commons
RBS says it will expand its redress scheme to include appeals with independent third- party oversight for consequential losses suffered due to misconduct by its Global Restructuring Group (GRG).
The door has been opened by the Court of Appeal in PAG v RBS [2018] for misrepresentation claims to be brought by a counter-party to a derivative which…
The Court of Appeal (Sir Terence Etherton MR, Longmore LJ and Newey LJ) handed down judgment in the highly anticipated appeal from Asplin J’s decision in Property Alliance…
The FCA regulates authorised firms under the Financial Services and Markets Act (FSMA) 2000, overseeing conduct and prudential standards. It authorises firms, supervises compliance, investigates breaches, and enforces rules via fines, bans, and public censure. The FCA’s remit focuses on “regulated activities,” but it also monitors firms’ overall behaviour, including some unregulated actions linked to regulated firms. It holds senior managers accountable under the Senior Managers and Certification Regime (SMCR). The FCA aims to protect consumers, uphold market integrity, and promote competition, balancing its powers with statutory limits set by Parliament and Government.
UK Parliament unanimously condemned RBS’s Global Restructuring Group (GRG) for its systemic mistreatment of SMEs, describing it as a parasitic unit engaged in asset stripping and aggressive litigation tactics. MPs highlighted GRG’s role in artificially distressing viable businesses, undervaluing assets, and employing harsh recovery strategies during 2008-2013, leading to widespread financial harm. The FCA’s delayed and redacted report faced heavy criticism, with calls for transparent accountability, a Financial Services Tribunal, whistleblower protections, and full release of investigations.
The leaked 2009 internal memo from RBS’s Global Restructuring Group (GRG), titled “Just Hit Budget!”, reveals aggressive tactics aimed at extracting maximum profit from struggling SME customers. The memo outlines a systematic approach to pressure businesses, including leveraging fees, forcing deal signings, and deliberately letting customers fail – referred to chillingly as “let customers hang themselves.” This memo exemplifies the toxic culture within GRG that led to severe financial distress for many SMEs.