About us

The Consumer Credit Act 1974 provides a licensing regime, administered by the Office of Fair Trading for traders in the consumer credit business or consumer hire business. Those wishing to conduct business that is regulated under the Consumer Credit Act 1974 require to be licensed by the Office of Fair Trading. The Office of Fair Trading grants consumer credit licences to those fit to hold a licence, on the basis of criteria set out in the Consumer Credit Act 1974. The Office of Fair Trading can decide not to grant a licence, or not to renew or to revoke an existing licence, if it considers that a person is not fit to hold a licence.
The Consumer Credit Act 2006 amended the 1974 Act and introduced new licensing provisions including powers under which the Office of Fair Trading can impose requirements and monetary penalties on licence holders. The 2006 Act also established a new Tribunal, the Consumer Credit Appeals Tribunal, to hear and decide appeals from licensing decisions made by the Office of Fair Trading from 6 April 2008. The Consumer Credit Appeals Tribunal was also empowered to hear appeals against decisions of the Office of Fair Trading under the Money Laundering Regulations 2007.
From 1 September 2009, the Consumer Credit Appeals Tribunal ceased to exist and its functions were transferred to the First–tier Tribunal. At the same time, the judicial office holders and members of the Consumer Credit Appeals Tribunal became judicial office holders and members of the First–tier Tribunal (Consumer Credit). The transfer is part of a programme of tribunal reform that began with the establishment of the First–tier Tribunal and Upper Tribunal within the Tribunals Service in November 2008, putting in place a more flexible structure that can accommodate the changing needs of users.
The First–tier Tribunal deals with appeals across a range of subject areas, grouped together into a series of chambers. Appeals against decisions of the Office of Fair Trading under the Consumer Credit Act 1974 and the Money Laundering Regulations 2007 are now to the General Regulatory Chamber (GRC) of the First–tier Tribunal. The GRC has its own rules which supersede the rules of individual tribunals. The Consumer Credit Appeals Tribunals Rules 2008 generally no longer apply from 1 September 2009. The new rules are the Tribunal Procedure (First–tier Tribunal) (General Regulatory Chamber) Rules 2009. Appeals to the Consumer Credit Appeals Tribunal that were outstanding as at 1 September 2009 have become appeals to the First–tier Tribunal (Consumer Credit).
Onward appeals from the First–tier Tribunal (Consumer Credit) to the Upper Tribunal can be made, with permission, on a point of law arising from a decision of the First–tier Tribunal.
The Consumer Credit Appeals Tribunal maintained a register containing details of appeals to the Tribunal and decisions of the Tribunal that disposed of appeals. The First–tier Tribunal (Consumer Credit) continues the practice of the Consumer Credit Appeals Tribunal and maintains a register of appeals to the Tribunal and decisions of the Tribunal that dispose of appeals. The Tribunal also published a list of forthcoming hearings.
The decisions of the First–tier Tribunal can be accessed from the separate Decisions page of this website. There are also links to the following:

Forthcoming hearings of the First–tier Tribunal (Consumer Credit) (15kb)