A Southwark mortgage broker has had his application for a consumer credit licence refused by the OFT.

Soner Orhan Enver had his application refused on the basis that he had seven convictions for placing cards in telephone boxes advertising prostitutes. This is an offence under the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001, the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) Regulations 1992 and the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. Mr Enver also failed to declare these convictions on his licence application, which is a breach of the Consumer Credit Act 1974, or that he had made previous applications for a licence.

As a result the adjudicator decided that Mr Enver was unfit to provide credit to consumers and refused his application.

In considering fitness, the OFT takes into account a number of factors carried on by the business or anyone involved in running the business including:

* any offence or conviction of violence or dishonesty

* failure to comply with the provisions of the Consumer Credit Act or other consumer protection legislation

* consumer complaints

* evidence of unfair business practice

* evidence of discrimination on grounds of sex, colour, race or ethnic/national origin. Christine Wade, Director of Consumer Regulation Enforcement, said:

‘Failing to disclose criminal convictions is a serious matter and the nature of this applicant’s convictions clearly make him unsuitable to provide credit to consumers.’

Wednesday 15 December 2004