Settlement is the process brokers employ to resolve and finalise your trades.
It also covers the ongoing administration of shares you hold with us as a number of things can and do happen to shares you own.
Standard UK settlement of transactions is two working days (known as Trade + 2, or T+2). If you buy, money is automatically deducted from your account to pay for your purchase and if you sell, the shares are automatically sent to the buyer.
Share transactions are settled via a standard system all brokers use run by a company called ‘CREST’. This is similar to the way you would also buy and sell a house, you exchange contracts (in the case of shares, agree a price and book the trade in the market) and then two weeks later your solicitor sends the money to the seller and you get the keys (in the case of shares, they are electronically sent to your portfolio with us).
We offer a nominee service due to the costs of CREST personal membership.
With a nominee service you still receive dividends, reports and we can arrange DRIPs, shareholder perks and attendance at meetings which are the main reasons to want a CREST personal account.
We also offer all these services at no charge – which means we believe the nominee account offers great services but no extra cost to you.
We hold all clients assets in nominee – this means that they are segregated away from Beaufort in trust to protect your ownership.
Yes, as they are held in trust for you away from Beaufort even if we become insolvent your shares cannot be used to pay off any of Beaufort’s debts.
Nominee holdings also ensure that your holding is always up to date with any corporate actions as the Registrar amends actions electronically.
When you come to sell therefore you sell an accurate holding.
Confirmations of trades will be sent via secure message within your account, which you can access online via our website.
