Advertising of credit

There are rules on how financial services and credit can be advertised. The lender providing the credit must make sure that these rules are followed. Lenders must not publish, display, or submit any advertisement that breaks the rules.

The Central Bank of Ireland monitors advertising for the services that it regulates. To check whether a financial services firm is regulated by the Central Bank, you can check the register at registers.centralbank.ie.

In general, advertising of financial services and credit must be clear, fair, accurate and not misleading. Headline claims and offers must be balanced with information such as risks, fees and charges so that you can make fully informed choices.

The main laws on the advertising of credit are set out in the Consumer Credit Act 1995.

Standard information

Any advertising of credit agreements that includes an interest rate or the cost of the credit must include standard information. This is set out in the European Communities (Consumer Credit Agreements) Regulations 2010.

This standard information must use a representative example and clearly show:

• The borrowing rate (fixed or variable or both) and details of any charges included in the total cost of the credit to the consumer
• The total amount of credit
• The annual percentage rate of charge (except in the case of an overdraft)
• The duration of the credit agreement (if applicable)
• If the credit is in the form of deferred payment for a specific good or service, the cash price and the amount of any advance payment
• The total amount that you are required to pay and the amount of the instalments (if applicable)

For mortgages, if the loan will be secured on a residential property this must be stated. A warning must be included if possible changes of the exchange rate could affect the amount you pay.

If you are required to also agree to another service (such as insurance) to get the credit agreement as advertised, and if the cost of this service is not known in advance, this requirement must be stated clearly.

The Central Bank of Ireland has a Consumer Protection Code which includes rules on advertising. The Code applies to most of the financial services firms that are regulated by the Central Bank.

Firms must act honestly, fairly and professionally and must not mislead you about the advantages or disadvantages of any product or service.

Advertisements must clearly represent what the advertiser is offering to the consumer. The rules in the Code cover advertising in all formats, including:

• TV, radio, print
• Outdoor advertising, such as billboards, window displays, advertising on public transport, at bus stops and rail stations
• Online advertising, including banners, pop-ups and other forms
• Video streaming, micro-blogging and comment feeds on social media sites
• Internet discussion sites
• Websites and marketing sites
• Search engine sponsorships
• Promotional materials (such as text messages)
• Competitions and advertorials that promote products or services

Under the Code, advertising for financial products and services must make sure that:

• Information is clear, accurate, up to date and written in plain English
• Promotional materials and advertisements are clear, fair and accurate and do not mislead you
• Key information is not hidden in the small print

Moneylending Regulations introduced in 2020 restrict how licensed moneylenders can offer and promote loans. Advertisements by moneylenders must be fair and not be misleading.

They must be clearly presented and be clear about the type of service being advertised.

If the loan is a high-cost product, advertisements must include a clear warning and prompt you to consider alternative loans from other lenders.

For loans under €200, the requirements set out above in ‘Standard information’ apply.

The Central Bank of Ireland has published questions and answers on the moneylending regulations (pdf).

Read more about the rules that apply to moneylenders.

If you feel that any credit advertisement or promotion is unclear, inaccurate or misleading, the Central Bank of Ireland has information on how to make a complaint.

The Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland (ASAI) has a Code of Standards for Advertising and Marketing Communications in Ireland which includes ASAI standards for advertising financial services and products. If you make a complaint to the ASAI, the ASAI will check whether the complaint relates to the ASAI Code of Standards. The ASAI may advise you that your complaint should instead be dealt with under the Central Bank Code of Conduct.