Not all investment firms offer or charge the same for the investment services they provide. Understand how the investment firm is paid by asking for a copy of its tariff schedule. Ask what “fee” or “charges” you will be required to pay when buying or selling a security; when opening, and/or closing an investment account; ongoing account related fees (if any); advisory related fees (when provided with an advisory service); safekeeping fees (if applicable). More information about fees and charges is found under the “Compare charges and more” section of this website.
Make sure that your investment firm meets your requirements and is in a position to provide you with the investment service that you want. You might also want to check whether it is able to sell financial products from a range of different companies. Some of these investment firms are also representatives of one or more products, such as collective investment schemes.
Some investment firms may only sell the products of the companies they represent. In this case, the choice of products can be rather limited. In any case, investment firms must ensure that the products they suggest really suit your interests and needs.
