CITM4320 - Alternative finance arrangements (AFAs): Types of AFA treated as “loans�

FA05/s54A

Three types of financial arrangement that comply with the principles of Sharia’a law (AFAs) are treated as if they were “loansâ€� for all CITR purposes. »Ê¹ÚÌåÓýappse AFAs all replicate the effect of investments or loans at interest.

Finance arrangement -
FA05/s47 arrangements\n(alternative finance return) »Ê¹ÚÌåÓýapp purchase and resale of an asset where the sale price is greater than the purchase price and all or part of the sale price is deferred. »Ê¹ÚÌåÓýapp difference between sale price and purchase price equates to interest. Such arrangements could be entered into: by community development finance institutions (CDFIs) seeking funds from investors, or by CDFIs providing finance for enterprises.
FA05/s49 arrangements\n(profit share return) Money is deposited with a financial institution and invested along with other funds. Investment income arising from those funds is then periodically paid or credited to the depositor - and is equivalent to a payment or credit of interest. Only applies to “deposits� of money with a financial institution so only relevant to qualifying investments into a CDFI.
FA05/s49A arrangements\n(profit share agency) A person appoints a financial institution as his agent to act on his behalf. »Ê¹ÚÌåÓýapp financial institution then uses the money belonging to that person to produce profits that are then shared between agent and principal in such a manner that the return to the principal is capped, effectively this amounts to interest. »Ê¹ÚÌåÓýapp agent must be a financial institution so only relevant to qualifying investments into a CDFI.

Meaning of “financial institution�

In order for an arrangement to fall within one of the three categories detailed above one party to the arrangement must be a financial institution, as defined at FA05/s46. CDFIs with an interest in employing AFAs within the CITR scheme are likely to satisfy that definition either as a bank or by virtue of a license under the Consumer Credit Act).