Proving Compliance with the Obligation to Inform: How Registered Email Helps Lenders Meet Regulatory Requirements

Lenders are obliged by regulation to provide very specific information to customers at the earliest stages of a credit application. This information must be delivered in a durable medium. To prove compliance with this obligation to inform, it is mandatory to keep immutable records of what information was provided and when.

Failing to do so exposes lenders to fines, penalties and disputes—risks that can easily be anticipated and avoided.

Most lenders still rely on traditional certified letters for delivering important information to consumers. However, the easiest and most cost-effective way of reaching anyone across the globe is email. European Union Directives and UK Acts now recognize email as a durable medium, provided its immutability is guaranteed.

The real question is no longer if email can be trusted, but how to ensure email can be relied upon efficiently and at a reasonable cost.

eEvidence and the obligation to inform

eEvidence registered email seamlessly combines Internet and cryptography standards to enable lenders to rely on email for regulatory compliance.

Whether it concerns:

• Pre-contractual and contractual terms
• Termination of credit agreements
• Debt collection processes

eEvidence registers and supplies immutable evidence of what was delivered via email, to whom, and when—without requiring any action from the recipient.

How it works in practice

In such a regulated market, credit organizations must demonstrate what communications were exchanged with their customers. eEvidence provides:

• Independence: acting as a trusted third party certification provider
• Integrity: issuing a PDF receipt signed electronically, including the full original email, digital fingerprints of the attachments, and the transmission record
• Traceability: confirmation that the recipient’s mail server accepted the message

This means that, when challenged, lenders can produce conclusive, preventive evidence that they provided the required information on time and in full.

Beyond compliance: managing disputes efficiently

Being able to prove what was communicated benefits more than compliance. It helps deal with disputes not only with customers, but also with suppliers, investors or public administrations.

Most disputes can be resolved faster, more effectively, and at a lower cost when both parties can rely on indisputable, time-stamped proof of the communications exchanged.

FAQs

What does “durable medium” mean in regulatory terms?

It refers to any medium that allows consumers to store information personally, ensures the content cannot be altered, and makes it accessible for an adequate period of time. Email, when certified, meets this requirement.

Why isn’t a traditional email enough?

A conventional email can be denied or altered. A registered email includes cryptographic seals and independent certification, ensuring immutability and legal validity.

Does the recipient need to take any action?

No. eEvidence works transparently: recipients do not need to click, sign, or confirm anything for the certification to be valid.

Is eEvidence compliant with EU regulations?

Yes. eEvidence complies with Regulation (EU) 910/2014 (eIDAS) and related UK Acts, ensuring legal recognition across the EU and the UK.

Conclusion

In today’s financial sector, compliance is non-negotiable. With eEvidence registered email, lenders can:

• Demonstrate compliance with the obligation to inform
• Provide evidence of communications in a durable medium
• Resolve disputes quickly and effectively
• Avoid regulatory penalties and costly litigation

If your business relies on critical communications, don’t leave compliance to chance.
Start certifying your emails with eEvidence today and secure evidence no one can dispute.