The director of hardware maintenance company support.net, Howard Walker has claimed victory over Misys after complaining to the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) that the software house was unfairly protecting its maintenance operations against competition.

In June this year, Walker told Insurance Times: "They [Misys] were basically coercing the customers into using the Misys maintenance contract."

Walker had claimed that Misys threatened to withdraw software support from brokers if they switched to new maintenance providers.

However, last month, he received a letter from the OFT which said Phillip Bell, the new managing director of the Misys insurance division, had made a number of statements which confirm that if a third party carries out maintenance work incorrectly on peripherals, it will be easy for Misys to identify this, and subsequently hold the third party responsible.

Bell also told the OFT that the results of software diagnostics would be made available to third party hardware maintenance providers to assist in making the necessary repair.

That means that Misys will give information to rival maintenance providers to help them complete their work.

Lastly, Bell confirmed that users would not suffer if they chose a 'competent third party firm'.

The news means that rival companies will now be able to offer maintenance support on Misys peripherals – and receive help from Misys when they do so.

Walker claimed the move was a "backtrack from Misys".

He added that he is now planning to start promoting his company as a rival maintenance contractor late this year or early next year.

Meanwhile Mysis' Phillip Bell said:

"The OFT, following Mr Walker's representations, made certain enquiries to us concerning maintenance issues.

"We were very keen, before and after I joined the company, to give them all correspondence and telephone calls to clarify what we did or didn't do. The matter is now closed.

"As far as I am concerned, Misys hasn't changed its position, merely clarified it. If Mr Walker feels that is a victory for him then that is his opinion.

"The OFT has made enquiries of us and the OFT has seen fit to say there is no case to answer," he added.

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