Services

Generic advice and guidance service

This service is designed to offer pro-active generic advice and guidance in assisting clients with mostly fixed interest portfolios. We provide frequent communications, timely market updates and relevant information, combined with effective best execution through our nominated execution venues. We will always conduct an appropriateness test to ensure that our clients have the requisite understanding to instruct us effectively. Only then we will complete our account opening process and provide a report on the compatibility of existing holdings against the clients' stated investment strategy and risk profile. Any inconsistencies will be identified, and we will offer generic advice and guidance on the available courses of action.

Our generic advice and guidance are always provided on the understanding that it will be largely followed, although the timing of specific trades will be subject to our clients’ instructions. Written valuations, account statements, market comment, and investment reviews are provided monthly with administration fees charged according to our schedule of charges. Our clients are always encouraged to keep us updated of their investment objectives and strategy, when relevant. We provide timely market information relevant to our clients’ portfolios and always aim to ensure that the highest standards of service are maintained at all times.

We accept responsibility for the appropriateness of all our clients’ transactions and always exercise diligence, skill and care based on the information available. Any amendments to these arrangements will be notified to our clients in writing and either party may initiate such changes. Unless notified to the contrary, we may call our clients from time to time to provide relevant market information without having been expressly invited to make such calls. Our ability to communicate with our clients in such way increases the effectiveness of our service and we will only make such calls between 8.00am and 8.00pm Monday to Friday.

Monthly Administration Fees for Trading, SIPP and ISA accounts and Dealing Charges for Equities and Fixed Interest Instruments

→ Standard Schedule of Fees and Charges

Personalised financial planning service

Investments and Insurance

We provide an independent personalised advice service and offer regulated products from the whole market including non-investment protection products, Whole of Life and Term Assurance, Mortgage Protection, Critical Illness and Income Protection Insurance. We will only make personalised recommendations suitable to our clients’ circumstances after we have assessed needs, considered financial objectives, attitude to risk, capacity for loss, and any restrictions that have been placed on investment strategy or particular products.

Our work ethos

We initially categorise all clients as Retail Clients for all personalised advice work as this will afford the highest level of protection under the UK regulatory system and enable any complaint to be referred to the Financial Ombudsman Service. We are committed to providing the highest standard of service and have designed all our systems and processes accordingly so that we are:

At all times open, honest and transparent;
At all times place our clients’ interests above ours;
At all times communicate clearly, promptly and without jargon;

Client instructions

Clients can give or terminate instructions at any time, but without prejudice to the completion of transactions already initiated. We accept instructions by telephone, letter, email or text but such instructions will not be deemed to have been accepted by us until we have issued a confirmation to you. Any transactions affected before termination, a due proportion of any periodic fees for services will be settled to that date.

Payment for our services

→ Retail Client Initial Disclosure Document

We will not charge until agreement has been reached about how we are to be paid. We will provide clients with an initial consultation free of charge and will confirm how we can assist in working towards agreed financial objectives. We charge for our services by way of fees, based on a percentage of the value of investments, or on an hourly rate.

Financial review and personalised recommendations

This can be a continuation from the initial contact or discussion, where agreed, or via a further appointment and the process will cover:

gathering of information about our clients’ existing financial arrangements and full personal circumstances;
understanding our clients’ investment knowledge and experience, attitude to risk and capacity for loss; taking into account our clients’ views about prevailing market conditions and the future direction of such markets;
recommendation of an asset allocation model that matches our clients risk profile and the subsequent assessment and suitability of any existing holdings;
preparation of our recommendations to our clients;
arranging a second appointment to explain and discuss our recommendations in detail.

Policy arrangement and implementation – lump sum investments or transfers

Should clients instruct us to proceed with our recommendations we will act as follows:

Handle all fund and policy administration;
Provide regular progress updates;
Ensure all your documents are issued in line with expectations;
Provide written confirmation of all actions.

On-going review service for existing lump sum investments or for existing regular premium savings or investments

There is a fee for any on-going work, such as periodic or regular on-going reviews, we carry out for our clients. We will agree the rate, frequency and length of this on-going service before beginning any work, or prior to, making our personalised recommendations.

Paying for our services by the hour

We will provide an initial estimate before any work commences and seek express consent if our work is likely to exceed our estimate.