The Financial Conduct Authority publishes a register of authorised firms, and the Equity Release Council publishes its member list. Checking both takes a few minutes and they tell you different things.
Two registers, both free, both public, and between them they answer most of what you need to know about anybody offering you equity release.
Equity release may involve a lifetime mortgage, secured against your property, or a home reversion plan. It will reduce the value of your estate and impact funding long-term care.
The Financial Conduct Authority maintains a public register of authorised firms and individuals, and checking somebody on it takes a couple of minutes. It is the check the regulator itself tells consumers to make.
The Equity Release Council publishes its member list separately. The two are different things and both are worth doing: authorisation is a regulatory status, membership is a commitment to the product standards.
The no-negative-equity guarantee, the right to remain for life and the right to make voluntary payments are Council standards. A provider outside the Council has not committed to any of them.
What the guarantee actually says →Search for the firm by name and check that the permissions cover what they are offering you. Authorisation is a status, not an endorsement, and it does not mean anybody has checked their advice.
Published by the Equity Release Council. It tells you whether the product standards apply and whether the adviser has signed up to their rules of conduct.
If something goes wrong →Some firms operate under another firm's permissions. The Register shows this and it is worth understanding who is actually responsible.
Clone firms, and how to spot one →Whole of market, a panel, or a single provider. It changes what you are being shown, and it is a fair question.
Questions worth asking →Whether anybody is any good. A register tells you somebody is authorised and what they are authorised for. It does not tell you whether their advice will suit you, and neither can we: we publish information and pass enquiries to one adviser, and we are not authorised to advise anybody about anything.
Advice is required to proceed with equity release and there may be other options which better suit your circumstances. Only if your case completes would an advice fee be payable, and the adviser will tell you what theirs is before you commit to anything. Other lender and solicitor fees may apply.
What is your firm reference number?
So you can look them up. Anybody legitimate will give it without hesitation.
Are you whole of market, on a panel, or tied to one provider?
It changes what you will be shown, and it is a completely normal question.
Are you an appointed representative, and of whom?
It affects who carries responsibility for the advice.
Are you a member of the Equity Release Council?
It decides whether the product standards apply to what you are being offered.
Short answers to the things that come up most. None of it is advice, and every figure on this page carries its source.
Two registers, both free and both public. Between them they answer most of what you need to know about anybody offering you equity release.
The Financial Conduct Authority maintains a public register of authorised firms and individuals. Checking somebody on it takes a couple of minutes, and it is the check the regulator itself points consumers to.
No. They are different and both are worth doing. Authorisation is a regulatory status; membership is a commitment to the Council standards. The Council publishes its member list separately.
Equity release may involve a lifetime mortgage, secured against your property, or a home reversion plan. It will reduce the value of your estate and impact funding long-term care.
One qualified equity release adviser. They will go through your figures and tell you if there is a better answer. It costs nothing and commits you to nothing.
Google Analytics, Microsoft Clarity and Vimeo. Say no and none of them loads. What each one stores, and what Microsoft use theirs for.