AO Retail Limited: FCA regulated?

Authorised by the FCA

This firm is on the FCA register and authorised to carry out regulated activities.

Authorised for 11 years
Complaints covered by the Ombudsman
No FCA actions
Active company since 2000

Website, phone number and address

Compare these against whatever you were given. Scammers clone real firm names and reference numbers but use their own phone number and website, so a detail that does not match the register is the clearest warning sign there is.

Website

ao.com (opens in a new tab)
Phone number

01204 672400
Address

5A The Parklands, Lostock, Bolton, Greater Manchester, BL6 4SD, United Kingdom

In the full report: 3 background checks

When ao.com first appeared online, and whether it can receive email
What kind of line 01204 672400 is
Who else gives the postcode BL6 4SD

Other names (11)

If you were contacted under any of these names, it is this firm.

AO Business Trading name: A name it trades under now.
ao.com Trading name: A name it trades under now.
AO Mobile Trading name: A name it trades under now.
Appliances Online Trading name: A name it trades under now.
Boots Kitchen Appliances Trading name: A name it trades under now.
Lebara Phones Trading name: A name it trades under now.
Mobile Phones Direct Trading name: A name it trades under now.
Empire Direct Appliances Former trading name: A name it used to trade under.
House of Fraser Kitchen Appliances Former trading name: A name it used to trade under.
Next Domestic Appliances Former trading name: A name it used to trade under.
Screwfix Appliances Former trading name: A name it used to trade under.

FCA permissions and consumer protection

Lend or arrange credit No FSCS cover
Consumer credit is not covered by the FSCS, so there is no compensation scheme if the firm fails.
Complaints Ombudsman, free
You can refer a complaint about this firm to the Financial Ombudsman Service for free, whichever activity it relates to.

Show FCA detail (1 permission)

Credit Broking

FCA disciplinary action and complaints

No FCA disciplinary action.

The Financial Ombudsman Service only publishes complaint figures for firms with 30 or more new complaints in six months, so there are none here for this firm.

Companies House record

The company behind the firm: its status, age, registered office and directors.

Company number: 03914998 (opens Companies House in a new tab)
Company status: Active
Company type: Private limited company
Incorporated: 28 January 2000 (26 years old)
Registered office: Unit 5a The Parklands, Lostock, Bolton, BL6 4SD
Nature of business: Retail sale via mail order houses or via Internet (SIC 47910)

Directors and company secretaries

Name	Role	Born	Appointed	Other companies
Jonathan Mark Stephen Higgins	Director	Mar 1978	31 Mar 2014	28 other companies
John Charles Roberts	Director	Oct 1973	17 Jun 2019	26 other companies
Stuart Mark Haynes	Director	Mar 1983	24 May 2022	1 other company
Julie Angela Louise Finnemore	Secretary	Not published	15 Apr 2014	–

Other companies run by these 3 directors

A firm is run by people, and their other companies are their track record: what they built, what closed, and anything that failed. It is the check most people never think to make.

other companies: 38
closed down: 1
are FCA-registered: 2

In the full report: all 38 companies, named

What each company does, and whether it is still trading
Which of these 3 directors sit on each board, and since when
Any that went into liquidation or administration
The 2 on the FCA register
The 17 companies these 3 directors run together
All 22 people who have ever been directors, with their dates

Key dates in its history

AO Retail’s history from the FCA register and Companies House, newest first.

Key events (4) All events (62)

2016

2 June 2016

Ao Limited took control (75–100% of shares)

Companies House

2015

17 July 2015

Regulated by the FCA from this date
Became authorised by the FCA

FCA register

2000

28 January 2000

Incorporated at Companies House

Companies House

In the full report: all 62 events

All 62 events in its history (4 shown here)
Every director appointment and resignation: 41

Firms connected to AO Retail

Other FCA-listed firms that share a director, phone number or address with AO Retail. A link shows who the firm is tied to, not whether either can be trusted.

connected firms: 2
share a director: 2

In the full report: all 2 connected firms, named

How each is linked: shared directors (2)
Who links each one: the named directors, with dates

Firms like AO Retail

Other firms of the same type (retailer), nearest first.

In Bolton

Scan Computers International LimitedBoltonAuthorised Cosatto LimitedBoltonAuthorised Fusion Furniture Solutions LtdBoltonAuthorised P & S Domestics LimitedBoltonAuthorised Saxon Furniture LimitedBoltonAuthorised Smile Kitchens LimitedBoltonAuthorised

Firms are listed by type and location, best known first. Being listed is not a recommendation: check any firm before you deal with it.

Get the full report on AO Retail

Everything on this page, plus everything locked above, in one dated PDF you can keep, file or send on.

38 other companies its directors have run, named
3 background checks on its contact details
All 62 events in its history
2 connected firms, named, and who links them

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Frequently asked questions about this firm

Is AO Retail Limited FCA authorised?

Yes, AO Retail Limited (FRN 671796) is authorised by the FCA to carry out regulated activities. It has held its current authorisation since July 2015 and works as a retailer. The FCA has placed no limits on its permissions.

What is AO Retail’s phone number and website?

The FCA register lists the phone number 01204 672400 and the website ao.com for AO Retail. If you were given different contact details, use these to check with the firm before going any further.

Is AO Retail a scam or clone?

AO Retail is a genuine FCA-listed firm, and the FCA has published no warnings about fake versions of it. Scammers do copy real firms, though, so check that any contact details you were given match the ones on the register.

Is my money safe with AO Retail?

Its FCA permissions do not allow it to hold or control client money. Protection depends on which product you hold and how AO Retail handles your money, so check the specific product before you commit. You can also refer complaints about AO Retail to the Financial Ombudsman Service, free of charge.

Who owns AO Retail?

AO Retail is owned by Ao Limited, which holds 75–100% of shares, since 2 June 2016.

Who runs AO Retail?

Companies House lists 3 directors of AO Retail: Jonathan Mark Stephen Higgins, John Charles Roberts and Stuart Mark Haynes.

How long has AO Retail been in business?

The company was formed on 28 January 2000, and has held its current FCA authorisation since July 2015.

Does AO Retail use any other names?

It trades as AO Business, ao.com, AO Mobile, Appliances Online and Boots Kitchen Appliances, and 2 more names. It has previously used 4 other names, including Empire Direct Appliances, House of Fraser Kitchen Appliances and Next Domestic Appliances.