Clare James Automotive Limited

Reference number: 536096

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Appointed representative

This firm does not hold FCA authorisation of its own, and acts under a principal firm, which is legally responsible for its regulated business.

Responsible principal firm

Automotive Compliance Limited Reference number: 497010 Authorised View firm →
What does this mean?
  • An appointed representative (AR) can carry out regulated financial services, but is not directly authorised by the FCA. A principal firm holds the authorisation and is legally responsible for the AR's conduct.
  • Clare James Automotive Limited (FRN 536096) is an AR of Automotive Compliance Limited (FRN 497010). When you use Clare James Automotive's services, the FCA authorisation sits with the principal firm.
  • Example: if you take financial advice from Clare James Automotive, complaints and compensation usually follow the same rules as dealing with the principal, but this depends on the product and your circumstances.
  • Before you proceed, confirm contact details match the official FCA register for both firms. Scammers sometimes clone legitimate AR names and FRNs but use fake phone numbers and websites.

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.

In the full report: 3 background checks

  • When lightcliffe.co.uk first appeared online, and whether it can receive email
  • What kind of line 01925 655300 is
  • Who else gives the postcode MK9 1FE
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Other names (28)

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

  • Lightcliffe Skoda warrington Trading name
  • Clare James Automotive Ltd Former name
  • Green Bower Mini & BMW Former trading name
  • Halifax Volkswagen Former trading name
  • Lightcliffe Honda Liverpool Former trading name
  • Lightcliffe Honda Southport Former trading name
  • Lightcliffe Honda warrington Former trading name
  • lightcliffe north wales audi Former trading name
  • lightcliffe seat Former trading name
  • lightcliffe skoda Former trading name
  • Lightcliffe Skoda Abergele Former trading name
  • Lightcliffe Volkswagen Former trading name
  • Lightcliffe Volkswagen (Halifax) Former trading name
  • Lightcliffe Volkswagen (Liverpool) Former trading name
  • Lightcliffe Volkswagen (Stafford) Former trading name
  • Lightcliffe Volkswagen (Stoke) Former trading name
  • Lightcliffe Volkswagen (Warrington) Former trading name
  • Liverpool Volkswagen Former trading name
  • North Wales Volkswagen & VW Commercial Vehicles North Wales Former trading name
  • Pentraeth Audi Former trading name
  • Pentraeth SEAT Former trading name
  • Pentraeth Volkswagen Former trading name
  • Pentraeth Volkswagen Abergele Former trading name
  • Stafford Volkswagen Former trading name
  • Stoke Volkswagen Former trading name
  • Volkswagen Van Centre Pentraeth Former trading name
  • Warrington Volkswagen Former trading name
  • www.lightlease.co.uk Former trading name

FCA permissions and consumer protection

  • Protection through the principal firm
    Protection works through Automotive Compliance Limited, the principal firm responsible for this firm's regulated activity. FSCS cover and the Financial Ombudsman Service apply as they would to the principal.
  • Complaints Ombudsman, free
    You can refer a complaint about this firm to the Financial Ombudsman Service for free, whichever activity it relates to.

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
05082322
Company status
Active
Company type
Private limited company
Incorporated
24 March 2004 (22 years old)
Registered office
Matches the FCA register address ✓
Nature of business
  • Sale of new cars and light motor vehicles (SIC 45111)
  • Sale of used cars and light motor vehicles (SIC 45112)
  • Maintenance and repair of motor vehicles (SIC 45200)
  • Retail trade of motor vehicle parts and accessories (SIC 45320)

Directors and company secretaries

Name Role Born Appointed Other companies
John Millington Director Jun 1959 24 Mar 2004 9 other companies
Ian James Rutter Director Jan 1958 24 Mar 2004 6 other companies
Sarah Ann Richardson Secretary Not published 17 Mar 2020 –

Other companies run by these 2 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
9
closed down
7
run together
6

In the full report: all 9 companies, named

  • What each company does, and whether it is still trading
  • Which of these 2 directors sit on each board, and since when
  • Any that went into liquidation or administration
  • The 6 companies these 2 directors run together
  • All 3 people who have ever been directors, with their dates
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Filed accounts and finances

Year to 31 March 2025Full accountsAudited

Net assets

£2.16m

+7.7% from £2.00m

Cash at bank

£1,592

−87% from £12.6k

Employees (average)

0

Same as 0

Owed within a year

£5.16m

<1% from £5.20m

Assets and liabilities

In the full report: all 6 years of accounts

  • Every year from 2019 to 2025
  • The chart, over every year
  • Every filed figure, year by year
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About these figures
Turnover
Money taken from sales in the year, before any costs.
Profit before tax
What was left after the year’s costs, before corporation tax. A minus figure is a loss.
Net assets, or total equity
Everything the company owns minus everything it owes. A minus figure means it owes more than it owns.
Total assets and total liabilities
Everything the company owns, and everything it owes, on the last day of the year. The gap between them is its net assets.
Cash at bank
Money in the company’s accounts on the last day of the year.
Owed within a year, owed after a year
Debts and bills due in the next twelve months, and those due later.

Accounts filed at Companies House for company 05082322. Every figure is as filed, apart from total assets and total liabilities, which are added up from filed figures. Nothing is estimated.

Key dates in its history

Clare James Automotive’s history from the FCA register and Companies House, newest first.

Key events (6) All events (65)

2016

6 April 2016

  • Ian James Rutter became the majority owner (50–75% of shares)
  • Sarah Ann Richardson became a part-owner (25–50% of shares)

Companies House

2015

13 March 2015

  • Changed its registered name from "Clare James Automotive Ltd"

FCA register

15 January 2015

  • Changed its registered name from "Clare James Automotive Limited"

FCA register

2010

17 November 2010

  • Became an appointed representative

FCA register

2004

24 March 2004

  • Incorporated at Companies House

Companies House

In the full report: all 65 events

  • All 65 events in its history (6 shown here)
  • Every director appointment and resignation: 4
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Firms like Clare James Automotive

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

In Milton Keynes

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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 Clare James Automotive

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

  • 9 other companies its directors have run, named
  • 3 background checks on its contact details
  • 6 years of accounts, charted
  • All 65 events in its history

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Frequently asked questions about this firm

Is Clare James Automotive Limited FCA authorised?
Clare James Automotive Limited (FRN 536096) is not directly authorised. It is an appointed representative acting under the responsibility of a directly authorised principal firm.
What does appointed representative mean for Clare James Automotive?
An appointed representative (AR) can carry out regulated financial services, but is not directly authorised by the FCA. A principal firm holds the authorisation and is legally responsible for the AR's conduct. Clare James Automotive Limited (FRN 536096) is an AR of Automotive Compliance Limited (FRN 497010). When you use Clare James Automotive's services, the FCA authorisation sits with the principal firm. Example: if you take financial advice from Clare James Automotive, complaints and compensation usually follow the same rules as dealing with the principal, but this depends on the product and your circumstances. Before you proceed, confirm contact details match the official FCA register for both firms. Scammers sometimes clone legitimate AR names and FRNs but use fake phone numbers and websites.
What is Clare James Automotive’s phone number and website?
The FCA register lists the phone number 01925 655300 and the website lightcliffe.co.uk for Clare James Automotive. If you were given different contact details, use these to check with the firm before going any further.
Is Clare James Automotive a scam or clone?
Clare James Automotive 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 Clare James Automotive?
Protection works through Automotive Compliance Limited, the principal firm responsible for Clare James Automotive's regulated activity. FSCS cover and the Financial Ombudsman Service apply as they would to the principal.
Who owns Clare James Automotive?
Companies House lists 2 people with significant control of Clare James Automotive: Mr Ian James Rutter (50–75% of shares) and Mrs Sarah Ann Richardson (25–50% of shares).
Who runs Clare James Automotive?
Companies House lists 2 directors of Clare James Automotive: John Millington and Ian James Rutter.
How long has Clare James Automotive been in business?
The company was formed on 24 March 2004.
What do Clare James Automotive’s latest accounts show?
Its latest accounts, to 31 March 2025, show net assets of £2.16m (+7.7% from £2.00m) and cash at bank of £1,592 (−87% from £12.6k).
Does Clare James Automotive use any other names?
It trades as Lightcliffe Skoda warrington. It has previously used 27 other names, including Clare James Automotive Ltd, Green Bower Mini & BMW and Halifax Volkswagen.

Sources and links

The full report on Clare James Automotive Limited

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