Mortgages Direct Limited: FCA regulated?

Authorised by the FCA

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

Authorised for 22 years
Your funds are protected by FSCS
No FCA actions
Active company since 1993

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

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

01206 765599
Address

Colwyn House, Sheepen Place, Colchester, Essex, CO3 3LD, United Kingdom

In the full report: 3 background checks

When spicerhaart.com first appeared online, and whether it can receive email
What kind of line 01206 765599 is
Who else gives the postcode CO3 3LD

Other names (6)

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

Darlows Mortgage Services Former trading name: A name it used to trade under.
FJL Private Finance Former trading name: A name it used to trade under.
Haart Financial Services Former trading name: A name it used to trade under.
James Jardine Mortgage Solutions Former trading name: A name it used to trade under.
Spicerhaart Financial Services Former trading name: A name it used to trade under.
Spicer McColl Mortgage Brokers Former trading name: A name it used to trade under.

FCA permissions and consumer protection

Give regulated advice FSCS may apply
A claim for unsuitable advice is itself FSCS-protected, up to the limit that applies to the product you were advised on.
Manage or trade investments FSCS may apply
Eligible investment and pension claims are typically FSCS-protected up to £85,000 per person, depending on the product and your circumstances.
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 (4 permissions)

Advising on investments (except on Pension Transfers and Pension Opt Outs)
Advising on P2P agreements
Arranging (bringing about) deals in investments
Making arrangements with a view to transactions in investments

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: 02780784 (opens Companies House in a new tab)
Company status: Active
Company type: Private limited company
Incorporated: 19 January 1993 (33 years old)
Registered office: Matches the FCA register address ✓
Nature of business: Other business support service activities not elsewhere classified (SIC 82990)

Directors and company secretaries

Name	Role	Born	Appointed	Other companies
Antony Tobias Lark	Director	Sep 1972	7 May 2019	17 other companies
Matthew John Phillips	Director	Nov 1963	7 May 2019	4 other companies
Paul Alick Smith	Secretary	Not published	16 Sep 1995	–

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: 19
closed down: 10
are FCA-registered: 2

In the full report: all 19 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 2 on the FCA register
The 2 companies these 2 directors run together
All 12 people who have ever been directors, with their dates

Key dates in its history

Mortgages Direct’s history from the FCA register and Companies House, newest first.

Key events (6) All events (43)

2016

6 April 2016

Paul Alick Smith took control (75–100% of shares)
Spicerhaart Group Limited took control (75–100% of shares)

Companies House

2013

1 April 2013

Regulated by the FCA from this date

FCA register

2004

31 October 2004

Regulated by the Financial Services Authority from this date
Became authorised by the FCA

FCA register

1993

19 January 1993

Incorporated at Companies House

Companies House

In the full report: all 43 events

All 43 events in its history (6 shown here)
Every director appointment and resignation: 22

Firms connected to Mortgages Direct

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

connected firms: 2
share a director: 2
share its postcode: 2

In the full report: all 2 connected firms, named

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

Firms like Mortgages Direct

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

In Colchester

Abco Insurance Services LimitedColchesterAuthorised Accelerant Agency Limited UK BranchColchesterAuthorised Arc Legal Assistance LimitedColchesterAuthorised Assure-U International LtdColchesterAuthorised Brokersure LtdColchesterAuthorised Call Assist LimitedColchesterAuthorised

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 Mortgages Direct

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

19 other companies its directors have run, named
3 background checks on its contact details
All 43 events in its history
2 connected firms, named, and who links them

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Frequently asked questions about this firm

Is Mortgages Direct Limited FCA authorised?

Yes, Mortgages Direct Limited (FRN 302625) is authorised by the FCA to carry out regulated activities. It has held its current authorisation since October 2004 and works as an insurance broker. The FCA has placed no limits on its permissions.

What is Mortgages Direct’s phone number and website?

The FCA register lists the phone number 01206 765599 and the website spicerhaart.com for Mortgages Direct. If you were given different contact details, use these to check with the firm before going any further.

Is Mortgages Direct a scam or clone?

Mortgages Direct 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 Mortgages Direct?

Its FCA permissions do not allow it to hold or control client money. It depends on the product, but eligible claims may be protected by the FSCS. You can also refer complaints about Mortgages Direct to the Financial Ombudsman Service, free of charge.

Who owns Mortgages Direct?

Mortgages Direct is owned by Spicerhaart Group Limited, which holds 75–100% of shares and 75–100% of votes, since 6 April 2016.

Who runs Mortgages Direct?

Companies House lists 2 directors of Mortgages Direct: Antony Tobias Lark and Matthew John Phillips.

How long has Mortgages Direct been in business?

The company was formed on 19 January 1993, and has held its current FCA authorisation since October 2004.

Does Mortgages Direct use any other names?

It has previously used 6 other names, including Darlows Mortgage Services, FJL Private Finance and Haart Financial Services.