Stephen McCarthy

Reference number: 491561

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Appointed representative

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

Responsible principal firm

Ingard Financial Limited Reference number: 450731 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.
  • Stephen McCarthy (FRN 491561) is an AR of Ingard Financial Limited (FRN 450731). When you use Stephen McCarthy's services, the FCA authorisation sits with the principal firm.
  • Example: if you take financial advice from Stephen McCarthy, 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 mortgagespecialists.co.uk first appeared online, and whether it can receive email
  • What kind of line 01277 222932 is
  • Who else gives the postcode CM13 1AB
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Other names (3)

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

  • The Mortgage Specialist Trading name
  • The Mortgage Specialist's Trading name
  • The Property Specialists Ltd Former name

FCA permissions and consumer protection

  • Protection through the principal firm
    Protection works through Ingard Financial 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.

Key dates in its history

Stephen McCarthy’s history from the FCA register and Companies House, newest first.

2021

6 April 2021

  • Changed its registered name from "The Property Specialists Ltd"
  • Began trading as "The Mortgage Specialist's"
  • Began trading as "The Mortgage Specialist"

FCA register

2008

17 November 2008

  • Became an appointed representative

FCA register

Director appointments and resignations, and trading names, appear under All events.

Firms connected to Stephen McCarthy

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

connected firms
3
share its postcode
3

In the full report: all 3 connected firms, named

  • How each is linked: the same postcode (3)
  • Who links each one: the named directors, with dates
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Firms like Stephen McCarthy

Other firms of the same type (mortgage adviser or broker), nearest first.

In Brentwood

ABN Mortgages LimitedBrentwoodAppointed representativeDeeVyne Mortgage Services LimitedBrentwoodAppointed representativeGreen Grass Essex LtdBrentwoodAppointed representativeJMS Financial Services Group LtdBrentwoodAppointed representativeKenda FinanceBrentwoodAppointed representativeMRG Private Clients LtdBrentwoodAuthorised

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 Stephen McCarthy

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

  • 3 background checks on its contact details
  • All 4 events in its history
  • 3 connected firms, named, and who links them

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Frequently asked questions about this firm

Is Stephen McCarthy FCA authorised?
Stephen McCarthy (FRN 491561) 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 Stephen McCarthy?
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. Stephen McCarthy (FRN 491561) is an AR of Ingard Financial Limited (FRN 450731). When you use Stephen McCarthy's services, the FCA authorisation sits with the principal firm. Example: if you take financial advice from Stephen McCarthy, 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 Stephen McCarthy’s phone number and website?
The FCA register lists the phone number 01277 222932 and the website mortgagespecialists.co.uk for Stephen McCarthy. If you were given different contact details, use these to check with the firm before going any further.
Is Stephen McCarthy a scam or clone?
Stephen McCarthy 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 Stephen McCarthy?
Protection works through Ingard Financial Limited, the principal firm responsible for Stephen McCarthy's regulated activity. FSCS cover and the Financial Ombudsman Service apply as they would to the principal.
Does Stephen McCarthy use any other names?
It trades as The Mortgage Specialist and The Mortgage Specialist's. It has previously used the name The Property Specialists Ltd.

Sources and links

The full report on Stephen McCarthy

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