Vans Direct (Southern) 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 2003
Accounts filed up to 31 December 2024
Accounts are overdue at Companies House

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

vansdirect-UK.COM (opens in a new tab)
Phone number

023 8077 7441
Address

Vans Direct, 348-348a Shirley Road, Southampton, SO15 3HY, United Kingdom

In the full report: 3 background checks

When vansdirect-uk.com first appeared online, and whether it can receive email
What kind of line 023 8077 7441 is
Who else gives the postcode SO15 3HY

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 (3 permissions)

Credit Broking
Debt Adjusting
Debt-counselling

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.

Concerns on the company record

Accounts are overdue at Companies House.

Company number: 04955005 (opens Companies House in a new tab)
Company status: Active
Company type: Private limited company
Incorporated: 6 November 2003 (22 years old)
Registered office: 348 Shirley Road, Southampton, SO15 3HY, England
Nature of business: Sale of used cars and light motor vehicles (SIC 45112)

Directors and company secretaries

Name	Role	Born	Appointed	Other companies
Paul Anthony Finnegan	Director	Mar 1977	6 Nov 2003	1 other company
Patricia Finnegan	Secretary	Not published	6 Nov 2003	–

Other companies run by its director

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 company: 1
still active: 1
is FCA-registered: 1

In the full report: all 1 company, named

What each company does, and whether it is still trading
Which of its director sits on each board, and since when
Any that went into liquidation or administration
The one on the FCA register
All 2 people who have ever been directors, with their dates

Filed accounts and finances

Year to 31 December 2024Full accountsNot audited

Net assets

£175k

−57% from £404k

Cash at bank

£372

−99% from £53.0k

Employees (average)

9

Same as 9

Owed within a year

£1.50m

−21% from £1.91m

Its next accounts are overdue at Companies House.

Assets and liabilities

In the full report: all 6 years of accounts

Every year from 2019 to 2024
The chart, over every year
Every filed figure, year by year

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 04955005. 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

Vans Direct (Southern)’s history from the FCA register and Companies House, newest first.

Key events (4) All events (7)

2016

6 April 2016

Paul Anthony Finnegan took control (75–100% of shares)

Companies House

2015

2 March 2015

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

FCA register

2003

6 November 2003

Incorporated at Companies House

Companies House

In the full report: all 7 events

All 7 events in its history (4 shown here)
Every director appointment and resignation: 1

Firms connected to Vans Direct (Southern)

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

connected firm: 1
share a director: 1
share its postcode: 1

In the full report: the connected firm, named

How it is linked: shared directors (1), the same postcode (1)
Who links it to this firm: the named directors, with dates

Firms like Vans Direct (Southern)

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

In Southampton

Newmans (Southampton) LimitedSouthamptonAuthorised Richmond Cars (Botley) LtdSouthamptonAuthorised Richmond Cars (Southampton) LimitedSouthamptonAuthorised A&r Automobiles LtdSouthamptonAuthorised AL Prestige Cars LimitedSouthamptonAuthorised Best Price Car Sales LtdSouthamptonAuthorised

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 Vans Direct (Southern)

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

1 other company its directors have run, named
3 background checks on its contact details
6 years of accounts, charted
All 7 events in its history
1 connected firm, named, and who links them

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Frequently asked questions about this firm

Is Vans Direct (Southern) Limited FCA authorised?

Yes, Vans Direct (Southern) Limited (FRN 669996) is authorised by the FCA to carry out regulated activities. It has held its current authorisation since March 2015 and works as a car dealer. The FCA has placed no limits on its permissions.

What is Vans Direct (Southern)’s phone number and website?

The FCA register lists the phone number 023 8077 7441 and the website vansdirect-UK.COM for Vans Direct (Southern). If you were given different contact details, use these to check with the firm before going any further.

Is Vans Direct (Southern) a scam or clone?

Vans Direct (Southern) 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 Vans Direct (Southern)?

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

Who owns Vans Direct (Southern)?

Companies House lists one person with significant control of Vans Direct (Southern): Mr Paul Anthony Finnegan (75–100% of shares).

Who runs Vans Direct (Southern)?

Companies House lists one director of Vans Direct (Southern): Paul Anthony Finnegan.

How long has Vans Direct (Southern) been in business?

The company was formed on 6 November 2003, and has held its current FCA authorisation since March 2015.

What do Vans Direct (Southern)’s latest accounts show?

Its latest accounts, to 31 December 2024, show net assets of £175k (−57% from £404k) and cash at bank of £372 (−99% from £53.0k). Its accounts are overdue at Companies House.