The Compliance Guys

The Compliance Guys: FCA authorisation and ongoing compliance support

The Compliance Guys is a UK consultancy working with firms that need to obtain or maintain authorisation from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Its work spans the authorisation application itself and the obligations that follow approval: supervision, regulatory reporting, governance and day-to-day compliance support. The firm states that it is itself authorised and regulated by the FCA, with Financial Services Register number FRN 941360.

Its client base is organised by sector rather than by product, reflecting the range of businesses that need permission to offer finance or credit. The consultancy presents itself as a partner that treats compliance as part of business growth rather than a box-ticking exercise, and it emphasises plain-language guidance over technical jargon.

Services across the authorisation lifecycle

The service list covers the main regulatory events a regulated firm encounters:

• FCA authorisation applications
• Ongoing compliance support
• Appointed Representative (AR) arrangements
• Data protection and GDPR compliance consultancy
• Variation of permissions
• Change of legal status
• Change in control notifications
• Consumer Duty health checks and ad hoc work

The firm also offers monthly ongoing compliance packages, which it lists from £59 + VAT per month, and can set up a monthly Direct Debit to handle the FCA annual fee, reporting to the Gabriel system and the annual confirmation of firm details. It notes that authorisation cannot expire but can be revoked if fees go unpaid or reports are not filed.

Sectors served

The consultancy groups its work into ten sectors: mortgage, consumer credit, claims management, dental and cosmetic, healthcare, veterinary, motor trade, funeral plans, trade and home improvement, and retail. In several of these the compliance question centres on offering finance to customers — patient finance in healthcare and dental practices, for example, or point-of-sale credit in retail and the motor trade.

Scale and track record as presented

The company reports more than 2,000 successful FCA applications, around 750 ongoing clients and an approval rate it describes as 79.5% higher than the FCA average. It also states that it handles over 20% of all Limited Permission applications and a significant share of Full Permission applications. These figures are the firm's own presentation of its activity.

On timing, the site explains that the FCA allows up to six months for a standard Limited Permission application once deemed complete, and up to twelve months in total; the consultancy says its current average processing time sits well within six months, depending on the accuracy of the information supplied and the complexity of the case. Once approved, a firm can begin facilitating finance immediately, although the permission may take around 24 hours to appear on the FCA Register.

Eligibility, exclusions and client onboarding

The firm states that it assesses eligibility before taking on a client and that it has advised prospective clients not to proceed where its experience suggests they would be rejected. It is explicit that approval remains the FCA's decision and that it cannot be liable where an applicant withholds information that could harm the application.

It also flags a limit on its scope: it does not give advice on, or sign off, investment-based financial promotions. On the lender side, the consultancy says it maintains relationships with lenders and brokers specialising in the relevant sectors and can put clients in contact with them; while awaiting authorisation, clients are given access to its compliance CRM and a Test Drive app.

Client feedback cited on the site

The site carries numerous client testimonials, several of which name individual consultants and describe support through the authorisation process, the running of an appointed representative model, and coaching and documentation work. They are individual accounts rather than an aggregate rating.