Services for IFAs
Financial Advice Case Checking
Independent, expert review of your financial advice cases — helping your firm maintain the highest standards of suitability and compliance.
Why case checking matters
Suitability is at the heart of regulated financial advice. Getting it right protects your clients, your firm, and your regulatory standing. Getting it wrong — even inadvertently — can result in complaints, redress, and regulatory action.
Verstehen Limited provides independent case checking that goes beyond a tick-box exercise. We assess the quality of advice, the robustness of the file, and the clarity of the client outcome — giving you a clear picture of where your firm stands and what, if anything, needs to change.
What we cover
Pre-sale suitability of advice checking
Independent review of advice cases before submission or completion providing a second pair of expert eyes at the point where issues are easiest to address. We assess the client fact-find, risk profiling, research, and recommendation against FCA suitability requirements, including specialist checking of final salary and defined benefit pension transfer cases where the stakes and regulatory scrutiny are highest.
Post-sale outcome testing
Assessment of completed advice cases to determine whether the advice delivered the right outcome for the client. We review the file against the client's circumstances and objectives at the time of advice, identifying whether the recommendation was suitable and whether the client outcome was fair. This work is increasingly central to meeting Consumer Duty expectations and demonstrating that your firm's oversight of advice quality extends beyond the point of sale.
Thematic reviews
Targeted reviews across a sample of cases in a specific advice area pension transfers, DB to DC, investment recommendations, protection to identify systemic issues before they become problems. We can conduct a full review of the file or take a focused look at a specific issue, depending on what your firm needs.
Remediation support
Where issues are identified, we work with your firm to understand the root cause, assess the extent of any problem, and support the development of a proportionate remediation plan.
Our approach
We work as a genuine partner to your firm, not as an auditor looking to catch you out. Our feedback is clear, practical, and focused on helping you improve. Every review is carried out by an experienced and qualified compliance professional who understands the realities of running an IFA firm.
- Experienced, senior reviewers, not junior checkers
- Clear, written feedback on every case reviewed
- Graded outcomes with specific improvement recommendations
- Flexible offering: one-off reviews or ongoing programmes
- Fully confidential and independent
Discuss your case checking requirements
Whether you need a one-off review, a thematic exercise, or an ongoing checking programme, we can help. Get in touch to discuss what would work best for your firm.