Heritage Financial Services
Concerned about advice from Heritage Financial Services?
People rarely question financial advice until something feels wrong, and by then it can be hard to know where to look. We have pulled together what the public record says about Heritage Financial Services, including every ombudsman decision published about the firm, so the facts are in one place.
Financial Ombudsman decisions involving this firm
The Financial Ombudsman Service publishes its final decisions. Heritage Financial Services appears in 2 published decisions on record, none of which were upheld.
Each decision below links to the ombudsman’s own published document. The consumer’s name is anonymised by the ombudsman, the business is not.
| Date | Reference | Type of complaint | Outcome | Decision |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 November 2024 | DRN-4572409 | Investments | Not upheld | Read the decision |
| 15 May 2026 | DRN-6167285 | Investments | Not upheld | Read the decision |
Source: Financial Ombudsman Service published decisions. An upheld decision means the ombudsman agreed with the consumer in that individual case. It does not by itself mean any other complaint will succeed.
Regulatory background
The FCA Register shows that Heritage Financial Services has at some point been an appointed representative of St. James’s Place Wealth Management (FCA reference 195351). The published ombudsman decisions listed on this page fall outside that appointment, so they are not matters arising from the St. James’s Place relationship. We note the appointment here only because it forms part of the firm’s public regulatory history.
How to claim
Companies House records show that Heritage Financial Services was dissolved on 20 July 2021. A complaint can only be made to a firm that still exists, so the ombudsman route is not open here. That does not mean nothing can be done.
Because the company was dissolved less than six years ago, there may still be two ways forward. A dissolved company can generally be restored to the register within six years of dissolution, and restoring it can reopen a claim against the professional indemnity insurance the firm held when it gave the advice. Alternatively, the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, the FSCS, may be able to pay compensation. The FSCS has not declared this firm in default at the time of writing. A default is normally declared once the scheme receives a claim it considers eligible, so coming forward is part of what triggers it.
Which of those is the better route depends on the facts of your case, and on what evidence still exists. That is usually the real difficulty. Paperwork goes missing, firms close, and people are left trying to prove what they were told years ago. Gathering that evidence is a large part of what we do, and it is worth a conversation before you decide the case is not worth pursuing.
Company background (public record)
The company was incorporated at Companies House on 20 October 1999 under company number 03862237. Its status at Companies House is recorded as dissolved.
Registered office: 6 The Point, Land Lions Way, Sleaford, Lincolnshire, NG34 8GG.
Nature of business (SIC): 66220.
Company timeline (public record)
Key dated events for this firm, drawn from public records. Each entry shows its source.
| Date | Event | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 20 Oct 1999 | Company incorporated | Companies House |
| 20 Oct 1999 | Neil Bryden De Souza appointed secretary | Companies House |
| 20 Oct 1999 | Neil Bryden De Souza appointed director | Companies House |
| 20 Oct 1999 | Dean Edward Hugill appointed director | Companies House |
| 20 Oct 1999 | Waterlow Secretaries Limited appointed corporate-nominee-secretary | Companies House |
| 20 Oct 1999 | Waterlow Secretaries Limited resigned as corporate-nominee-secretary | Companies House |
| 20 Oct 1999 | Terrence Paul O'brien appointed director | Companies House |
| 20 Oct 1999 | Edmund Walter Strengiel appointed director | Companies House |
| 20 Oct 1999 | Waterlow Nominees Limited appointed corporate-nominee-director | Companies House |
| 20 Oct 1999 | Waterlow Nominees Limited resigned as corporate-nominee-director | Companies House |
| 04 Mar 2001 | Edmund Walter Strengiel resigned as director | Companies House |
| 15 Jun 2004 | FCA status recorded as: No longer registered as an Appointed Representative | FCA Register |
| 20 Jul 2017 | Terrence Paul O'brien resigned as director | Companies House |
| 20 Jul 2021 | Company dissolved | Companies House |
Who was involved?
The following individuals are listed on public records in connection with the firm. These are matters of public record only and their inclusion does not imply any wrongdoing by any named person.
- Neil Bryden De Souza. Listed at Companies House as secretary (appointed 1999-10-20).
- Neil Bryden De Souza. Listed at Companies House as director (appointed 1999-10-20).
- Dean Edward Hugill. Listed at Companies House as director (appointed 1999-10-20).
- Waterlow Secretaries Limited. Listed at Companies House as corporate-nominee-secretary (appointed 1999-10-20, resigned 1999-10-20).
- Terrence Paul O'brien. Listed at Companies House as director (appointed 1999-10-20, resigned 2017-07-20).
- Edmund Walter Strengiel. Listed at Companies House as director (appointed 1999-10-20, resigned 2001-03-04).
- Waterlow Nominees Limited. Listed at Companies House as corporate-nominee-director (appointed 1999-10-20, resigned 1999-10-20).
How can we help?
We take the weight of the claim off your shoulders. We start with a free, no obligation chat, give you an honest early view of whether you have a case, and if you decide to go ahead we work on a no win, no fee basis. We deal with the paperwork and put your claim to the FSCS, so you can get on with your life while we work to recover what you are owed.
How does it work?
It starts with a conversation. We listen to what happened, check who was responsible at the time and look at your paperwork, then explain your options in plain English. If there are grounds, we build the claim and keep you updated at every stage. If we do not think you have a claim, or it is not successful, you do not pay us a penny.
Seek claim advice today
Claims like these can be time sensitive, so it is worth getting an expert view early. Call 0800 041 8359 or make an enquiry and one of our team will come back to you.
NB: the information on this page is drawn from public records held by the FCA Register, Companies House and the Financial Ombudsman Service. It is provided for general information, is factual and neutral, and makes no allegation against any named individual or firm. It is not advice, and no outcome is promised.
Review page sources: FCA Register (FRN 401405) · Companies House (03862237). Public records, provided for transparency.
