SERENUS CONSULTING LIMITED/ DOMINION FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
The regulated financial advice company, Serenus Consulting Ltd, gave its clients relating to deferred benefit that were held in a previous employer’s occupational pension scheme.
After the company was ordered by the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) to pay its clients compensation for giving unsuitable advice relating to pension transfers, it went into a voluntary arrangement. The firm was dissolved on 3 May 2022.
Introducers That Weren’t Regulated
The FOS found the company to be accepting clients from various third party introducers that weren’t regulated and selling them investments that were also unregulated and high risk. They included investment opportunities in the likes of Dolphin Capital and Store First.
James Campbell Bell, who served as a director for Serenus Consulting Limited and is currently listed as a director for Dominion Financial Management Limited (FRN) 763604. This is another company that is both regulated and authorised to provide its clients with advice pertaining to pension transfers. Both of the companies that Mr Bell is director of were forced to stop performing all of their regulated investment activities that involved both none standard and none mainstream assets. This included assets such as discretionary fund management and other types of portfolio or form layering.
None standard and none mainstream assets include those that the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) consider not to be a standard type of asset. In order for an asset to be considered as standard, it must be able to be fairly and accurately valued on a consistent basis and can be realised within a 30 day period.
Transferring Pensions
Although the Serenus Consulting Ltd website is not currently working, the Dominion Financial Management website continues to promote the company’s services. It is offering financial advice to help clients who are under the age of 55 with defined benefit transfers into self-invested pension plans (SIPPs). Doing this facilitated the transfer into an Australian based qualifying recognised overseas pension scheme (QROPS) for when they eventually reached the age of 55.
Dominion Financial Management claim to be the experts in the area of planning – something that the vast majority of UK based independent financial advisors don’t do. If you are someone who was advised to transfer their pension into a QROPS when living in the UK, then you may want to partake in a free consultation with a member of our team in order to have your transaction(s) reviewed. Even if you live outside of the UK, the transfer was still likely to have been unsuitable.
Even with your investments performing well, you have still lost highly valuable guarantees and were likely mis sold the pension.
Seek Claims Advice Now
We offer a free to use pension consulting service where we can provide you with expert claims advice. You should contact us quickly though as there may be time barring restrictions in place. There is no obligation to use our services, but if you do, know that our fees are very reasonable as we do not purchase client data from the very companies involved with your claim.
Company background (public record)
The company was incorporated at Companies House on 26 April 2010 under company number 07235163. Its status at Companies House is recorded as dissolved.
Registered office: Corinthian Tax Lynnfield House, Church Street, Altrincham, WA14 4DZ, United Kingdom.
Nature of business (SIC): 82990.
Company timeline (public record)
Key dated events for this firm, drawn from public records. Each entry shows its source.
| Date | Event | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 26 Apr 2010 | Company incorporated | Companies House |
| 26 Apr 2010 | James Campbell Bell appointed director | Companies House |
| 11 Oct 2010 | James Campbell Bell approved by the FCA at the firm | FCA Register |
| 11 Jan 2012 | Ruth Elizabeth Whitehurst approved by the FCA at the firm | FCA Register |
| 12 Dec 2012 | Michael John Edward Chase approved by the FCA at the firm | FCA Register |
| 20 Aug 2013 | John Paul Lyons approved by the FCA at the firm | FCA Register |
| 23 Sep 2013 | Andrew Peter Collins approved by the FCA at the firm | FCA Register |
| 19 Jun 2018 | Company voluntary arrangement started (corporate voluntary arrangement) | Companies House |
| 11 Feb 2020 | Declared in default by the FSCS | FSCS |
| 01 Jun 2021 | Company voluntary arrangement ended (corporate voluntary arrangement) | Companies House |
| 09 Aug 2023 | FCA status recorded as: No longer authorised | FCA Register |
| 04 Mar 2025 | 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.
- James Campbell Bell. Listed on the FCA Register as having held CF30 Customer (11/10/2010 to 08/12/2019), CF11 Money Laundering Reporting (11/10/2010 to 08/12/2019), CF10 Compliance Oversight (11/10/2010 to 08/12/2019), CF1 Director (11/10/2010 to 08/12/2019) at the firm.
- John Paul Lyons. Listed on the FCA Register as having held CF30 Customer (20/08/2013 to 18/10/2016) at the firm.
- Andrew Peter Collins. Listed on the FCA Register as having held CF30 Customer (23/09/2013 to 23/12/2015) at the firm.
- Michael John Edward Chase. Listed on the FCA Register as having held CF30 Customer (12/12/2012 to 31/01/2015) at the firm.
- Ruth Elizabeth Whitehurst. Listed on the FCA Register as having held CF30 Customer (11/01/2012 to 08/12/2019) at the firm.
Review page sources: FCA Register (FRN 525953) · Companies House (07235163) · FSCS. Public records, provided for transparency.
