What the FCA regulates, and what it doesn't

Acme Credit Consultants Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) for debt counselling and debt adjusting. Our firm reference number is 666760, and you can check it on the FCA Register.

In plain terms, that means we are regulated when we advise on, or negotiate over, debts that come from regulated consumer credit. Think credit cards, personal loans and overdrafts in your own name.

We also do work the FCA doesn’t regulate, mostly company debts, tax debts and court claim support. The rules and protections are different for that work. So before we start, we tell you in writing which type of work applies to you.

FCA Firm Reference Number

Acme Credit Consultants Ltd-666760

Permissions

FCA Register

Registered Office:

ACME House, 136 High Street, West Drayton, Middlesex UB7 7BD

Registered in England & Wales:Company Number 0557036

ICO Registeration Number Z9193403

Where we carry out regulated work, the FCA’s rules apply to us, including the Consumer Duty, the Principles for Businesses and the Consumer Credit sourcebook (CONC).

Which of your debts are regulated?

Debt or service	FCA regulated?	What that means for you
Credit cards, store cards, catalogue accounts, personal loans, overdrafts, payday loans and car finance in your own name	Yes, in most cases	FCA rules apply to how we deal with you. You can complain to us, and if you're not happy with our answer, to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS), which is free.
Debts you owe as a sole trader or in a small partnership	It depends	Some business borrowing by sole traders and small partnerships is regulated and some isn't. It depends on the agreement, the amount and what the money was used for. We check each agreement at the start and tell you in writing.
Bounce Back Loans	Company: no. Sole trader: we check	A Bounce Back Loan taken by a limited company is not regulated by the FCA. If you borrowed as a sole trader, we check the position and confirm it in writing.
Debts owed by a limited company: business loans, business credit cards, overdrafts, invoice and asset finance, supplier and trade debts	No	Not regulated by the FCA. You can't take a complaint about this work to the FOS, and the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) doesn't cover it. You get our terms of business in writing before we start, and you can use our complaints procedure.
HMRC debts of a limited company (VAT, PAYE, corporation tax)	No	Not regulated by the FCA. The same applies as for the row above.
Your own HMRC debts, including self-assessment and sole trader tax	Usually no	Tax isn't consumer credit, so it usually sits outside FCA regulation. We confirm this for your case in writing.
Personal guarantees you gave for company borrowing	Usually no	The company's borrowing isn't consumer credit and a guarantee for it usually isn't either. We confirm in writing.
Utility bills, council tax, rent and similar household arrears	Usually no	Not consumer credit. We can still deal with them alongside your other debts, on terms we agree with you in writing.
County Court claims and CCJs	It depends	If the claim is about a regulated consumer credit debt, the debt advice side is regulated. Help with court paperwork and deadlines is not regulated by the FCA. It is procedural support, not legal advice.
IVAs, bankruptcy, debt relief orders, CVAs, administration and liquidation	We explain; we don't run them	These are formal processes run by licensed insolvency practitioners (or, for bankruptcy and DROs, the Official Receiver), who are regulated separately. We can explain the options and refer you.

Not sure which side your debt falls on? Ask us. It’s part of the first conversation and there’s no charge for it.

If your work is regulated

FCA rules on how we treat customers apply, including the Consumer Duty.
We explain our fees before you agree to anything.
You can complain to us, and then to the Financial Ombudsman Service if you’re not satisfied with our answer

If your work is Not regulated

FCA rules don’t apply to that work. You can’t refer a complaint about it to the FOS, and the FSCS doesn’t cover it.
You still get our terms of business and a clear fee in writing before we start.
You can still use our complaints procedure, and we still keep what you tell us confidential.

If your have both

Many directors do. For example, company debts, a personal guarantee and a couple of personal credit cards. We split the work in writing so you can see which part is regulated and which isn’t.

This service is not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. That means you can’t complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service about it and the Financial Services Compensation Scheme doesn’t cover it. We give you our terms of business in writing before we start, and you can use our complaints procedure at any time.

Our standards for regulated work

When we do regulated work, we follow the FCA’s rules on treating customers fairly, explaining costs clearly, supporting people in vulnerable circumstances, and handling complaints. Our Vulnerable Customers Policy and Complaints Handling Procedure set out what that means in practice.

How to Complain

If something goes wrong

Complaints about regulated work

Tell us first. You can write to us at ACME House, 136 High Street, West Drayton, Middlesex UB7 7BD, or email debt@acmecredit.co.uk. We’ll follow our Complaints Handling Procedure. If you’re not happy with our final answer, or we haven’t replied within eight weeks, you can take your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service. It’s free.

Complaints about work that isn't regulated

You can still complain to us using the same procedure. The Financial Ombudsman Service can’t look at complaints about this work, and the Financial Services Compensation Scheme doesn’t cover it.

Regulatory Information