Regulation
The Haines Watts Group consists of various firms in which Haines Watts Limited is a partner, member or shareholder, or firms controlled by such firms. Generally, “HW”, "Haines Watts" and "Haines Watts Group" refer to the network of member organisations, each of which is a separate and independent legal entity. Member organisations are not members of one legal partnership and are only liable for their own acts and omissions, and not those of each other.
Professional indemnity insurance
The territorial coverage of our professional indemnity insurance is worldwide. Our lead insurer is Chartis Insurance UK Limited, 58 Fenchurch Street, London, EC3M 4AB
Audit
The majority of the firms within the Haines Watts Group are registered for audit work by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, a Recognised Supervisory Body under the Companies Act 2006. Those firms are required to comply with the ICAEW’s Audit Regulations and Guidance which can be found at www.icaew.com, and Auditing Practices Board’s International Standards on Auditing (UK and Ireland) and its Ethical Standards, both of which can be found at www.frc.org.uk/apb.
Investment Business
The majority of the firms within the Haines Watts Group are not authorised under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, but because they are licensed by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, are able to offer a limited range of investment services to clients if they are incidental and / or complementary to, or arise out of, the other professional services they have been engaged to provide.
It is Haines Watts Group policy to refer most investment business, excluding corporate finance work, to Independent Financial Advisers, authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. The Independent Financial Adviser will take full responsibility for compliance with the requirements of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.
For investor protection, the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales administers, and the firm contributes to, a compensation scheme for clients who might need to seek redress.