First Place Financial Ltd is owned by Howard Ginn. Howard has 20 years experience in the insurance industry. He has worked for Laurentian Life, Citi Bank, Royal London, Commercial Union and in 1994 set up a firm called Westcountry Financial as an independent financial adviser practice. As part of the expansion program this changed into First Place Financial Ltd in January 2008 when we became directly authorized by the Financial Services Authority (FSA). We are therefore totally independent financial advisers. We embrace the changes that have happened in the industry over the years and feel it is now much better suited than it has ever been to tackle the modern world, although there are still issues that arise with the FSA?s regulation as demonstrated with the current recession and some of the events associated with them.

We believe in the principles of Treating Customers Fairly which is a key area of the FSA?s requirements. Our aim when advising clients is advice led, not commission led. If we give the correct advice the money side takes care of itself.

As a firm, we specialize in being able to advise you on all aspects of financial services to include retirement planning, pension provision, reviewing your current pension plans plus advising on Pension Drawdown now known as Unsecured Pension (USP) and Annuities. We also deal with other areas of investment such as ISA?s, ISA and PEP transfers plus Investments such as investment bonds. Other specialist areas are Life Assurance and Mortgages both residential and semi commercial.

We have a stable experienced and knowledgeable team from advisers to admin staff who are able to offer an excellent service to our clients. We nurture new advisers and are currently working with two with a view to taking them on in the future.

When looking after clients funds all be it in Pension, Investment Bond or ISA the fund movements are looked at every day and action is taken if necessary. All fund movements are agreed by our clients and this is an on going service.

We embrace technology and aim to utilize the best on line systems available to provide you with a second to none service. As these become available we will review them and utilize them on this website only if they are a benefit to us and our customers. Our website is constantly under development to introduce new sections and new functions on a regular basis.

Our back office system enables clients to log in to view their own portfolio holdings and values. We also link clients into a daily updated fund system to show individual fund movements. The security on this system is encrypted on the same level as a bank and therefore it is about as secure as one can get.

In summary we have been trading in the industry for many years, we have many clients from all walks of life, and all over the country we are a stable practice staff and adviser wise, we are directly authorized so we cant hide behind an adviser network, we look after our clients needs on an individual basis as all clients are different and require different levels of looking after, we are friendly and approachable, we are not the biggest practice out there sometimes too big is not so good, we do not handle clients money, we embrace technology. Therefore if you want a wide ranging specialist totally independent financial adviser practice that puts you and your needs first and then looks after you on an on going basis then we are for you. All clients are treated equally no matter how big or small a client they are. Service is everything to us.