The Community Help And Advice Initiative

Reference number: 618730

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Authorised by the FCA

This firm is on the FCA register and authorised to carry out regulated activities.

Identity

Check their details

Compare these against whatever you were given. Scammers clone real firm names and reference numbers but use their own phone number and website, so a detail that does not match the register is the clearest warning sign there is.

Also trades as
  • Community Help & Advice Initiative (CHAI)

Company details

From the company's Companies House record.

Company number
SC179306
Company status
Active
Company type
Private company limited by guarantee
Incorporated
26 September 1997 (28 years old)
Registered office
28 Westfield Avenue, Edinburgh, EH11 2QH, Scotland
Nature of business
  • Other service activities not elsewhere classified (SIC 96090)

Current directors and secretaries

Name Role Born Appointed
Rachel Jane Rennie Director Nov 1976 29 May 2020
Molly Mckenna Director Nov 1994 29 Oct 2020
Leila Stewart Director Jul 1973 17 Jun 2022
Helen Mary Rice Director Jun 1977 17 Jun 2022
Niamh Flannigan Director Apr 1994 7 Jul 2022
Lesley Broadwood Director Sep 1971 9 Nov 2023
Laura Anne Wiegratz Director Jul 1984 9 Nov 2023
James Alexander Rose Director Nov 1975 12 Mar 2024
Catherine Ridge Director Jun 1969 29 Jul 2025
Carol Stewart Director Jan 1981 29 Jul 2025
Laura Anne Wiegratz Secretary Not published 9 Aug 2025

The firm, by virtue of its constitution or any enactment, must be:(i) required (after payment of outgoings) to apply the whole of its income and any capital it expends for charitable or public purposes, and (ii) prohibited from directly or indirectly distributing amongst its members any part of its assets (otherwise than for charitable or public purposes); And the firm must not have any associate (other than a not-for profit debt advice body) which carries on debt adjusting or debt counselling or providing credit information services.)

Activities and protection

What they can do, and how you are protected

  • Lend or arrange credit No FSCS cover
    Consumer credit is not covered by the FSCS, so there is no compensation scheme if the firm fails.
Show FCA detail (3 permissions)
  • Debt Adjusting
  • Debt-counselling
  • Providing Credit Information Services

Complaints: You can refer a complaint about this firm to the Financial Ombudsman Service for free, whichever activity it relates to.

Track record

FCA actions and complaints

No FCA disciplinary action, and no complaints recorded with the Ombudsman.

Previously registered as

The FCA register holds one earlier registered name for this firm. A registered name changes when a firm rebrands, and a partnership's changes whenever its partners do.

  • Community Help & Advice Initiative (CHAI)

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Common questions

Frequently asked questions

Is The Community Help And Advice Initiative FCA authorised?
Yes, The Community Help And Advice Initiative (FRN 618730) is authorised by the FCA to carry out regulated activities.
Is my money safe with The Community Help And Advice Initiative?
Protection depends on which product you hold and how The Community Help And Advice Initiative handles your money, so check the specific product before you commit. You can also refer complaints about The Community Help And Advice Initiative to the Financial Ombudsman Service, free of charge.
Is The Community Help And Advice Initiative a scam or clone?
The Community Help And Advice Initiative is a genuine FCA-listed firm. However, scammers sometimes clone authorised firms. Always check that the contact details you were given match those on the FCA register before sending money or sharing information.
What is The Community Help And Advice Initiative's Firm Reference Number (FRN)?
The Community Help And Advice Initiative's FRN is 618730. You can verify it on the FCA register.