Approaching a financial planner for the first time, can feel like big step. You’ll quite rightly want to know what makes us different from others and what we do particularly well. So here are a few things our clients tell us they value about us.

Relationships built to last

We practice whole-of-life financial planning. That means we can get to know you, understand what your long-term and lifestyle goals are, support you throughout your life as it inevitably changes, and invest in your future just as you do. 

“We like the fact you can have proper conversation with Tom, and he’s interested in you as a person.”

Rodney and Elaine, Idle, clients since 2012 

We’re a VouchedFor Top Rated Firm

VouchedFor’s Top Rated Guide aims to identify and celebrate the UK’s best financial advice firms based on client feedback. We are delighted to have been included for the third year in a row.

Even better, we are Otley’s only Top Rated Firm and it’s the third consecutive year that we’ve qualified.

Expert knowledge with the human touch

We take our responsibility to your money very seriously. Afterall, your money is your gateway to being able to lead the life you want. Our adviser is qualified to a very high standard and is committed to continuous professional development and ethical behaviour. We’re also committed to being thoroughly nice people, and only ever do what’s right for you.

“Tom’s friendly but really professional. He’s really knowledgeable. He knows his stuff inside out. And he goes the extra mile. He really cares.”

Jamie and Kyla, Leeds, clients since 2017

A small team who know you by name, but with the backing of a big network

We purposely keep our business small and part of our local community. It allows us to offer the personalised service we know our clients value. With us, you’ll never get put through to a call centre or passed from pillar to post. We’ll always make time for you, and remember the things that are important to you.

But we also have the full support of a large network, Quilter Financial Planning. As a client, you benefit from robust compliance oversight, the latest products and technical support.

A refreshing approach to fees

Unlike most financial advisers we charge fees based on a hourly rate. Following your initial consultation (which is held at our expense), we will provide you with a fixed fee quote based on the time we expect to spend working on your financial plan.

Our clients tells us they like the simplicity and fairness of this approach. We also feel this approach removes potential conflicts of interest which can occur when fees are linked to a percentage of the assets invested or switched from one company to another.

An initial consultation at our expense

You’ll want to find out a bit more about how we work and if we are the right financial adviser for you. We also need to gather some information about your circumstances, needs and objectives so we can understand how best to help and advise you.

Where further work is required, we will provide you with an email summarising our discussions and the areas of your financial planning that require our expert advice. We will include a fixed fee quote and what the next steps are to get started. It is then up to you whether or not you want to proceed.

Plain English financial planning

We know finances can be complex, stressful, and frustrating! We’ll interpret the jargon for you, explain what options you have and how each will impact on achieving your goals.

“Tom is able to make these complicated engagements and issues seem straight forward and easy. He has a relaxed but confident matter which immediately instils trust.”

Terry and Sarah Munson, West Sussex clients since 2016

We make your goals our priority

Whether your goal is to buy a new home, retire early or travel the world, we’ll build your financial plan around your personal objectives.

Each step of the way, we’ll use our experience, expertise and cutting-edge technology to help you realise your ambitions.

“We went to Tom really to see if we might be able to retire early. When Tom told us we could retire, to be honest, we were both quite emotional.”

Lesley and Philip, Thornton, Bradford, clients since 2019

We use cutting edge technology

We invest in the latest technology to build on our traditional values, ensure we’re offering the very best advice and enhance your client experience. As part of this, we use Voyant cashflow modelling. Voyant’s interactive planning tools help you visualise your financial future, test different scenarios and instantly show the impact of life events along the way. By investing in Voyant cashflow modelling, we’ve enabled our clients to make smarter, more tangible financial decisions and answer more of those “what-if” questions everybody has.

We’re local

Our location at the heart of Otley
means we’re not just convenient for those living in Otley and surrounding towns
and villages, but we’re a part of the community too. Meetings are held at our
office, which means you can pop in and keep in touch at your convenience. The
kettle is always on!

We also work closely with your other professional advisers, such as local Accountants and Solicitors. This ‘joined up’
approach ensures the best outcome for you and your financial planning. We’re committed to using cutting edge technology to aid communication with our clients, but we also know the value of a face-to-face meeting.

We’re award winning

The Christopher Little team attended the Otley Business Awards 2022 and came away with two awards.

Theo Rhodes won ‘Best Apprentice Award’ after he completed his Level 3 Apprenticeship here at Christopher Little & Co in December 2021.

Thomas Hatley won the ‘Outstanding Contribution to the Business Community 2022 Award’. It was certainly deserved by Tom in recognition for all his hard work and dedication to Christopher Little & Co & the Otley Business Community for all these years.

Read more on our blog

Get in touch

Drop by and we’ll pop the kettle on. Alternatively, send us a message and one of us will be in touch.