Question 1

What is Watchdog’s background?

Accepted Answer

We have been involved with the supply of FCA data since 1988, just after the Financial Services Act came into force.   We have worked with hundreds of clients supplying FCA data, as well as the FCA itself

Question 2

What fields are needed in the Firms or Individuals Upload Template?

Accepted Answer

For the Firms Upload template:
FRN (Firm Reference Number): As issued by the FCA. (required)
Name: Your internal name for the company.
Reference: Your internal reference for the company.
Principal: If you wish to supply a Principal Firm Reference Number, this will be used for the applicable permissions of the FRN, most commonly associated with appointed representatives.
For the Individuals Upload template:
IRN (Individual Reference Number): As issued by the FCA. (required)
Name: Your internal name for the person.
Reference: Your internal reference for the individual.

Question 3

Do Watchdog Services amend the data in any way?

Accepted Answer

No, the data is exactly as provided by the FCA

Question 4

Does the individuals’ data contain all control functions?

Accepted Answer

Yes.  Unlike with the FCA register extract, all control functions are included.

Question 5

Why cant i see a Principal for a New Firm?

Accepted Answer

The Principals associated with a New firm are updated overnight and then we only look for major Principals for New firms i.e. Principals with more than 10 Appointed Reps. If you would like us to add one please email us at info:watchdogsservices.co.uk

Question 6

Does the extract contain email addresses?

Accepted Answer

The FCA do not supply email addresses with the API. We do work with a trusted partner company who do supply email addresses and can refer you to them.

Question 7

Do you push the data to us, or do we pull it down?

Accepted Answer

You download the data from our website.

Question 8

How easy is it to import the data into our systems?

Accepted Answer

Very easy.  The data is provided in CSV format

Question 9

Can I load data into Excel?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you can load data into Excel. The data is downloaded in the CSV format, which is directly compatible with Excel.

Question 10

Does the data take long to download?

Accepted Answer

No, it takes seconds even on a domestic broadband

Question 11

Can I have a tailored report or data set?

Accepted Answer

Yes, we can provide a bespoke service.  The report may be based on a particular set of firms that you specify in your ‘watchlist’, or a particular subset of the extract (for instance firms with particular permissions).  The output can be a data set, or a report highlighting recent changes, tailored to your own specific requirements.  Reports can be emailed to you on a regular basis depending on the frequency needed.  We invite you to discuss your specific needs with us so we can provide a tailored quotation for this service. Please reach out through our "Contact Us" form for detailed communication.

Question 12

Are your systems secure?

Accepted Answer

Yes, security is supplied by Wix, a world-renowned platform.

Question 13

Does the data require a high level of security?

Accepted Answer

No, this is public domain data readily available on the FCA website.  If we run a bespoke report for you, we will treat your watchlist confidentially as who you work with should not be divulged elsewhere.

Question 14

What is the ordering process?

Accepted Answer

Simply select your requirement, sign up and purchase accordingly via credit card.

Question 15

Is there a limit to the number of user accounts we have?

Accepted Answer

You can purchase as many accounts as you wish. You may wish to set up a team account so that the whole team can access the data centrally..

Question 16

Is there an FCA licence fee due?

Accepted Answer

No, the FCA provide their API service free of charge

Question 17

How long am I committed to my purchase of the data?

Accepted Answer

The minimum term is one month.  After that, you can cancel whenever you wish.

Question 18

How can I track and manage individuals with reports on Watchdog Services?

Accepted Answer

To track and manage individuals with reports on Watchdog Services, simply log in to your account, navigate to the 'Individuals Tracking' section, and follow the prompts to generate detailed reports and receive email notifications.

Question 19

What is an IRN or FRN?

Accepted Answer

An IRN (Individual Reference Number) and an FRN (Firm Reference Number) are unique identifiers assigned by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The IRN is specific to individuals, often used to track and identify authorized individuals in regulated roles. The FRN is assigned to firms regulated by the FCA, helping to uniquely identify registered companies within the financial sector.

Question 20

What is the FCA Extract or RES?

Accepted Answer

The FCA Extract, also known as the RES (Regulatory Extract Service), is a set of Data provided by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) containing key information on regulated firms and individuals. This is a snapshot of the FCA register at a point in time whereas Watchdog uses real time data from the FCA API.  Watchdog  is used by organizations to access up-to-date regulatory information, including firm reference numbers (FRNs), individual reference numbers (IRNs), permissions, and other compliance details. Both Watchdog and the FCA Extract help ensure transparency and compliance within the financial services sector.

Question 21

What kind of email alerts will I receive?

Accepted Answer

We send alerts to keep you informed of key changes and developments related to the firms or individuals you're monitoring. These include:
Status/Sub-Status Changes
Individual Movements (Joiners/Leavers)
Disciplinary Updates
Firm News from the FCA or Companies house

Question 22

How often will I receive email alerts?

Accepted Answer

The frequency depends on the type of alert and your chosen subscription settings:
Status/Sub-Status Changes – Sent daily or weekly, based on your subscription.
Individual Movements –
Joiners: Sent daily or weekly, based on your subscription.
Leavers: Sent weekly
Disciplinary Updates – Sent daily or weekly, based on your subscription.
FCA/Companies House Firm News– Sent weekly

Question 23

Why isn’t the Principal FRN available for new firms right away?

Accepted Answer

The Principal FRN (Firm Reference Number) is only retrieved during our overnight data sync process. This means when a new firm is added, its Principal FRN won’t appear immediately. It will typically be available the next day, once the overnight update has completed.

Question 24

How far back does your New Firms Registered data go?

Accepted Answer

We keep records of newly registered firms for approximately 30 to 40 days.
The website displays only the most recent 10 days to keep things clear and fast.
If you need older data, you can download the full dataset, which includes up to 40 days of records.
For programmatic access, our API provides the full 30–40 days of data as well.

Question 25

Why is the Principal information missing for some new firms?

Accepted Answer

We focus on tracking the larger and more prominent Principals across the firms we monitor. As a result, some newer or smaller firms may not yet have Principal details listed. If you believe a particular Principal should be included, please don’t hesitate to contact us — we’re always open to suggestions and feedback.

FAQ

Do you need help?

Frequently asked questions

What is Watchdog’s background?

What fields are needed in the Firms or Individuals Upload Template?

Do Watchdog Services amend the data in any way?

Does the individuals’ data contain all control functions?

Why cant i see a Principal for a New Firm?

Does the extract contain email addresses?

Do you push the data to us, or do we pull it down?

How easy is it to import the data into our systems?

Can I load data into Excel?

Does the data take long to download?

Can I have a tailored report or data set?

Are your systems secure?

Does the data require a high level of security?

What is the ordering process?

Is there a limit to the number of user accounts we have?

Is there an FCA licence fee due?

How long am I committed to my purchase of the data?

How can I track and manage individuals with reports on Watchdog Services?

What is an IRN or FRN?

What is the FCA Extract or RES?

What kind of email alerts will I receive?

How often will I receive email alerts?

Why isn’t the Principal FRN available for new firms right away?

How far back does your New Firms Registered data go?

Why is the Principal information missing for some new firms?

FAQ

​Do you need help?

Frequently asked questions

What is Watchdog’s background?

What fields are needed in the Firms or Individuals Upload Template?

Do Watchdog Services amend the data in any way?

Does the individuals’ data contain all control functions?

Why cant i see a Principal for a New Firm?

Does the extract contain email addresses?

Do you push the data to us, or do we pull it down?

How easy is it to import the data into our systems?

Can I load data into Excel?

Does the data take long to download?

Can I have a tailored report or data set?

Are your systems secure?

Does the data require a high level of security?

What is the ordering process?

Is there a limit to the number of user accounts we have?

Is there an FCA licence fee due?

How long am I committed to my purchase of the data?

How can I track and manage individuals with reports on Watchdog Services?

What is an IRN or FRN?

What is the FCA Extract or RES?

What kind of email alerts will I receive?

How often will I receive email alerts?

Why isn’t the Principal FRN available for new firms right away?

How far back does your New Firms Registered data go?

Why is the Principal information missing for some new firms?

Do you need help?