Optima Vehicle Leasing is committed to effective compliance monitoring across our car and van leasing services throughout the UK.
This page outlines how we maintain regulatory standards, uphold best practice, and deliver high-quality outcomes for all customers.
Optima Vehicle Leasing is committed to maintaining effective compliance monitoring across all car and van leasing services throughout the UK.
As an FCA-regulated firm, Fourteen Automotive Ltd trading as Optima Vehicle Leasing must adhere to the FCA’s Principles for Businesses and maintain documented procedures to ensure regulatory compliance.
This Compliance Monitoring Plan outlines the systems, controls, and governance procedures followed within the business to ensure ongoing adherence to FCA rules and regulatory standards.
Failure to comply with regulatory obligations is treated seriously and corrective action will be taken where required.
Fourteen Automotive Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) for credit broking.
Firm Reference Number: 1039198
You can verify this on the FCA Register at www.fca.org.uk or by calling 0800 111 6768.
As a regulated firm, we operate in accordance with the FCA’s Principles for Businesses, including:
Integrity – Conducting business honestly and ethically at all times.
Skill, Care and Diligence – Exercising appropriate competence in all customer interactions and processes.
Management & Control – Organising and controlling the business responsibly, with effective risk management systems.
Financial Prudence – Maintaining adequate financial resources.
Market Conduct – Observing proper standards of market behaviour.
Customers’ Interests – Paying due regard to customer interests and treating them fairly.
Clear Communications – Providing information that is clear, fair, and not misleading.
Conflicts of Interest – Managing conflicts fairly between the firm and customers.
Suitability – Ensuring products are suitable and aligned to customer needs where advice is given.
Client Asset Protection – Protecting client assets where applicable.
Regulatory Cooperation – Dealing with the FCA in an open and cooperative manner.
Optima Vehicle Leasing operates as a sole-director firm.
The Sole Director is responsible for:
Regulatory compliance
Systems and controls
Financial promotion approval
Suitability oversight
Complaints handling
FCA reporting
Where a role requires FCA approval as a controlled function, the appropriate FCA application process is followed before the individual commences the role.
Before any individual performs a controlled function, the firm ensures:
Appropriate regulatory application forms are completed
Employment history and references are obtained
Relevant qualifications are verified
Fitness and propriety checks are conducted
The firm notifies the FCA of any material changes relating to approved persons.
We ensure that anyone acting on behalf of the firm has the appropriate skills, knowledge, and experience to perform their role competently.
Training includes:
FCA regulatory framework
Consumer Duty
Suitability and affordability
Financial promotions rules
Vulnerable customer awareness
Data protection and financial crime
Competence is reviewed periodically to ensure continued compliance.
All financial promotions must comply with FCA rules and Consumer Duty requirements.
This includes all forms of advertising and marketing, such as:
Website content
Social media
Email campaigns
Digital advertising
Printed materials
Financial promotions must:
Be clear, fair, and not misleading
Clearly state that we are a broker and not a lender
Present balanced information
Use plain and understandable language
Avoid omission of material information
Be appropriate for the intended audience
All promotions are reviewed prior to publication and recorded in an internal approval register. Records are retained for a minimum of six years.
When communicating with customers, we ensure information is presented clearly and transparently.
Key information explained includes:
Initial and monthly payments
Confirmation that the vehicle is supplied under a hire agreement
Contract duration
Mileage limits and excess mileage charges
Early termination charges
Fair wear and tear standards
Any additional applicable fees
Customers are provided with:
An Initial Disclosure Document
Fee disclosure (£195 including VAT)
Commission disclosure
Proposal forms where applicable
Order documentation
Pre-contract credit information
All signed documentation is securely stored within our Customer Relationship Management system.
Sales records are retained in accordance with regulatory requirements.
We recognise that some customers may experience vulnerability due to health, life events, resilience, or capability factors.
Our procedures ensure:
Fair and appropriate treatment
Individual consideration of circumstances
Adjusted communication where required
Additional time for decision-making where appropriate
Vulnerable cases are monitored to ensure outcomes remain fair and consistent.
We disclose that we earn commission from lenders for arranging finance.
Commission may be:
A fixed amount per agreement; or
Variable depending on the lender’s remuneration structure.
If requested, we will disclose the exact commission amount payable in relation to a customer’s agreement before it is entered into.
Customers entering regulated finance agreements generally have a statutory 14-day right of withdrawal from the finance agreement, subject to lender terms.
Separate vehicle order cancellation terms may apply.
Cancellation requests are handled promptly and recorded appropriately.
We aim to provide high service standards and resolve complaints quickly and fairly.
If you wish to raise a complaint, please contact:
📧 [email protected]
📞 01372 642349
📍 The Long Barn, Cobham Park Road, Cobham, Surrey, KT11 3NE
Please provide:
Your full name and contact details
Details of your complaint
Relevant agreement information
Any supporting documentation
We will investigate and provide a final written response within eight weeks.
If you are dissatisfied with our final response, you may refer the matter to the Financial Ombudsman Service within six months.
Although we do not lend directly, we maintain systems and procedures designed to mitigate financial crime risks.
Suspicious activity is documented and reviewed appropriately.
Identity verification may be undertaken where required.
We maintain procedures to identify and manage conflicts of interest.
Any potential conflict is recorded and controlled to ensure it does not adversely impact customer outcomes.
Commission structures are monitored to prevent bias in product recommendations.
We comply with UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.
Personal data is:
Processed lawfully and fairly
Collected for legitimate business purposes
Kept accurate and secure
Retained only as long as necessary
Electronic systems are password-protected and secure. Physical records are stored securely.
Customers have the right to request access to their personal data, subject to identity verification.
As a regulated firm, we submit required regulatory returns to the FCA within prescribed deadlines.
We engage with the FCA in an open and cooperative manner and notify the regulator promptly of any material matters.
Any breach or compliance concern is investigated, documented, and addressed with corrective action where necessary.