"One of the UK's leading specialists in financial mis-selling…"
The Times
Many investors were not properly informed about the nature of high-risk investments before committing their money. If you’ve lost money through unsuitable investment advice, you may be entitled to compensation.
High-risk investments are financial products where you could lose some or all your capital in exchange for the possibility of higher returns. They are generally intended for experienced or high-net-worth investors who can absorb significant losses without affecting their financial stability.
These products typically involve high volatility, limited liquidity, and complex structures such as crypto assets, mini-bonds, CFDs, and unregulated collective investment schemes. The key distinction is between acceptable investment risk and unsuitable risk. Acceptable risk reflects informed decision-making aligned with your appetite for loss. Unsuitable risk arises when products exceed your risk tolerance, experience level, or investment objectives.
Under FCA regulations, advisers must assess your financial situation, explain all risks clearly, and only recommend products that match your profile. When they fail to do so, the investment may be considered mis-sold.
High-risk investments may be mis-sold when advisers fail to match products to your financial situation, risk appetite, or investment experience. Mis-selling also occurs when advisers provide unclear or misleading information about potential losses, liquidity issues, or suitability. If key risks were downplayed or benefits overstated, you may have grounds for compensation.
Many of our clients were encouraged into high-risk mini-bonds and unregulated schemes after being told they were “safe” or “asset-backed.” In one case, a client nearing retirement was advised to transfer pension savings into a supposedly high-yield storage unit investment that collapsed within 12 months, leaving no exit route. Another client invested in a crypto-based fund that was marketed as low risk, despite the adviser failing to explain volatility or liquidity issues.” This gives credibility and doesn’t add heavy word count.
Regulated financial advisers must follow the FCA principles of business and the Conduct of Business Rules (COBS). The most relevant principles for mis-selling cases are:
The COBS provide more detailed binding requirements, including COBS 9 and 9A, which require advisers to ensure investment recommendations are “suitable”, given a client’s knowledge, experience, risk tolerance and capacity for loss.
Even if advisers argue the sale was non-advised (i.e. execution-only), COBS 10 and 10A required the investment sale to be “appropriate” in that the client has the necessary knowledge and experience of the investment.
Use this quick checklist if you still hold the investment or want to understand what went wrong:
Ready to find out if you were mis-sold? Book a free case assessment today.
Answer a few quick questions and request a free callback. Our team will contact you for a no-obligation chat and explain the next steps.
“Too often we see cautious investors advised to move into complex or illiquid high-risk products that were described as ‘low risk’, leaving them facing losses they were never in a position to take. Our team rebuilds the advice trail, gathers the evidence, and pursues compensation through the most effective route on a no-win, no-fee basis. If this sounds familiar, don’t assume it’s too late — many clients are surprised by what can still be recovered.”
You may have been mis-sold if the risks were not clearly explained, the product was unsuitable for your risk profile, or you were pressured to invest. High-risk investments with high returns are often marketed attractively, but if key risks were hidden or downplayed, the advice may have been negligent.
If any of these apply, you may be entitled to compensation for your losses.
With over 17 years focused on investment mis-selling, including Unregulated Collective Investment Schemes (UCIS) and complex investment products, we have the knowledge and experience to handle your claim confidently.
We’ve recovered more than £150 million for individuals mis-sold unsuitable or high-risk investments—helping people reclaim what they lost and protect their future.
With a 90% success rate for investment mis-selling cases we take on, you can trust us to pursue your claim with confidence and determination.
We work on a No Win, No Fee basis—absolutely no financial risk to you. Our fees are transparent, fair, and only calculated as a percentage of what we recover.
As a fully regulated law firm (SRA No. 468940), we’re trusted to handle your investment claim with complete professionalism.
Your claim will be handled by an experienced solicitor from start to finish, with clear guidance and tailored support throughout the process.
Upon retirement, Mr H from Sheffield was advised to invest his savings into a SIPP focused on commercial property. The high-risk investment led to significant losses, but we secured £170,000 in compensation for him.
Mrs H lost most of her final salary pension after being advised to transfer into a high-risk, unregulated SIPP. We successfully claimed £90,000 in compensation on her behalf.
Retired couple Mr and Mrs L invested £95,000 into bank-recommended funds. The high-risk nature of the investment caused a loss of over £40,000. We acted on their behalf and recovered £47,000 in compensation.
Many of our clients were recommended a high-return, high-risk investment without adequate warnings. Common high-risk investment examples we’ve handled claims for include:
Making a claim for a mis-sold high-risk investment is a structured legal process. Our specialist solicitors manage everything on a no-win, no-fee basis, ensuring you are supported from the first assessment to final compensation. Understanding the key stages, timelines, and required documents helps you move forward with confidence.
You typically have:
Additional notes:
Not sure if you’re still within the deadline to claim? Read our investment mis-selling time limits guide to understand how long you may have and what could extend your eligibility.
Providing documentation helps prove mis-selling and strengthens your claim. Ideally, gather:
If documents are missing:
We can help you obtain missing documents — ask us how.
Our specialist solicitors handle all communication and case management from start to finish. The process begins with a thorough case assessment, followed by evidence gathering and formal claim submission. Straightforward cases typically resolve within 6-12 months, while complex or multi-party claims may take up to 24 months.
Possible outcomes include full or partial recovery of losses, refund of your initial investment, or reinstatement to your original financial position before the mis-selling occurred. Based on FSCS data, standard claims process within 4-12 weeks when documentation is complete, though investment cases often require additional verification time.
Once your claim is underway, your solicitor will:
Let our solicitors handle the entire process for you.
Here’s a simple 4-step action plan to get your claim moving without delay:
Acting quickly protects your legal rights and strengthens your case, especially as advisers may close, dissolve, or lose records over time.
Take the first step today — request your free, confidential case review.
Recovering losses from a high-risk investment can feel overwhelming. Our solicitors will review the advice you received and guide you through every stage of the claims process.
High-risk investment losses can have a significant financial impact. Our No Win, No Fee agreement allows you to pursue compensation without taking on further financial risk.
What This Means for You
High-risk investment claims often involve unsuitable financial advice, unregulated investments, or failures by advisers and firms to properly explain the risks. Explore related services that may also be relevant to your claim.
Tim qualified as a solicitor in 1997 and has more than 25 years of experience advising clients on professional negligence, financial mis-selling and complex civil litigation matters. He oversees the firm’s professional negligence cases and advises on case strategy.
Tim has reviewed this page to help ensure the legal information is accurate, up to date and relevant to individuals considering a potential claim.
A high-risk investment claim is a legal action to recover losses from investments that were inappropriately recommended or sold to you. If financial advisors or firms failed to properly assess your risk tolerance, explain the risks, or recommend suitable products, you may be entitled to compensation.
Yes. Generally, you have 6 years from the date of the mis-selling or 3 years from when you first became aware you were mis-sold. For FOS complaints, you typically have 6 years from the event or 3 years from when you knew you could complain.
Compensation typically aims to put you back in the financial position you would have been in had the mis-selling not occurred. This usually includes your initial investment amount plus the investment return you would have earned in a suitable alternative investment.
While helpful, it’s not essential. We can often obtain relevant documentation from the financial advisor or provider. If you have any paperwork, emails, or notes from meetings, these can strengthen your claim.
You may still be able to claim through the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), which protects consumers when financial firms fail. We can handle this process for you.
Yes, you can claim for unsuitable high-risk investments within your SIPP pension. These claims often involve investments like unregulated collective investment schemes, overseas property, or alternative investments that were inappropriate for your circumstances. Our specialist team has extensive experience with SIPP mis-selling cases and can navigate the complex regulations involved.
Most straightforward high-risk investment claims take up to 6 months to resolve, though complex cases involving multiple parties or detailed investigations can take 12-24 months. The timeline depends on factors like the complexity of your case, the cooperation of the other party, and how quickly we can gather supporting evidence.
While you can pursue a claim independently (including submitting a claim to FOS or the FCSC, a free service), using specialist solicitors can increase your chances of success and maximise potential compensation. We handle all legal complexities, evidence gathering, and negotiations on your behalf. Our No Win, No Fee arrangement means you face no financial risk, and we only get paid if your claim succeeds.
We offer a free, confidential consultation to help you understand your legal options. Our specialist solicitors handle professional negligence, pension and investment mis-selling, and fraud recovery claims across England and Wales. From day one, we’ll give you clear, practical advice tailored to your situation.
Provide your details to start your free eligibility check. You’ll be guided through a few short questions so we can direct you to the right specialist and assess how we can help.
You do not need legal representation to make a financial services claim. You can complain yourself at no cost and under FCA rules, the financial services provider must provide a response. If you feel this is unsatisfactory, you can complain to the statutory redress bodies, the FOS and FSCS who can award you compensation. This is a free service.
The information appearing within this website does not constitute legal advice and is provided for general information purposes only. No warranty, whether express or implied, is given in relation to such material, and we do not accept any liability for reliance on it.
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