Thinking about moving overseas? If so, remember our power phrase:
“Don’t move to Spain and lose your brain.” “Don’t leave your brains at the airport.”
We say this because we’ve seen too many Brits go abroad and immediately forget the standards they relied on in the UK. The moment they land, they assume every adviser, surveyor, or “financial planner” overseas operates with the same professionalism, regulation, and ethics they’re used to. Many do — but many absolutely do not.
The UK Standard: What You’re Used To
In the UK (and other highly regulated jurisdictions), professional standards are clear and enforced. You expect advisers to have:
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Recognised professional qualifications
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Membership of a regulated professional body
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Mandatory ongoing CPD, with evidence submitted regularly
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Professional indemnity insurance, protecting you if advice proves negligent years later
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Transparent charging structures, including full disclosure of adviser fees
This is normal in the UK. It is not guaranteed overseas.
What We See Overseas — Repeatedly
We’ve been contacted by expats across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia who have fallen into avoidable traps:
❌ Property bought with no building survey
Some buyers assume “it’s different abroad” — and end up with structural issues, illegal builds, or uninsurable homes.
❌ Underperforming expat investments
Often we discover:
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Double charging (platform fee + product fee + hidden commissions)
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Exit penalties so large they trap investors for years
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Opaque fee structures that would be illegal in the UK
Remember: your UK adviser must disclose all fees. Your expat adviser may have no obligation to do so.
❌ Advice on UK pensions/investments from people not authorised to give it
Post‑Brexit, this is even more serious. If they’re not FCA‑authorised, they cannot advise on your UK arrangements — full stop.
Qualifications: Don’t Be Fooled by Letters
Many ex‑UK advisers move abroad and reinvent themselves as “international financial planners”. Some are excellent. Others hold little more than:
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GCSE/O‑level equivalent qualifications
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A basic Financial Planning Certificate
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The letters MPFS (roughly equivalent to a single A‑level)
For proper financial planning, look for:
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Associates
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Fellows
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Chartered Financial Planners
If you wouldn’t trust someone with GCSE‑level knowledge to manage your UK pension, don’t trust them overseas either.
If in Doubt — Ask Us First
We can help you:
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Find a properly qualified adviser in your new country
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Check the regulatory status of anyone advising you
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Review expat investments before you commit
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Continue advising on your UK arrangements, wherever you live
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The FCA confirms we can advise UK clients worldwide, provided we respect local laws
Your life may be moving overseas — but your financial standards shouldn’t.
Final Word: Don’t Leave Your Brains at the Airport
Going expat can be exciting, liberating, and financially rewarding. But only if you take your UK‑level due diligence with you.
Wherever you go, take your brains — and your standards — with you.
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