The FSCS is also investigating the company’s role in arranging customers’ investments.

The compensation body said it had received claims over investments offered by the firm, including bonds in delivery company BoxVn Ltd and Australian miner NQ Minerals plc. 

The FSCS said it was investigating whether the firm was involved in any regulated activities and whether such activities may give rise to valid claims. 

It said it was in the, "early stages of investigating whether there are any claims against the firm that meet the qualifying conditions for compensation."

Haich & Associates was based in Herefordshire town Kington, near Hereford, according to the FCA register. It lost its FCA authorisation in May 2022 when its executive director was Andrew Graham Moorhouse.

According to Companies House, the firm was incorporated in March 2010 and dissolved in May 2022.

Its last published accounts showed it had four employees as at 6 April 2021 with net assets of £35,313.

It previously operated under the name 14 Lights Ltd between 2010 and 2016 and was known as NPD International Ltd between March 2016 and March 2017.

The company’s activities were listed as patent and copyright agents and other business support service activities.

BoxVn was a Brighton-based freight services company, previously known as Box Nationwide Logistics Ltd, which went into administration on 17 January 2023.

NQ Minerals plc was an Australian mining company which went into administration in January 2022.

According to its website, it was “focused on the environmental rehabilitation of former precious metal mining operations and the sustainable extraction of minerals required to deliver clean energy and a low carbon economy.”

• Earlier versions of this story incorrectly incorrectly reported the county for Haich & Associates (UK) Ltd (FRN: 791582). The correct county, Herefordshire, has now been added. Apologies for the error.