The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) has denied an IFA's claim a client who invested her pension into Harlequin property "would have found an alternative adviser if they had not acted".

Generalist advisers will be put under pressure by cheap automated alternatives as consumers increasingly question the value of advice, online adviser Wealth Horizon has said.

Our weekly heads-up on the stories that may have caught your clients' attention over the weekend...

What will the new body look like?

The Money Advice Service (MAS) made a loss of £786,000 last year and has confirmed it will not return any capital to the industry.

Clients insisting on going against their adviser's recommendations should be asked to put their instructions in writing to show they are aware of the risks, a compliance officer at support services provider SimplyBiz has suggested.

Adviser network Intrinsic plans to take on 220 new advisers from the closure of rival network Sesame.

Insurer Aviva has vowed to drive up the number of products held by its customers following the integration of former rival Friends Life and launch of a direct to consumer service.

When advisers got it right

IFA consolidator AFH Financial has bought Davisons Financial Management for a total of £2.9m.