--- title: What Is Due Diligence — And How Much Should You Expect Your Introducer to Do? description: Understand due diligence in private investment, what to expect from introducers, and essential steps for independent verification before investing. image: https://www.oros-consultancy.co.uk/hubfs/Investment%20Analysis%20with%20London%20Skyline.png --- [Skip to content](https://www.oros-consultancy.co.uk/articles/what-is-due-diligence-and-how-much-should-you-expect-your-introducer-to-do#main-content) ![OROS Master Logo](https://www.oros-consultancy.co.uk/hubfs/OROS%20Master%20Logo.svg)Homepage - [Home](https://www.oros-consultancy.co.uk) - [About You](https://www.oros-consultancy.co.uk/about-you) - [In Your 20s](https://www.oros-consultancy.co.uk/in-your-20s) - [In Your 30s and 40s](https://www.oros-consultancy.co.uk/in-your-30s-and-40s) - [In Your 40s to 55](https://www.oros-consultancy.co.uk/in-your-40s-to-55) - [In Your 55 to 65](https://www.oros-consultancy.co.uk/in-your-55-to-65) - [In Your 65 to 75](https://www.oros-consultancy.co.uk/in-your-65-to-75) - [Age 75 and Beyond](https://www.oros-consultancy.co.uk/age-75-and-beyond) - [Our Services](https://www.oros-consultancy.co.uk/our-services) - [Physical Assets](https://www.oros-consultancy.co.uk/physical-assets) - [Private Equity](https://www.oros-consultancy.co.uk/private-equity) - [Tax Efficient Investments](https://www.oros-consultancy.co.uk/tax-efficient-invesments) - [Real Estate](https://www.oros-consultancy.co.uk/real-estate) - [Fixed Income](https://www.oros-consultancy.co.uk/fixed-income) - Insights - [Pension Contribution Calculator](https://www.oros-consultancy.co.uk/pension-contribution-calculator) - [Pension Drawdown Calculator](https://www.oros-consultancy.co.uk/pension-drawdown-calculator-1) - [Inheritance Calculator](https://www.oros-consultancy.co.uk/inheritance-calculator) - [Compound Growth Calculator](https://www.oros-consultancy.co.uk/compound-growth-calculator) - [Latest Market News](https://www.oros-consultancy.co.uk/articles/tag/latest-market-news) - [Educational Articles](https://www.oros-consultancy.co.uk/articles/tag/educational-article) - [Fees & Charges](https://www.oros-consultancy.co.uk/fees-and-charges) - [Contact](https://www.oros-consultancy.co.uk/contact-us) [Sign Up For Our Newsletter](https://2f7yes.share-eu1.hsforms.com/2oYnnmG0gSLa4egDJUr681g) - [Home](https://www.oros-consultancy.co.uk) - [About You](https://www.oros-consultancy.co.uk/about-you) - [In Your 20s](https://www.oros-consultancy.co.uk/in-your-20s) - [In Your 30s and 40s](https://www.oros-consultancy.co.uk/in-your-30s-and-40s) - [In Your 40s to 55](https://www.oros-consultancy.co.uk/in-your-40s-to-55) - [In Your 55 to 65](https://www.oros-consultancy.co.uk/in-your-55-to-65) - [In Your 65 to 75](https://www.oros-consultancy.co.uk/in-your-65-to-75) - [Age 75 and Beyond](https://www.oros-consultancy.co.uk/age-75-and-beyond) - [Our Services](https://www.oros-consultancy.co.uk/our-services) - [Physical Assets](https://www.oros-consultancy.co.uk/physical-assets) - [Private Equity](https://www.oros-consultancy.co.uk/private-equity) - [Tax Efficient Investments](https://www.oros-consultancy.co.uk/tax-efficient-invesments) - [Real Estate](https://www.oros-consultancy.co.uk/real-estate) - [Fixed Income](https://www.oros-consultancy.co.uk/fixed-income) - Insights - [Pension Contribution Calculator](https://www.oros-consultancy.co.uk/pension-contribution-calculator) - [Pension Drawdown Calculator](https://www.oros-consultancy.co.uk/pension-drawdown-calculator-1) - [Inheritance Calculator](https://www.oros-consultancy.co.uk/inheritance-calculator) - [Compound Growth Calculator](https://www.oros-consultancy.co.uk/compound-growth-calculator) - [Latest Market News](https://www.oros-consultancy.co.uk/articles/tag/latest-market-news) - [Educational Articles](https://www.oros-consultancy.co.uk/articles/tag/educational-article) - [Fees & Charges](https://www.oros-consultancy.co.uk/fees-and-charges) - [Contact](https://www.oros-consultancy.co.uk/contact-us) [Sign Up For Our Newsletter](https://2f7yes.share-eu1.hsforms.com/2oYnnmG0gSLa4egDJUr681g) ![](https://www.oros-consultancy.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/Investment%20Analysis%20with%20London%20Skyline.png?width=1670&height=942&name=Investment%20Analysis%20with%20London%20Skyline.png) private equity investment-education private investment # What Is Due Diligence — And How Much Should You Expect Your Introducer to Do? ![Oros Consultancy](https://www.oros-consultancy.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/Logos/OROS%20Master%20Logo@3x.png?width=48&height=48&name=OROS%20Master%20Logo@3x.png) Oros Consultancy October 23, 2026 ***Read time: 5 minutes*** Due diligence is one of those phrases that gets used often in investment conversations and explained rarely. Most people understand, in a general sense, that it means doing your homework before committing money to something. What is less well understood is what that homework actually involves in the context of a private investment, who is responsible for doing it, and what standard of diligence a reasonable investor should expect from the people introducing the opportunity to them. These are not abstract questions. The quality of due diligence conducted before an investment is made is one of the most significant determinants of whether things go well or poorly if the investment runs into difficulty. At [Oros Consultancy](https://www.oros-consultancy.co.uk), due diligence is central to how we evaluate every opportunity before we present it to qualifying investors. This article explains what due diligence means in practice, what you should expect from a specialist introducer, and what further work investors should consider doing independently. **What due diligence actually means** Due diligence, in the context of private investment, refers to the process of independently verifying the material claims made about an investment opportunity before committing capital to it. It is the difference between taking a management team's word for something and establishing, through independent investigation, that what they are saying is accurate and complete. The scope of due diligence varies depending on the nature and complexity of the investment. But in the context of a private company investment, it typically covers several distinct areas. Financial due diligence involves reviewing the company's historical financial statements — ideally audited ones — to verify that the revenue, profit, and cash flow figures presented in the investment documentation are accurate and that there are no material liabilities or contingencies that have not been disclosed. Legal due diligence involves reviewing the legal structure of the company, its ownership, its contractual obligations, and the specific terms of the investment instrument being offered. It confirms that the company has the legal right to issue the instrument, that the security backing the investment is valid and properly registered, and that there are no legal disputes or regulatory issues that could affect the investment. Commercial due diligence involves assessing the business model and market independently — verifying that the market opportunity is real, that the competitive dynamics are as described, and that the management team's track record can be independently corroborated. **What you should expect from a specialist introducer** A specialist introducer operates differently from a financial adviser. Their role is not to assess whether an investment is suitable for your personal circumstances — that is the role of an FCA-regulated adviser. Their role is to identify, evaluate, and present investment opportunities to qualifying investors. As part of that role, a responsible introducer should be conducting meaningful due diligence on every opportunity before it is presented. At a minimum, this should include reviewing the company's financial statements and verifying the key figures, checking that the legal structure of the investment is sound and the documentation is properly constituted, independently verifying the material claims in the investment documentation, assessing the credibility and track record of the management team, and satisfying themselves that the investment terms are fair and the risk profile is clearly disclosed. What a responsible introducer should not do is present an opportunity they have not investigated themselves, rely entirely on documentation provided by the company without independent verification, or overstate the conclusions of their diligence — suggesting greater certainty about the investment's prospects than the evidence actually supports. When engaging with any introducer, it is entirely reasonable to ask directly: what due diligence have you conducted on this opportunity, and what did you find? A confident, specific answer to that question is a good sign. A vague or evasive one is not. **What investors should do independently** Even where an introducer has conducted thorough due diligence, it does not absolve the investor of the responsibility to satisfy themselves before committing capital. There are several things worth doing independently, regardless of the quality of the introducer's work. Read the investment documentation thoroughly. As we covered in a [separate article on our website](https://www.oros-consultancy.co.uk), the Information Memorandum contains material information about the investment that every investor should engage with directly rather than delegating to a third party. Verify the company's existence and basic details through publicly available sources. In the UK, Companies House provides access to filed accounts, director information, and company status for every registered company. Checking that the company exists, that its filed accounts are consistent with what is presented in the investment documentation, and that its directors are who they claim to be is a basic step that takes a matter of minutes. Ask questions and expect specific answers. If there is anything in the investment documentation that is unclear, inconsistent, or that you would like to understand better, raise it directly with the introducer before proceeding. A well-structured opportunity will have clear answers to clear questions. Discuss the opportunity with your Independent Financial Adviser. Your IFA can review the investment in the context of your complete financial position, assess whether it is appropriate for your circumstances, and identify questions or concerns that you may not have thought of yourself. **Red flags to watch for** There are certain signals that should prompt heightened scrutiny, regardless of how attractive the headline terms of an investment appear. Pressure to make a decision quickly is one of the clearest. Genuine investment opportunities do not require you to commit before you have had time to read the documentation, take independent advice, and satisfy yourself that the investment is appropriate. Any suggestion that speed is necessary should be treated with significant scepticism. Reluctance to answer specific questions about the investment is another. If an introducer is evasive about the financial details, the legal structure, or the background of the management team, that evasiveness is itself a meaningful data point. Unaudited financials presented without explanation deserve particular attention. Where audited accounts are not available — for example, in the case of a very early-stage business — the reason should be clearly explained and the absence of audit should be reflected in how you assess the investment's risk profile. Overly optimistic projections with no clear basis are a further warning sign. Financial projections are opinions, not facts. Projections that show consistent, rapid growth with no acknowledgement of the risks or assumptions that underpin them deserve more scrutiny, not less. **A shared responsibility** Due diligence in private investment is not the sole responsibility of the introducer, the adviser, or the investor. It is a shared responsibility across all three, with each party conducting the work appropriate to their role and their knowledge. The introducer evaluates the opportunity. The adviser evaluates its suitability for the individual investor. The investor reads the documentation, asks questions, and makes the final decision. When all three are functioning well, the result is an investor who has made a genuinely informed decision based on a thorough understanding of what they are committing to. At [Oros Consultancy](https://www.oros-consultancy.co.uk), we take our part of that responsibility seriously. If you would like to understand more about the due diligence process we apply to every opportunity we present, [contact our team](https://www.oros-consultancy.co.uk) for a no-obligation conversation. *Your capital is at risk. You may lose all the money you invest. This article does not constitute financial advice and should not be relied upon as such. These investments are intended for Certified High Net Worth Individuals and Self-Certified Sophisticated Investors as defined under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005. If you are in any doubt as to whether this investment is appropriate for you, please seek independent financial advice from a person authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority.* ## Share this post [mailto:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.oros-consultancy.co.uk%2Farticles%2Fwhat-is-due-diligence-and-how-much-should-you-expect-your-introducer-to-do](mailto:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.oros-consultancy.co.uk%2Farticles%2Fwhat-is-due-diligence-and-how-much-should-you-expect-your-introducer-to-do) ## Keep reading ### [![](https://www.oros-consultancy.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/Bridge%20Between%20Old%20and%20New%20Business.png?width=1672&height=941&name=Bridge%20Between%20Old%20and%20New%20Business.png) latest-market-news UK financial news alternative investments UK Business News: Growth, AI Investment and M&A Momentum](https://www.oros-consultancy.co.uk/articles/uk-business-news-growth-ai-investment-ma-momentum) ### [![](https://www.oros-consultancy.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/memorandum%20with%20magnifying%20glass.png?width=1672&height=941&name=memorandum%20with%20magnifying%20glass.png) private equity investment-education private investment How to Read an Information Memorandum — What to Look For and What to Question](https://www.oros-consultancy.co.uk/articles/how-to-read-an-information-memorandum-what-to-look-for-and-what-to-question) #### Ready to Elevate your business? 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