Hargreaves Lansdowne - Financial advisers

hethmar

Oh dear, sorry didnt want to cause a problem.

I believe HL charge £450 for a consultation.

EdInvestor

hethmar wrote: »

Oh dear, sorry didnt want to cause a problem.

I believe HL charge £450 for a consultation.

Don't worry.This is a perennial exchange Dunstonh (being a local IFA) naturally tends to think that he and his colleagues are best. Personally I tend to prefer more specialised firms, especially those which have a good online presence as it saves so much time.

HL seems to be aiming at the 100k+ market, but actually that would apply to many IFAs as well.

dunstonh

Don't worry.This is a perennial exchange Dunstonh (being a local IFA) naturally tends to think that he and his colleagues are best.

No I don't. I take issue at Ed consistently recommending national firms and slagging off local advisers. She advertises the services of HL so much its almost as if she is paid for doing so. Even when HL is more expensive, she still promotes them.

Where a local firm can provide the service and options of a national at equal or cheaper cost then I dont see why nationals should be promoted as being better than local firms.

Personally I tend to prefer more specialised firms, especially those which have a good online presence as it saves so much time.

By specialist, Ed ignores the fact that the same companies also run websites that focus on other business areas. Therefore, she thinks that a company with say 4 different websites on individual subjects is better than a company with 1 website.

hethmar

Well I used that "unbiased" link dunstonh but it just gave me a couple of local building societies and the address of a very new mortgage shop that opened in town Not impressed by unbiased.

I shall trawl the yellow pages

Thanks for your input.

dunstonh

Well I used that "unbiased" link dunstonh but it just gave me a couple of local building societies and the address of a very new mortgage shop that opened in town Not impressed by unbiased.

There are over 9000 IFAs in the country. 99% are listed on there. If you only got a handful of responses then that suggests you over filtered the options. It usually shows the nearest 8 within a reasonable radius that meets your criteria.

Did you untick the option to show only paying firms? Did you start to filter qualifications (highly flawed as it will only show those with that particular exam, not those with equal alternatives or higher). Dont select any of the filters and untick the option in part 2.

I shall trawl the yellow pages

Which has very little coverage and doesnt filter between IFA and tied agents.

hethmar

The only thing I entered was my post code. Didnt filter any other options.

Just tried again - post code only nothing else - Norwich and Peterborough B.S. and two blokes at the same little office.

dunstonh

You need to untick the option in section 2. Otherwise it will only show firms which have paid to be listed. Its not a popular filter with advisers as its an attempt to force firms into having to pay as most people dont spot the tick box and leave it as it is.

Dont go to N&P. My local N&P is awful. IFAs in tied agent wolves clothing. Little offices are often better than nationals. The owner/partner/directors will have discretion to discount whereas an employee may not or if they do may not have the scope. For example, a regional IFA near me takes 70% of the earnings of their employed/attached IFAs leaving just 30% for that IFA. That doesnt give much scope for you to get a discount.

hethmar

Thanks, did that but got the same few - looks like IFA are rare in this area Will look at local YP thanks.

dunstonh

Goodness, you must be quite rural. You get about a 10-15 mile radius using the website. They have a paper directory that they can refer to if you phone them up (it will be computerised for them but they print it or make it available to providers to use).

Yellow pages will give you a more regional coverage but it will not include all firms and you will need to make sure the firm is independent. Tied agents and multi-tied/panel firms are no good for you.