The Pension Guys

bigmatt1174

I've just had a Pension Release letter drop through my door by a regualted firm and the partner of the firm has been on the FSA/FCA register since 2004!

dunstonh

bigmatt1174 wrote: »

I've just had a Pension Release letter drop through my door by a regualted firm and the partner of the firm has been on the FSA/FCA register since 2004!

Release or liberation?

Mailshots are not considered cold calling. If he knocked on the door and started the process then that is when it starts getting grey.

mania112

dunstonh wrote: »

Release or liberation?

Mailshots are not considered cold calling. If he knocked on the door and started the process then that is when it starts getting grey.

Not that i'm thinking of doing this (when I am qualified) but can an adviser knock on doors to offer his services?

- like the 'man from the pru' would

bmm78

mania112 wrote: »

Not that i'm thinking of doing this (when I am qualified) but can an adviser knock on doors to offer his services?

- like the 'man from the pru' would

Same horse, different jockey - knocking on doors unannounced is the same thing as cold calling.

The rules refer to "real time" and "non real time", rather than the actual medium of contact.

There is no distinction drawn between a telephone call and a personal visit. Both are considered to be interactive dialogue, and FCA rules do not permit firms to do this on an "unsolicited" basis (ie without prior agreement/consent from the client).

The same restrictions don't apply to "non-real time", which includes mailshots and other adverts. However, they still have to be fair, clear and not misleading, so a pension release mailshot could easily fall foul of this instead.

datostar

I think I've heard this firm advertising on Smooth Radio. I wouldn't deal with any company calling themselves 'guys' on principle. Ugh.

Moneypenny_no_1

I have been dealing with these "guys" . They work with regulated IFA's only - and managed to get me a much better deal for my pension. They don't deal with unregulated advisors or products, and you may find their help usefull. Their documents state clearly that they don't touch your pension -I thought it was a save option. I had completed a survey and they contacted me afterwards - so I suppose I have allowed them to contact me.

Everybody I have spoken to was friendly and they did a great job for me.

robotbella

Moneypenny_no_1 wrote: »

I have been dealing with these "guys" . They work with regulated IFA's only - and managed to get me a much better deal for my pension.

Thank you for this different perspective, that's useful. I think they have stopped contacting me now, after I said I had changed my mind about giving them my details because they're not FSA/FCA regulated. So I probably won't go back to them. Just for the record though, they were always nice and helpful on the phone, and it's also good that they have not kept contacting me after I said I wasn't interested.

arthurdick

robotbella wrote: »

Thank you for this different perspective, that's useful. I think they have stopped contacting me now, after I said I had changed my mind about giving them my details because they're not FSA/FCA regulated. So I probably won't go back to them. Just for the record though, they were always nice and helpful on the phone, and it's also good that they have not kept contacting me after I said I wasn't interested.

that may not be as useful as you first thought, it does seem strange that a newbies first post is to back these "pension guys". me being a bit of a "if it seems too good to be true" bloke, i very much doubt that that post was as genuine as it could be.....take the safe option, listen to what every poster on this thread has told you..

good news that the the "pension guys" no longer keep in touch.

bmm78

Moneypenny_no_1 wrote: »

I have been dealing with these "guys" . They work with regulated IFA's only - and managed to get me a much better deal for my pension. They don't deal with unregulated advisors or products, and you may find their help usefull. Their documents state clearly that they don't touch your pension -I thought it was a save option. I had completed a survey and they contacted me afterwards - so I suppose I have allowed them to contact me.

This may seem like a stupid question, but why not just go straight to an IFA, rather than a bunch of "guys" who will just pass your details on?

They aren't regulated, so the "help" they can provide is very limited.

Unbiased.co.uk provides a directory of financial advisers and is free to use. You can contact a few directly, compare service/charges, and then go from there. I don't see the point in using a middleman, even if they are nice and friendly.