MyCSP incompetence

IhateMYCSP

Hi, I'm hoping to get some advice as I'm struggling to cope with the incompetence of MyCSP.

I opted out of the Nuvos pension scheme with less than 2 years of service earlier this year. I know how good a deal it is, but my financial position is truly dire to the point that I'm going to be homeless in a few weeks. I've been off work sick for a long time so on half pay now and really struggling. I don't expect to return to work in the near future. Anyway, I requested a refund of contributions which should be around £1,400 - £1,500 which I really need.

I filled in the relevant forms and sent them off on 3 April to my payroll department. I also asked MyCSP on this date if I need to inform them but was told my payroll would send the information they need (incidentally I was told last week by an agent that I could have sent the forms directly to MyCSP). I was opted out of the pension scheme on 2 June.

I started contacting MyCSP about the refund in late June, early July as I thought it would be almost sorted by then. I was initially told they didn't have any information about me opting out, then after a few weeks I was told they were waiting on more information from my payroll. Each time I would go back to my payroll and ask them what was going on and they would tell me the information MyCSP were asking for was sent weeks ago (they also showed me evidence of this information being sent when they said it was).

Each time I would keep going back to MyCSP and explain, but I kept being told they were waiting for the information. Twice I was told I would receive a callback by xxx but these have never happened.

Around the start of August, they confirmed they had the correct information and had to calculate the benefits. I waited patiently for this but nothing was coming.

In the middle of August I decided to make a complaint about how long this was taking. Below is a timeline of what has happened with the complaint:

• Original complaint sent 18 August by email.
• Contacted MyCSP on 20 August to confirm receipt. Was told email was sent to me on 19 August by email which I didn’t receive.
• Agent sent me the letter again which was dated 19 August. Letter asked if I wanted to go through IDR route or Formal Complaint, stating that Formal Complaint had a timescale of 10 working days so would be quicker.
• I sent email on 20 August confirming that I want to go through a Formal Complaint due to the timescale of 10 working days.
• Received a letter by post dated 26 August acknowledging receipt of my complaint and giving a timescale for a full response of 20 working days.
• Contacted MyCSP on 2 September to query why the timescale had changed from 10 working days to 20 working days. I was told the correct timescale was 20 working days but a full response had been sent on 26 August by email. I did not receive this. I questioned this as I thought it was very strange for a full response to be sent the same day as an acknowledgement but was told this was correct. I asked them to send it again but was told this wasn’t possible as it wasn’t showing on the system. I questioned this as well but was told it was correct and that my case had been closed!!!
• Due to this, I was told a new complaint would have to be raised about the incompetent handing of the complaint and the timescale for a response is 20 working days.

So I've gotten nowhere with the complaint.

I have on several occasions been told me case had been 'escalated' and that a specialist team was working on it. I finally received the refund information on 29 August. I sent back the completed declaration to them on 31 August.

Before I received the refund information I was told once I sent it back it would take 5 working days to be process and sent to Capita then 10 working days for the payment to be issued by Capita. After I sent the information back, it changed to 10 working days to be processed and 10 working days to be paid.

I asked MyCSP how the refund was calculated (it was broken down gross and net in the document I received). I then did my own calculation and found the gross contributions they have listed are over £200 less than they should be.

I advised MyCSP of this on 29 August (about an hour after receiving the information from them!). I was told I would receive a response to the query by the close on 5 September. I chased this up several times last week and advised that a call back was coming. It has not.


I'm in the position now where I am completely sick of MyCSP and I'm thoroughly glad they won't be administering any pension arrangements I have. Using the timescales they give, I will have to wait another 5 working days for it to be processed and 10 working days for payment to be made. This is, of course, if they can keep to their own timescales which I know they do not. This will take it up to a total of 6 months since I opted out and requested a refund. Surely this is not on? They have my money and I want it back.

I made an FOI request for all the information on my account and all guidance given to staff on processing a refund of contributions. I was advised I would receive a response to this by the close on 9 September but I don't expect that to happen.


Does anyone have any advice on what I can do? I know it doesn't matter to them, but I'm at the point where I really really need this money very soon. Is their anyone other than the standard helpdesk that I can contact? They won't put me through to the person dealing with my case or anyone who deals with the complaints.

Thanks for reading.

IhateMYCSP

Any thoughts on this...or am I overreacting?

SomeUser

Have you checked your spam folder for the emails?

For assistance with your complaint, try TPAS http://www.pensionsadvisoryservice.org.uk/

IhateMYCSP

Hi, thanks for the link to TPAS I didn't know about them. I have checked my spam folders, I even gave them a different email address after the problems with the first document. I really believe the response to my complaint doesn't exist, knowing how slowly they've been moving with everything I can not believe they would send the response the same day as the acknowledgement. I guess the person dealing with my complaint has clicked the wrong button on the system which has marked it as completed.


I don't want to go into details about my medical or financial situation, but both are very bad. I really really need this money very soon, I can't wait much longer.

SomeUser

TPAS will advocate on your behalf and should significantly help.

Good luck IhateMYCSP, it sounds like you need a break.

IhateMYCSP

Thanks SomeUser

IhateMYCSP

Spoke to TPAS this morning, don't think they can help me much at this stage as I would have to send them documents and it would take about 6 weeks for them to get going. They did give me some really good advice though.

Phoned MyCSP this morning and apparently someone on the escalation team is going to call me back today. Tick tock.

SomeUser

IhateMYCSP wrote: »

Spoke to TPAS this morning, don't think they can help me much at this stage as I would have to send them documents and it would take about 6 weeks for them to get going. They did give me some really good advice though.

Phoned MyCSP this morning and apparently someone on the escalation team is going to call me back today. Tick tock.

Glad you managed to get some good advice from them, even if they can't help you at this stage.

Did MyCSP phone you back?

IhateMYCSP

They did. They were supposed to be phoning me back about the issue with the amount being wrong (I was told I was being phoned on last Friday initially). They didn't have any information on this just said it would be added to the complaint.

They said I hadn't sent them all the information they needed. They had given me a 3 page declaration for the refund where I signed and dated the last page where I also ticked a box to say I wanted refund rather than transfer. I scanned and emailed them the last page only as I didn't think I needed to send the others (as I hadn't written anything on them!). Apparently I needed to send all 3, so that's going to be another delay.

I think it was a manager I spoke to today and I've got his direct email address. I've sent him the documents they want and again detailed all of the problems I've had. TPAS mentioned claiming for distress and inconvenience which I certainly will be doing through the complaints procedure.

GibbsRule_No3

Sorry about your troubles, I'm not surprised though. Unlike you my need is not urgent. I have been trying to get my Widows Pension refunded since taking my CSP on June 26th. I also have had emails saying it has been escalated. When I phoned last week, must be the 5th phonecall, the new person I spoke to said the person who should have been dealing with it was off for 10 days. no help to me and would have been no help to you. I sent my form to them in May to get the ball rolling.

IhateMYCSP

Well, today was MyCSP's self-imposed deadline for replying to my formal complaint. I called earlier and was told the manager I had been speaking to would call me back. Obviously, I've heard nothing from them.

I figured out how MyCSP's calculation of my refund was incorrect. I've had this verified by my payroll. I advised MyCSP of this last week after raising a query on the amount on 29 August. Obviously, I've heard nothing from them.

The one thing they have done is reply to my subject access request. This confirmed a lot of the dates from earlier in the process and will certainly help me with my forthcoming IDR complaint and, if necessary, complaint to the pensions ombudsman. It also told me that in July my refund had been 'lost' in the system and was only found after I had chased them several times and got my payroll department to chase them as well.

Pathetic service.