How Long Do I Give Administrators Before Going To Ombudsman?

pjh104

My situation is as below, and I am looking for advice on how long it is reasonable to give them to give them before raising an issue with the Pensions Regulator.

I was an employee of NatWest between 1991 and 1999 and had on joining opted for the Defined Contribution pension scheme. In December 2018 I received notice from Willis Towers Watson (WTW) that administration of my holding in that scheme was passing to Legal & General (L&G).

My financial advisor has been undertaking a review of my pension holdings, had been having no luck with getting any information out of L&G and asked that I call them to see what I needed to do to allow the advisor access to the details of my holding. This I did 3 weeks ago.

L&G stated that they had no record of my holding, and that I should contact WTW.. I did contact WTW, who told me the transfer had happened and I should contact L&G. After several rounds of calls, I was told that a complaint procedure had been started and I would be kept informed. I have had some contact from L&G, but nothing for over a week now, and nothing at all from WTW. I contacted Standard LIfe whom the investment is with, to be told that they could tell me nothing about my holding and I should contact the adminsitrator (who they think is still WTW). I also tried to contact the Trustees of the scheme, only to be knocked back and told to contact the administrators.

As I say, how long shoukd I give them before I make a formal complaint to the Ombudsman? Thus sum involved in non trivial, and luckily at the moment I do not need the money, but if I did I would be at my wits' end.

dunstonh

They have 8 weeks before you can to the ombudsman. That is from the point of your complaint. Not the build up period.

Have you actually raised the complaint yet or it is still being looked at as an administration task?

xylophone

You might wish to discuss the matter with TPAS.

https://www.pensionsadvisoryservice.org.uk/pension-problems/making-a-complaint

pjh104

I understand a complaint has been raised. I will call them tomorrow to try and get an update.

dunstonh

Have you received written confirmation of your complaint?
They should write to you acknowledging the complaint, confirming their understanding of the complaint, explaining the process and your rights of access to the ombudsman. If you have not had that, then its possible they have not recorded it as a complaint yet.

pjh104

I will seek written confirmation tomorrow. Thanks for the advice.

squirrelpie

In December 2018 I received notice from Willis Towers Watson (WTW) that administration of my holding in that scheme was passing to Legal & General (L&G).

Do you still have that notice, and have you had any subsequent communications from either firm?

JoeCrystal

pjh104 wrote: »

I was an employee of NatWest between 1991 and 1999 and had on joining opted for the Defined Contribution pension scheme. In December 2018 I received notice from Willis Towers Watson (WTW) that administration of my holding in that scheme was passing to Legal & General (L&G).

Did you get an annual statement and paperwork from the pension companies? That should help you to prove that you got it.

pjh

squirrelpie wrote: »

Do you still have that notice, and have you had any subsequent communications from either firm?

I do still have that notice.

pjh

JoeCrystal wrote: »

Did you get an annual statement and paperwork from the pension companies? That should help you to prove that you got it.

I still have my original notification of joining the scheme, and the last several years of statements. These, however, come via the administrator and not directly from the pension provider.

Brynsam

dunstonh wrote: »

They have 8 weeks before you can to the ombudsman. That is from the point of your complaint. Not the build up period.

Have you actually raised the complaint yet or it is still being looked at as an administration task?

The 8 weeks applies to the Financial Ombudsman, not the Pensions Ombudsman - and from the information given by OP, this isn't one for FOS.

OP, as someone has already said, contact The Pensions Advisory Service for help. They deal with this sort of thing every day: https://www.pensionsadvisoryservice.org.uk

If you try complaining direct to the Pensions Ombudsman, they will refer you to TPAS in the first instance. If TPAS can't help (very unlikely), the case can always be referred to the Pensions Ombudsman at a later date - and the resolution will be that much quicker because TPAS will have done the groundwork with you.