AVIVA Pension - atrocious customer service. Should I complain to an Ombudsman?

nb_bob

Prism said:

If a company doesn't seem able to take your business then why not go elsewhere with it. There are plenty of other platforms which you could have up and running in no time.

That's exactly what I'm going to do. Not just because of their incompetence but also because of the lack of functionality of the online account. 

dunstonh

My online account is very limited in what it can do. I can look at the figures of each fund... and that's about it. If I remember correctly, my pension started out as a Sunlife (I'll have to check paperwork), then it was taken over by AXA, then Aviva. I don't think Aviva is interested in it. Zero online functionality. Zero customer service.

I had a feeling it would be a Bristol operated plan.    AXA Sun Life plans are still not on the Aviva systems and the AXA software is still being used.  Of the three main offices for legacy plans, that is the slowest.

Unless the plan has safeguarded benefits or other guarantees, its probably out-of-date compared to modern plans.  If you want modern functionality, then having a modern plan is usually the best way.

Albermarle

nb_bob said:

Prism said:

If a company doesn't seem able to take your business then why not go elsewhere with it. There are plenty of other platforms which you could have up and running in no time.

That's exactly what I'm going to do. Not just because of their incompetence but also because of the lack of functionality of the online account. 

With hindsight you should probably have just done this first before restarting contributions.
Worth noting that normally when you start the transfer process with the new pensions provider, Aviva are known to be one of the quickest in transferring the funds. Although probably will depend on which bit of Aviva you are dealing with.

Kim1965

The standard of service is so variable. I have had to sort out spouse s benfits following my wifes death. Ppf and lgps were done and dusted within 6 weeks. Tps is nearly 3 months, one communication, they never get back to me. Only want to know if they need any more info. Just aswell im not desperate! 

Malthusian

dunstonh said:

Unless the plan has safeguarded benefits or other guarantees, its probably out-of-date compared to modern plans.

And even if it does the chances are very small that new contributions to the plan would receive any benefit from those guarantees, given that the OP stopped contributions in 2021. 
Ongoing contributions to "legacy" plans sometimes benefit from guarantees if those contributions started in the days when those guarantees were available (i.e. the 1990s or older). But once you stop the contributions, that's gone; the funds already paid in retain the guarantees, but you can no longer pay in new money that will benefit from them. 
(The OP should of course check with Aviva.)

Albermarle

Kim1965 said:

The standard of service is so variable. I have had to sort out spouse s benfits following my wifes death. Ppf and lgps were done and dusted within 6 weeks. Tps is nearly 3 months, one communication, they never get back to me. Only want to know if they need any more info. Just aswell im not desperate! 

Sorry to hear of your wife's death. You had mentioned she was very ill in previous posts, but still must have been a sad time.
Hopefully you get the above sorted out soonest.

Kim1965

Albermarle said:

Kim1965 said:

The standard of service is so variable. I have had to sort out spouse s benfits following my wifes death. Ppf and lgps were done and dusted within 6 weeks. Tps is nearly 3 months, one communication, they never get back to me. Only want to know if they need any more info. Just aswell im not desperate! 

Sorry to hear of your wife's death. You had mentioned she was very ill in previous posts, but still must have been a sad time.
Hopefully you get the above sorted out soonest.

Thankyou. I think they work at their own pace, it took from march 22 to the end of September to sort out ill heakth retirement for her. Poor show imho. I seem to remember that you had issues getting a db sorted? I think its pretty common. 

xylophone

Poor show imho.

I fear that efficiency in public or private services  can no longer be expected and you are far from alone in noticing the dire situation.

https://www.conservativewoman.co.uk/take-the-axe-to-this-rotten-civil-service/

Well, yes, probably – not much works properly in this country whether in the public or private sector, and things have become acute ......

Malthusian

Kim1965 said:

Tps is nearly 3 months, one communication, they never get back to me. Only want to know if they need any more info. Just aswell im not desperate! 

If you've been chasing them for three months without result I would make a formal complaint.

Rich1976

I echo what the others have said. Move your pension to a modern online one where you have full control and visibility. There are a few with excellent service standards to choose from.

These dinosaur insurance companies have had years to sort their processes out. No companies these days should be reliant on paper transactions.