Montfort International - anyone used them?
 

We are contemplating using this company to sort out all our financial affairs between the UK and Oz (pensions, UK mortgage, endowments etc). Has anyone used them? What are your opinions on them?

If you used an International Financial Advisor, who did you use? Would you recommend them and were they expensive? These guys are wanting £1200 +VAT!

Thanks!

Re: Montfort International - anyone used them?
 

Do a previous search. You will find heaps of threads about this.

Bottom line = dont use them.

Re: Montfort International - anyone used them?
 

Agree with C, there has not been any good feedback about Montfort.

You should also not being asked to pay up front - the cost is normally picked up as part of the pension/super fund admin fee and paid by them to the advisor.

Even if your financial affairs are complex a reputable UK financial advisor can sort out the UK based items. The Oz side is really not that complex but can be done with a local based financial advisor.

If you want a recommendation - Alan Collett is a chartered accountant who has worked in both UK and here in Oz. Do a search for him or try PM him direct - You can trust him.

Re: Montfort International - anyone used them?
 

Hi There,

We used Montfort for everything, had no problems we knew up front what it would cost - NO HIDDEN EXTRAS - They also put us in touch with a finacial adviser out here and also have ongoing support if you need it.
I have read the other threads on this and would ask the people who condemn Montfort to be more specific, they slag them off but never give a reason - its all very vague. If you are happy with them then why listen to what other are or rather are not saying

Re: Montfort International - anyone used them?
 

You DO NOT Need anyone in the UK do this for you or in Oz also. See previous posts on this. You can transfer your pension fund to the Oz with the minimum of fuss and you don't need to pay someone a large slice of your money to do it. I've done it so I speak from experience.

As for mortgage and endowments - why would you need someone to do this for you ????

Re: Montfort International - anyone used them?
 

The bare cold facts are that the services they offer [and charge for] can be done by emigrants themselves - the pension transfer is an obvious one as superannuation funds in Oz are more than happy to assist you in transferring your UK pension to them for nothing.

Re: Montfort International - anyone used them?
 

I think it depends on what visa you are coming on - we came on a retirement subclass 410 and had issues relating to the setting up of our SMSF, proof of capital and capital gains tax issues. It was this that Montfort gave us good advise on.

Re: Montfort International - anyone used them?
 

Thanks for the replies everyone! I guess it reinforces my gut feeling on this. I didn't like the sales pitch much (but I am a natural skeptic so anyone in sales has a hard time!) and I thought nearly 3 hours for an initial meeting was so over the top!

Thanks Geelong Gent for the recommendation of Alan Collett. I'll drop him a line.

I guess I need a little more faith in my own abilities!

Thanks again everyone!

Re: Montfort International - anyone used them?
 

Including this?

http://www.gomatilda.com/news/article.cfm?articleid=431

Re: Montfort International - anyone used them?
 

Have fun trying to drop Montford, they rang me for weeks after I gave them my details at a immi show.

Went with Alan Collett for some detailed stuff as I had a uk company etc, but if you have a pretty easy setup, then you can do it yourself.

Pension companies here will do most of the transfer for you. It has to be on the QORPS list. You have 6 months to transfer it tax free, then its 15% of an increase in pension pot value since you arrived. Your cash from house sell/bank accounts is free to move into the country without tax issues.

Re: Montfort International - anyone used them?
 

I too was hassled by Montfort and the guy was extremely unprofessional in slagging off my agent at the time.

Without going into too much detail, one guy told me that he lost literally thousands with Montfort.

His sales tactics are aggressive, he should not be slagging off agents and trying to poach customers and I have heard from at least two people that using them has been to their cost.

Re: Montfort International - anyone used them?
 

A search on Montfort says it all-they should be banned.

Re: Montfort International - anyone used them?
 

we too had issues with montefort. sales pitch very aggresive and used long words to try and bambousel you. nasty man rang constantly trying to get us to use them after i made the mistake of telling him how much my husbands pension fund was! had to get aggressive and nasty back for him to stop calling.I told him 3% of the total value of my OH pension, thats what he was charging plus 200 quid + vat!! was what he was after nothing to do with his concern for us as he kept saying. Why else would of he kept on ringing?We will use an oz based firm for OH transfer if and when we decide to move it. Mines a nurse pension so will be straight forward.
Also, we moved and he still found our number some how which im still flumuxed as to how it got it.
wouldnt touch with a 10ft bargepole.
Teryna

Re: Montfort International - anyone used them?
 

Rang him today to say we weren't going to hire him. Got a lot of spiel about how they developed the whole process etc. Then asked why we weren't going ahead. I explained that I had researched further and consulted you good folk and guess what, apparently there are people on this site who are paid to bad-mouth companies like his :rofl:. So, if any of you are in the pay of a person or company that runs down others, please 'fess up now!:eek:

I think we have had a lucky escape.

BTW, won't be surprised if GLD comes on now to check up on what's going on so am going to unsubscribe from thread as I really have no interest in what he may have to say!

Re: Montfort International - anyone used them?
 

Expect a couple of weeks of calls now.