FenTiger

I'm thinking of asking my wife to let me deal with her situation so she can concentrate on caring for her mother who now needs some extra care after a bad fall. Hope SF don't prolong getting this approved.

Sachina

Just a thought! From reading your thread it occurred to me that when SF say they don't deal with overseas clients they are not referring to your wife's nationality but the fact that you don't live in the UK. I say this because I have an account with a well know high street building society where up to about 3 years ago if I needed money transferred of had a query I simply had to phone or email them. Since the change in EU regulations related to money laundering they will no longer deal with me saying they have no proof I am who I am when I phone or send an email. Fortunately when I was in the UK I gave my DIL authority to act on my behalf and no any queries I have or if I wish to transfer money is done through her.

My best advice would be to forget about trying to sort it out with SF's minions and go straight to the top. Registered letters addressed to

Martin Pringle BSc FCA Acting Chief Executive and Neil Lovatt AC11 BA (Hons) MSc Commercial Manager

Having read their website it seems that what they're telling you is a load of B$%&t.

https://www.scottishfriendly.co.uk/brexit

What will living or moving abroad mean for you?

FenTiger

Wow - that is incredible what they are saying on their website but in practice saying something different.
I think my wife needs to send an email asap and state if her options are not processed within 30 days she will report them to the Pension Ombudsman.

Sachina

If it were me I'd cc the email to both of the chief executives as well as adding the link to the website that I sent you.

My father was a very successful business man and as he would say "Put the frighteners on them"

FenTiger

All done. On behalf of my wife I have emailed SF! I posted the link above and also copy and pasted the relevant sections with a warning the next stop will be Martin Pringle!

Fingers crossed we can sort out other things but for myself I'm going to write to my two small private pension providers to check the situation but first stop will be their website! Best for everyone with private pensions to double check they won't end up same position as my wife.

FenTiger

My private pension is with Phoenix Life. This is their Brexit news:The United Kingdom’s (UK) withdrawal from the European Union (EU) at 11pm on 31 January 2020 didn’t impact your policy or the services we provide as there was a transition period that ran until 31 December 2020 which allowed the UK and EU to negotiate a new trade agreement.

I have messaged them to confirm to be on the safe side!

FenTiger

The last person who sent my wife the "overseas client" email has passed her email to the head of department. All previous contact was via the same person.

Peter_in_Hungary

I have had a word with my IFA to enquire of my pension provider which is Standard Life. He says that SL will transfer funds directly to my Hungarian bank account, once the account has been verified.
Of course the exchange rate you get may not be quite as good with your Hungarian bank as - say- transfer wise, which some of us use. And as for the type of pension, take advice. some here have gone for an annuity type, I went for a draw down pension because of greater flexibility and I did not like the %age offered by the annuity at the time. The draw down allows me to take, within limits, what I want when I want it - or not take any if I don't need it. For my needs a much better option. Also an annuity is expensive, or was when I looked, if you want it to continue to your spouse if you die first, with draw down it makes no difference, any fund left after you die goes to your nominated successor.

FenTiger

Scottish Friendly have come back to say exactly the same and they have no licence to deal with overseas clients. Their website says different!
I'm going to write to Daily Mail's MoneyMail to find out what their guy thinks.
​​​​​

FenTiger

I have just found out PensionWise will provide an online Sign Language Interpreter if we book an appointment. So I'll have a chat with my wife and see if she'd prefer myself to go through her options.
My wife is getting quite upset about the situation because the same guy who sold her the pension is the same guy who got her to co-sign a loan agreement for her then husband. You can guess the rest!

Sachina

As their website still claims that living overseas makes no difference it could constitute misrepresentation on their part. Apart from the person you have been dealing with have you ever received a formal letter from the Company informing you of the fact they can no longer deal with overseas clients? And if so how did/do they propose to resolve the problem?

FenTiger

Good point about no longer dealing with overseas clients.
I think best for me to write to MoneyMail to give them some bad press for causing us so much grief.

FenTiger

Contacted PensionWise and had an appointment yesterday via online sign language interpreter. Didn't get very far. I had sent in advance brief explanation for my wife's situation but the guy who we spoke to suggested The pensions advisory service were better placed to discuss my wife's situation so via Webchat "spoke" to them but surprise .... they suggested PensionWise were better placed to advise.
So I will be doing some research on overseas pensions clients. There seems to be several pension providers who take on overseas clients.
I'm also looking into the possibility of my wife's pension being transferred to a Hungarian private pension provider.

Sachina

I've had no problem with my pension provider but looking at their website it seems they don't take over individual pensions.

I did see this though which although it doesn't apply to you I thought made interesting reading.

https://www.ukfinance.org.uk/consume...n-after-brexit

Consumer Guide on Retail Banking in the European Union after Brexit

FenTiger

👍