SJP compensates client for lack of advice fee clarity and delayed service

Client was left to borrow from family

Ayesha Venkataraman
clock • 3 min read

The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) has upheld a complaint against St James's Place Wealth Management (SJP) from a client who was dissatisfied by how the firm dealt with her request to access her pension benefits in 2019 as well as a proposed additional advice charge (AAC) of £1,725.

The complaint stems from a long-time client, Ms B, who sought to access her pension benefits in July 2019. Her SJP adviser initially recommended making a withdrawal with a UFPLS (uncrystallised funds pension lump sum) before revising his recommendation a few days later to enter drawdown instead. Each option entailed a different annual charge and a different external management charge based on the fund selection, which Ms B claimed was never properly explained to her. On 11 September 2019 she asked to start the process of withdrawing funds via drawdown, but it was never initiated as th...

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