If you have a complaint

We will acknowledge your complaint, whether this has been by email, letter or over the phone, within five days of receiving it. If we receive a complaint outside of normal working hours, it is treated as if it had arrived at the start of the next working day. In some cases we will have had enough time to look into the matter and see what has gone wrong. If so, we will give you a full response in an acknowledgement letter.

Complaints that need further investigation

If we do not reach a decision in time to include it within your acknowledgement letter, we will continue to investigate in order to find out:

• what has gone wrong
• whether our service has fallen below the standard we strive to achieve
• what needs to be done to put things right.

No later than four (4) weeks after we received your complaint, we will contact you again. If we cannot give you the results of our investigation we will explain why we are not yet in a position to do so and tell you when we will next contact you.

In the unlikely event that we have not finished investigating your complaint eight (8) weeks after we received it, we will send you a further letter to:

• explain why we have not been able to reach a decision
• let you know when you can expect our final decision
• if appropriate, tell you how you can refer your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service or the Pension Ombudsman.

When we send you a letter to say we have dealt with your complaint, we will give the reasons for any decision that we have come to. If you are not happy with our response, you can refer the matter to either the Pensions Ombudsman or the Financial Ombudsman Service - dependent upon the nature of your complaint.

Where your nature of your complaint concerns the administration of your SIPP, you should refer the matter to the Pensions Ombudsman, an independent body that will adjudicate upon your complaint between you and us.

Contact details:
The Pensions Ombudsman
10 South Colonnade
Canary Wharf
E14 4PU
Tel: 0800 917 4487
Email: enquiries@pensions-ombudsman.org.uk
Website: www.pensions-ombudsman.org.uk

Where your unresolved complaint concerns the marketing of the SIPP with Dentons, you should refer the matter to the Financial Ombudsman Service which provides consumers with a free and independent service for the resolution of disputes with organisations that are authorised and regulated by the FCA.

Contact details:
Financial Ombudsman Service
Exchange Tower
Harbour Exchange
London, E14 9SR
Helpline: 0800 023 4567 or 0300 123 9123
Email: complaint.info@financial-ombudsman.org.uk
Website: www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk

Where your unresolved complaint concerns how we have handled your personal data in relation to your SIPP, you should refer the matter to the Information Commissioner's Office.

Contact details:
Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Tel: 0303 123 1113 (local rate) or 01625 545 745 (national rate)
Email: casework@ico.org.uk
Website: www.ico.org.uk

A reference to either Ombudsman Service will not affect your legal rights.

In respect of SSAS, where we are unable to resolve your complaint satisfactory, the matter can be referred to Money and Pensions Service (MAPS). This organisation is available to assist members and works on the basis of mediation and conciliation, using a network of skilled individuals who all work towards achieving a satisfactory resolution to the problem.

MAPS is available at any time to assist you with questions you may have relating to pensions.

Contact details:

Money and Pensions Service (MAPS)

Bedford Borough Hall
138 Cauldwell Street
Bedford
MK42 9AB
Helpline: 0800 011 3797
Website: https://maps.org.uk/en

Should MAPS be unable to achieve a resolution, the issue can then be referred to the Pensions Ombudsman Service (POS). Access to the Pensions Ombudsman Service is normally only possible once the circumstances have been considered by the Scheme Trustees and then by MAPS. Please see above for their contact details.

Using your own solicitor, financial adviser or other third party complaint-handling firm does not affect how we review your complaint. However, please be aware that:

• we do not charge you to investigate the complaint
• we will not be liable for any costs incurred if you decide to employ a third party to handle your complaint during this review.