Simon Wateridge

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

I was already with the company that Simon joined and he took over from my advisor who retired.

How has Simon Wateridge helped you?

I've always found Simon friendly, professional and very knowledgeable.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

The last few years have been tough for everybody, as we know, but Simon has always given me sound advice.

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

Passing the responsibility onto a Specialist

How has Simon Wateridge helped you?

Very well so nice to have the burden of financial planning removed from our shoulders

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Yes

What could they have done better?

Nothing

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

I wanted to check that I was putting the right amount in my pension to prepare for later in life.

How has Simon Wateridge helped you?

Simon ran me through my current contributions and showed what my pension could potentially look like if I made certain changes.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Yes really helpful

What could they have done better?

Nothing

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

I had some money lying around that needed investing

How has Simon Wateridge helped you?

By pointing me in the right direction &giving me financial advice

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Yes I have

What could they have done better?

Nothing

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

A pension plan with the prudential was not performing well

How has Simon Wateridge helped you?

Giving us advice on the best way to invest money in the short term and explaining my pension fund which give’s us peace of mind

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Yes

What could they have done better?

Nothing as far as I’m aware

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

Already had one, Simon took over

How has Simon Wateridge helped you?

Been very patient and explained it so I understood

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Yes

What could they have done better?

Nothing

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

As an ex advisor I knew the benifts that a professional could bring

How has Simon Wateridge helped you?

Simon has helped tremendously in guiding me into and through my initial retirement providing very valuable advice. He uses the tools he has available and also brings his own personal style to explaining the effects of any outcomes.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Absolutely!

What could they have done better?

Nothing really

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

Helping me to understand my pension and the options to drawdown from it

How has Simon Wateridge helped you?

He gave the advice I needed in very understandable terms. I’ve always struggled to understand, and have subsequently ignored, my pension options. He’s made it simple.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

I only saw him a couple of days ago, so not yet.

What could they have done better?

Nothing.

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

Advise on my existing pensions

How has Simon Wateridge helped you?

Simon has been a massive help in pulling all my existing pension pots i had in to one pot.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

yes we had our first review this month and at the moment seems to be doing well

What could they have done better?

Not much more all good

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

I had a pension plan as part of divorce settlement

How has Simon Wateridge helped you?

Provides excellent advice/guidance on my pension plan investments and retirement plans

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Yes I am happy with the outcome Unfortunately Brexit, Covid & Liz Truss put a spanner in the works.

What could they have done better?

Nothing

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

Personal pension advice

How has Simon Wateridge helped you?

Annual meeting re. Pension plan and performance

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Yes

What could they have done better?

Nothing

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

Needed to put all my pensions in one pot

How has Simon Wateridge helped you?

Yes

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Yes

What could they have done better?

Nothing

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

I have been being advised for many years. It was my ignorance in the matter of pensions that made me initially look for advice.

How has Simon Wateridge helped you?

He had helped me understand my situation & I feel I can approach him for his advice when I need it.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Its a long term situation

What could they have done better?

Nothing that I know of

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

I was on a regular pension scheme previously and wanted to maximise my pensions pot growth. That was when I started to look for a specialist pensions adviser to do the job.

How has Simon Wateridge helped you?

He has helped advised on my risk appetite, and how much I can invest. He also conducts a full review annually to discuss the performance of the investments and my progress towards financial independence.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Yes, so far I have been happy with the progress and growth since switching to a specialist pensions adviser.

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

My long term financial advisor suggested I get an expert pension advisor with the company INTELLIGENT PENSIONS.

How has Simon Wateridge helped you?

Keeping me informed about efficiently managing my pension pot and planning mid term and long term in retirement.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Yes e.g. clear presentations and explanations. Encouraging that the pension investments grew by £20,000 in the six months since November 2023 and I’m not even a millionaire.

What could they have done better?

Nothing comes to mind.

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

Wanting my investments in one place

How has Simon Wateridge helped you?

Pension advise

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Yes

What could they have done better?

Yes

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

Pension

How has Simon Wateridge helped you?

He is very thorough in his knowledge and advice

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Yes

What could they have done better?

Nothing

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

Yearly appointment.

How has Simon Wateridge helped you?

Given us the information about our pension and investments.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Yes

What could they have done better?

No

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

I was already a client and Simon took over my portfolio

How has Simon Wateridge helped you?

Sensible, intelligent up to date market advice

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Yes

What could they have done better?

Nothing

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

Annual review of pension funds

How has Simon Wateridge helped you?

Extremely knowledgeable & able to portray that knowledge in an easy to understand way. Very helpful with retirement planning, discussing the many options available to us.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Yes, very pleased with the progress of the funds.

What could they have done better?

N/A

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

Simon was our new advisor taking over from our earlier advisor . Simon has a very professional approach and can see it from a client's perspective.

How has Simon Wateridge helped you?

Simon has helped my Wife and I enormously. His easy going nature combined with hard facts and data regarding our pensions has provided us with a good understanding of where we are and where we want to be in terms of our pensions.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Yes, Simon has provided clarity and made us realise how we can use our pensions so they can work for us cost effectively.

What could they have done better?

At the moment we are very happy with Simon's friendly service. We would recommend him to family and friends.

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

I was in need of advice in combining various pension funds.

How has Simon Wateridge helped you?

First class friendly advice on annuity and drawdown pensions.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Very happy with the outcome of combining various pension funds and advice on drawdown and annuity pension plans.

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

recomendation by a friend

How has Simon Wateridge helped you?

clear and concise pension advice

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

not yet

What could they have done better?

nothing

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

This is a continuing relationship over many years.

How has Simon Wateridge helped you?

With my private pension requirements.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Yes.

What could they have done better?

Nothing.

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

Personal recommendation from my financial advisor

How has Simon Wateridge helped you?

Primarily my pension and planning for retirement

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Yes

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

I was given the opportunity to retire early from work and wanted to see what my options were .

How has Simon Wateridge helped you?

Most definitely , what I particularly like about Simon is that nothing is ever too much trouble and how he relates the pension and financial jargon into layman’s terms for me

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Yes

What could they have done better?

The lengthy process although probably out of Simon’s control and put their to protect me as the consumer

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

Help in planning for in the future

How has Simon Wateridge helped you?

Time and valuable advice in our pension planning

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Yes

What could they have done better?

Not sure they can do better in the current market

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

I initially looked for an adviser to assist with my pension

How has Simon Wateridge helped you?

Simon has been extremely helpful, he always explains the item that is being discussed in a realist way being open and honest. His advise has help with making my pension work for me at the required risk

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Absolutely, i will be able to retire according to my plan

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

My wife and I wanted a pension provider that provided facts on how our pensions were faring and how this would impact us for the future in terms of projections. We wanted these facts to be explained in simple language that my wife and I understood. IP have provided this in both these aspects.

How has Simon Wateridge helped you?

Simon is always approachable and professional. He has the ability to explain our pension situation now and project it for the future in jargon my wife and I understand. He is always polite and we know we can rely on him as he is very knowledgeable in the pension sector.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

My wife and I have not retired but with the information we are provided with on a regular basis, we hope this will provide us a good base to work from

What could they have done better?

Nothing to add

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

We have been with Intelligent Pensions for many years and Simon was a replacement for Steve Bush

How has Simon Wateridge helped you?

He has given us an update on how the Pension Plan is progressing and also our AJ Bell investments. Also advice on moving some of the funds around to help avoid some Inheritance Tax

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Yes the outcome is pretty good in respect of the unsettled climate of the last year.

What could they have done better?

I do not think anyone could have done better

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

To steer me through the pension maze now that more options are available.

How has Simon Wateridge helped you?

He dealt with my relative ignorance on what plan/s would suit my future requirements in a very professional manner and in a way that i could understand and without clouding any issues with his knowledge.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

We discussed what i wanted taking into considerations various options, we had verbally agreed on which plan of action best suited my requirements and i will be receiving a resume` of his recommendations in due course.

What could they have done better?

As far as i am concerned, with my limited knowledge of the industry, Simon is the perfect answer to confidently administer my pension related future and quite possibly other financial matters.

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

Had some pensions that I needed to transfer and needed management of the pots. I also have recently had a young child so was looking for advice on life insurance, income protection and critical illness cover

How has Simon Wateridge helped you?

Simon helped me select levels of income protection, critical illness and life cover that were suitable for my current circumstances and that fitted with my monthly budget. Simon also took on the management of my pension funds, following some conversations about my risk appetite and hopes for retirement.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Yes, I have all my protections in place now and am very happy with them. I’m also less anxious about my pensions pots in the current financial markets.

What could they have done better?

None, Simon was a pleasure to deal with throughout the process, and continues to be

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

I needed to advice on some pensions that I have/had and possibly looking to consolidate them but not knowing where to look

How has Simon Wateridge helped you?

Simon knew exactly what to do and advised me on where to transfer my pensions into a new account that will work for me in the future

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Absolutely and will continue so

What could they have done better?

Nothing he’s great

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

I have had only one meeting with Simon. He was mostly interested in showing me his ability to produce electronic data/reports. Not a lot of depth on whethether my pension fund was being well managed

How has Simon Wateridge helped you?

Setting up online reporting and access to a portal

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Not really.

What could they have done better?

IP has a high charging regime, and investment returns on my fund have been poor this year

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

My husband passed away

How has Simon Wateridge helped you?

Yes

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Yes

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

Needed to invest

How has Simon Wateridge helped you?

Found right investment for me

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Yes

What could they have done better?

Not really

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

Needed help & required advice on my pension options

How has Simon Wateridge helped you?

Helped me assess and ascertain options & advised on my pension

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Absolutely

What could they have done better?

Nothing could of been done better

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

A pension advisor was recommended to me by my financial advisor

How has Simon Wateridge helped you?

Simon took over as my advisor a while ago and very quickly got up to speed with my details and requirements. I recently ask Simon for advice on how to make best use of my pension funds and he gave me some great advice and has set the wheels in motion

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

I am still waiting for the final result but everything is under way and i am extremley grateful.

What could they have done better?

I do not think that Simon could have done anything any better, he listened to my requirements and advised accordingly

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

I chose Intelligent Pensions when I was looking for advice on consolidating pension funds and planning for retirement. Simon took over from a retiring colleague who had served me well for a number of years.

How has Simon Wateridge helped you?

Simon has helped on my annual pension review and provided advice on clearing my mortgage and consolidating funds.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

I have.

What could they have done better?

I was happy with the service provided.

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

annual review

How has Simon Wateridge helped you?

advised for forthcoming year

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

not at present, unforfortunately circumstances are being driven by current economic climate.

What could they have done better?

not sure!

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

My pension fund was not doing well till i was placed with intelligent pensions Its the best move I have made for retirement

How has Simon Wateridge helped you?

Simon helped me to leave my pension in draw down and use my savings for a year or 2 as the Return on the savings was poor but the pension fund has done well

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Yes

What could they have done better?

Nothing If I need to get more advice the answers are quickly there

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

The need for pensions advice and management from a recommended provider

How has Simon Wateridge helped you?

Simon is very clear in communications very helpful in explaining any details.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

No the pension has not performed well over the last 2 years which linked to high costs is a little concerning. However, I understand that I am not alone given the wider global problems.

What could they have done better?

Not sure

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

Ongoing retirement advice

How has Simon Wateridge helped you?

Yearly review

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Yes

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

To make my pension more sustainable

How has Simon Wateridge helped you?

Only had one meeting but very clear and concise with his explanations

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Current climate in the world meaning all pensions could do better but given time things will improve

What could they have done better?

No one has a crystal ball so presumably my investments are the best on offer, hopefully nothing better could have been done otherwise someone isn't performing well

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

We have been clients of Intelligent pension for a number of years via recommendation

How has Simon Wateridge helped you?

Simon has recently taken over from our previous advisor who retired We found him to be very knowledgeable, explained options in easy to understand language and discussed benefits that had not been explored before

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Awaiting formal reports and actions - but very pleased with the advice - there was no "hard sell" or pushing of products and we will reflect and act on recommendations in due course

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

Investment of pension funds

How has Simon Wateridge helped you?

Yes

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Ongoing reviews on money investment

What could they have done better?

N/A

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

It’s included within my package

How has Simon Wateridge helped you?

Expert advice

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Not yet,to early

What could they have done better?

Nothing

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

Simon gave us some good solid advice and explained things very well.

How has Simon Wateridge helped you?

Simon has helped with the decision to move money from my business to my pension.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

That is still to be seen.

What could they have done better?

Nothing in my opinion.

Please provide a brief comment about your experience with Simon

Friendly, polite and answered any questions clearly and advised on the best course of action to take.

What were the circumstances that caused you to initially look for an adviser?

Pending retirement

How has Simon Wateridge helped you?

General advise on pension

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Yes

What could they have done better?

Nothing

Please provide a brief comment about your experience with Simon

Polite, professional