Reviewed for

Insurance and Protection ( 3 )

Mortgages ( 1 )

Pensions ( 18 )

Equity Release ( 1 )

Retirement income (annuities, drawdown) ( 9 )

Investments and Savings ( 11 )

Pension Transfers - Non Specialist ( 1 )

Inheritance Planning ( 3 )

Long Term Care ( 1 )

Reviewers' assets

£500k+ ( 4 )

£100k - £200k ( 2 )

Up to £50k ( 8 )

£50k - 100k ( 1 )

Client reviews

First impression from a user who is not yet a client

January, 2019

Overall

Please provide a brief comment about your experience with Simon

Excellent. He promised to email me again this week.

First impression from a user who is not yet a client

January, 2019

Overall

Please provide a brief comment about your experience with Simon

Excellent so far! He will email me again this week.

Review from verified client

December, 2018

Overall

Advice

Service

Value

Based in Bristol

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

Planning our retirement and ensuring that we fully take into account factors such as inheritance tax etc.

How has Simon Carlin helped you?

A much greater understanding of our finances and the different ways that they could be employed to deliver what we would like them to.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Not as yet as still in planning stage.

What could they have done better?

Nothing

Review from verified client

December, 2018

Overall

Advice

Service

Value

Based in Somerset

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

Thinking ahead to the future.

How has Simon Carlin helped you?

Yes. Simon has provided me with clear and helpful advice.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

It is early days, but I am happy so far.

Review from verified client

December, 2018

Overall

Advice

Service

Value

Based in Northamptonshire

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

Retirement planning

How has Simon Carlin helped you?

Found the best annuity rates for us, including negotiating an impaired life increase

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Yes

Review from verified client

December, 2018

Overall

Advice

Service

Value

Based in Worcestershire

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

We were unhappy with our previous advisor and wanted someone who operated in the same ethical sphere that we did.

How has Simon Carlin helped you?

Simon has always been supportive to our end objectives. HIs advice and guidance has always been proved good and often has come up trumps. It has been very reassuring to know that he understands our position as a couple of ethically minded Christians and has supported our desire to use predominantly ethical funds.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Very much so. I have worked I the Finance industry for a Stocks and Shares business and well understand the volatile nature of the marketplace and the need not to panic. That said, we have had great return on our investments. It has slowed down recently with the state of the world and UK markets, but even so, we are doing very well.

What could they have done better?

Not a lot really. I scored 2 on the final question because of all the text explanations that goes with each star, that was the most accurate. However, I frankly don't want to know EXACTLY what Simon is earning, broadly is good enough. I have NO interest in comparing his costs with other advisors because as far as I'm concerned he's been delivering good quality for us.

Review from verified client

December, 2018

Overall

Advice

Service

Value

Based in Gloucestershire

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

I had used an advisor for mortgages, and then needed one to help me with my retirement planning

How has Simon Carlin helped you?

With my pension as my wife and I approach retirement.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

Still ongoing advice, but so far we are very pleased.

What could they have done better?

.

Review from verified client

December, 2018

Overall

Advice

Service

Value

Based in Wiltshire

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

As my wife and I moved towards retirement we first sought advice as to the best way to invest our savings, and then as to how best to utilise the pensions and other assets we held to secure sufficient income through our years of retirement and to also hopefully pass some assets to the following generations.

How has Simon Carlin helped you?

Simon Carlin has been involved in advising on all of the above matters. He has always provided clear understandable advice on the options available and guided us / actioned the steps necessary to put the adopted solutions in place.

Have you seen the outcome you were hoping for?

In general, definitely. An IFA cannot second guess the markets nor changing legislation and regulations.

What could they have done better?

Very little.

First impression from a user who is not yet a client

October, 2014

Overall

Please provide a brief comment about your experience with Simon

Never received a reply.

Simon's reply

Hi Ronald, I did reply to you immediately upon my return to work after a short illness. Normally VouchedFor only contact individuals for their first impressions after 2 weeks, whilst your comments were posted after just 6 working days.

First impression from a user who is not yet a client

October, 2014

Overall

Please provide a brief comment about your experience with Simon

Decision was made in the end to work with IFA who was personally recommended

First impression from a user who is not yet a client

January, 2014

Overall

Please provide a brief comment about your experience with Simon

Easy going style. No pressure. Would definitely use if I needed a financial advisor.

Review from verified client

January, 2014

Overall

Advice

Service

Value

Based in Avon

How has Simon Carlin helped you?

Friendly. Knowledgeable, but open about where he is less knowledgeable Flexible.

What could they have done better?

A slightly faster turnround. More details about: making future increases to and/or withdrawals from investment; cofunds as a handler of the investment

Review from verified client

January, 2014

Overall

Advice

Service

Value

Based in Wiltshire

How has Simon Carlin helped you?

I would recommend Simon to anyone who needed pension help or advice. From day one he was very quick to respond to any questions or queries in respect of my private pension, which I chose to release due to ill health. I was very nervous about making the right choices for my family and I and Simon made it a very easy and beneficial for us all. I really fell that the advice he gave was true and honest.

What could they have done better?

I don't believe he could have done any better for anyone in my situation.

First impression from a user who is not yet a client

December, 2013

Overall

Please provide a brief comment about your experience with Simon

He gave me a lot of useful information - (some not so useful)

First impression from a user who is not yet a client

December, 2013

Overall

Please provide a brief comment about your experience with Simon

Very professional and easy to understand, which has not always been my experience with FA's. Gave a brief appraisal of my finances and provided some direction withno hard sell.

Review from verified client

October, 2013

Overall

Advice

Service

Value

Based in Avon

How has Simon Carlin helped you?

Simon was very well prepared for our interviews. Explained things very thoroughly & clearly didn't use jargon. Gave us sufficient information to enable us to feel happy with the decisions we made regarding two pensions that my husband had maturing. Would happily use his services again

Review from verified client

June, 2013

Overall

Advice

Service

Value

Based in Surrey

How has Simon Carlin helped you?

Very helpful and relevant advice, with fast response and very supportive client relationship skills. I would have no hesittation in recommending Simon Carlin to others.

What could they have done better?

Everything fine.

First impression from a user who is not yet a client

June, 2013

Overall

Please provide a brief comment about your experience with Simon

We contacted Simon for advice re my husbands pensions. He communicates well so that you understand this complex subject. The initial meeting was without charge or obligation and then he was very clear about his charges and how they would be paid direct fr

Review from verified client

May, 2013

Overall

Advice

Service

Value

Based in Cambridgeshire

How has Simon Carlin helped you?

good communication

Review from verified client

May, 2013

Overall

Advice

Service

Value

Based in Northamptonshire

How has Simon Carlin helped you?

Concise relevant information relayed in timely and understandable way plus good communication throughout process and willingness to deal with paperwork.

What could they have done better?

n/a

Review from verified client

April, 2013

Overall

Advice

Service

Value

Based in Northamptonshire

How has Simon Carlin helped you?

Simon is good at finding the best offers out there and spending the time to talk them through. He also is willing to spend the time to go through the paperwork with you and explain anything that you don't understand.

Review from verified client

April, 2013

Overall

Advice

Service

Value

Based in Gloucestershire

How has Simon Carlin helped you?

Once we got going Simon was very efficient at reviewing my pensions and providing me with an overview of what my various funds were looking like and then helping me to make decisions with regards to changing funds and additional investments.

What could they have done better?

I had some frustration at the beginning of the engagement in terms of the speed of response being slower than I would expect. I recognise that I also didn't respond swiftly when I did hear from him, so it all seemed to take a long time to get going! I think it was partly down to circumstances (for both of us), as when we got our act together things progressed speedily.

Review from verified client

April, 2013

Overall

Advice

Service

Value

Based in Northamptonshire

How has Simon Carlin helped you?

.

Review from verified client

April, 2013

Overall

Advice

Service

Value

Based in Gloucestershire

How has Simon Carlin helped you?

Mr Carlin explained everything in great detail and discussed my options in full. I had every oportunity to ask questions until I was completely satisfied with my decision. The whole process went very smoothly.

Review from verified client

March, 2013

Overall

Advice

Service

Value

Based in Oxfordshire

How has Simon Carlin helped you?

Simon is friendly, efficient and courteous. He responds quickly to correspondence and presents options very clearly and succinctly. He has provided tax efficient advice that has not been available to other members of staff from the charity I work for, enabling them to go back and challenge their financial advisers!

What could they have done better?

Running a small business that involves lots of meetings means Simon can take a day or two to respond to emails. I think this is entirely reasonable but imagine some people might not be happy with this. I personally am entirely happy with Simon as a financial adviser.

Review from verified client

February, 2013

Overall

Advice

Service

Value

Based in Northamptonshire

How has Simon Carlin helped you?

Clearly explains pros & cons of options with minimal jargon.

Review from verified client

February, 2013

Overall

Advice

Service

Value

Based in Avon

How has Simon Carlin helped you?

His advice is very clear and understandable

Review from verified client

February, 2013

Overall

Advice

Service

Value

Based in Avon

How has Simon Carlin helped you?

Simon is professional, honest, impartial, straightforward and straight talking. He has an up to date knowledge that gives a broad but in-depth overview of your financial status.

Review from verified client

February, 2013

Overall

Advice

Service

Value

Based in Devon

How has Simon Carlin helped you?

Comparing Simon to my previous adviser, one very important factor for me is that he engenders a sense of trust and backs this up with actions that shows the trust was well founded. He's open about costs, talks sensibly about the relative merits of the options on the table and is prompt in meeting his commitments. One particular area of experise that was of value to me was his knowledge of ethical investments.

What could they have done better?

Difficult to assess because I'm not an expert in the behaviour of Financial Advisers, but certainly compared to his predecessors, there's not a lot that I can complain about.

Review from verified client

February, 2013

Overall

Advice

Service

Value

Based in Devon

How has Simon Carlin helped you?

since 2011 Simon has invested our funds very well.

What could they have done better?

I dont know of anything he could do better............. I know little about financial markets and would not be able to judge.

Review from verified client

February, 2013

Overall

Advice

Service

Value

Based in Northamptonshire

How has Simon Carlin helped you?

Review from verified client

February, 2013

Overall

Advice

Service

Value

Based in Avon

How has Simon Carlin helped you?

Informed and concise,bringing me 'up to speed' on matters financial.

Review from verified client

February, 2013

Overall

Advice

Service

Value

Based in Northamptonshire

How has Simon Carlin helped you?

Honesty...

What could they have done better?

Remain honest...

Review from verified client

February, 2013

Overall

Advice

Service

Value

Based in Northamptonshire

How has Simon Carlin helped you?

Simon was a person that put me at ease when talking about my pensions and annuities that I've accumulated over the years.He also helped my wife to gain more from her state pension that we had no knowledge of.I also noticed everything was very carefully gone over and checked,from being in precision engineering all my working days,I would pick that up and if not done it soon comes back to bite you.So from this someone who needs pensions sorting as far as I'm concerned con do no better.

What could they have done better?

In my case everything was fine