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No End in Sight for Provider Delays?

Journalist: Scott Gallacher, Newspage Newsdesk

ended 10. January 2025

Dealing with a deceased client case, Rowley Turton has been quoted an astonishing 168 working days by Aviva to process a straightforward Deed of Assignment. Accounting for bank holidays, this equates to nearly nine months—an unacceptably long delay for such a simple administrative task.

This raises serious questions about the efficiency of providers like Aviva and their impact on the financial services industry. How can we support Rachel Reeves' growth agenda and the UK economy when service standards like these create bottlenecks and hinder progress?

We want to hear from you: What are other IFAs experiencing? Are lengthy delays like this becoming the norm across providers? Let us know your thoughts and share your stories. Together, we can push for better accountability and improved service for our clients.

3 responses from the Newspage community

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Editor
Scott Gallacher
Director at Rowley Turton
While the 168 working days quoted by Aviva is indeed exceptional, it’s worth noting that even before Christmas, they were routinely quoting 100 working days for other cases. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated issue—Aegon has also been quoting 30 working days (six weeks) for several routine tasks.

These delays go beyond mere inconvenience for advisers. They cause significant distress and frustration for clients, who understandably want access to their money. This often leads to repeated client chases, which in turn creates additional work and inefficiencies for advisers and their teams. Across the financial services sector, these inefficiencies waste valuable admin time and undermine the smooth delivery of services.

If providers are serious about supporting advisers and their clients, tackling these delays and inefficiencies must become a top priority. Failure to do so risks further erosion of client trust and jeopardizes the sector’s ability to operate efficiently.
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Anita Wright
Chartered Financial Planner at Ribble Wealth Management
I was quoted a timeframe of 9 weeks by James Hay to process a Beneficiary Options form for a deceased client. The reason given for the delay was a "backlog." We are now into week 15, and the case remains unresolved. If there are administrative issues, James Hay fail to inform you, leaving you completely in the dark unless the client raises a complaint or you follow up—assuming you even know whom to contact. I submitted a formal complaint over 4 weeks ago, but even that has yet to be resolved. This level of service is extremely poor and deeply frustrating, particularly given the sensitive nature of a bereavement. Unfortunately, this seems to reflect a broader issue within the industry. It is scandalous how these insurance companies and platforms continually fail to deliver, with the ultimate cost of their delays borne by the grieving clients they are meant to support.
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Kundan Bhaduri
Entrepreneur, Investor and Landlord at The Kushman Group
Nearly nine months to process a simple Deed of Assignment? Rowley Turton’s experience with Aviva highlights an unsettling reality for financial professionals—lengthy provider delays are no longer the exception but increasingly feel like the rule. While Rachel Reeves champions economic growth, how can the financial services sector keep pace when bottlenecks like these grind efficiency to a halt?

This isn’t just an inconvenience; it’s a systemic issue with tangible impacts on clients, businesses, and the wider economy. Are other IFAs facing similar roadblocks? Is this a one-off, or part of a growing pattern across providers?

We want your input. Share your experiences, frustrations, or solutions. Let’s work together to push for a financial sector that meets the high standards our clients deserve.