John Dossor & Partners Executive Pension Plan (PO-3824)

Ombudsman’s Determination

Outcome

Mrs S’s complaint against Dossor and Phoenix Life is partly upheld, but there is a part of the complaint I do not agree with. To put matters right for the part that is upheld:

1. Dossor, in their capacity as Trustees of the Plan (the Trustees), should within 14 days of receipt of completed payment instructions form from Mrs S, countersign it and return it to Phoenix Life so that they may arrange for the current retirement benefits available to Mrs S to be paid to her; and
2. the amount of debt which Mrs S owes Dossor may be deducted from her benefits before payment to Mrs S.

My reasons for reaching this decision are explained in more detail below.

Complaint summary

Mrs S complains that:

Dossor wrongly refused to pay the retirement benefits available to her from the Plan when she applied in November 2012; and

Phoenix Life, the Administrators of the Plan, failed to send a retirement pack to the Trustees on a timely basis in 2013 for onward transmission to her.