What Our Clients Are Saying

I don’t know much about pensions and to be honest it’s one of those things that doesn’t really interest me as long as I have one and it’s the right one for me! So it was nice to just pass it over to an expert who was really helpful and explained things in my language! All I had to do was provide everything! I found Lyfords (in particular Alison and Lucy) to be very professional but also very personable – I got the impression I wasn’t just another client and I am so grateful for all their help in getting the best for me. Transferring my pension with Lyfords has been a breeze because I have just handed everything to them and I’m glad it’s all sorted now.

I would definitely recommend using Lyfords. They are brilliant!”

— ANNE RAB

“We had heard that there was new legislation coming in regarding transferring pensions from the UK, so we contacted Lyford’s and they very quickly summed up what was happening and how it might affect us. With this advice we decided to continue on with the process and with their help and knowledge we navigated the sometimes tricky process.

I had contacted several asset managers but went with Lyford’s as they were so transparent and knowledgeable and just worked really hard for us and with us to get the best result.

Our particular offshore pension scheme threw a few curveballs along the way but Lyfords were unfazed throughout, and I believe if it wasn’t for this I probably would have given up long before completing the transfer.

I can’t recommend Lyford’s highly enough and if you are thinking about transferring your pension or are just after some advice regarding anything financial, just get in touch.”

— SIMON WADE

“After a 4 year legal battle to secure a matrimonial settlement …. of the reputable firms spoken to with a promise of information to be sent, I was most impressed with the speed and professional service provided by Lyfords. From my first meeting with Alison Renfrew I felt I would be taken seriously and would not be just another number.

The financial plan was presented within a very short time frame and I continue to be impressed by the professionalism and precision of its content. Richard and Alison Renfrew are to be applauded on their attention to detail, their availability to clients (there is no chain of command) and their ongoing willingness to inform, educate and advise in a non-judgmental manner.”

— JANINE H

“I was feeling dissatisfied with my financial position because I felt that I did not have a good overview of my position nor was my position being monitored by an expert … Alison and her company provide me with a range of information from a very informative website to prompt face to face meetings.

I have every confidence that Alison and Lyfords will continue to meet my need for independent high financial advice, be transparent in their dealings with me, and be professional in their approach to their work, which is helping me meet my financial goals.”

— JULIE C

“I‘m so glad I decided to get a financial plan done, and particularly to have been helped by Alison. She doesn’t use superfluous and off putting jargon, but neither did she talk down to me at any stage. She has nudged me towards several ideas, but never forced me – something which was very important to me personally. I was also impressed with how thoroughly she has analysed the different areas such as insurance, saving for concrete goals, a will, retirement, mortgage repayments, the different types of investments, and taxation.”

— MARTIN B

“Two years ago we entrusted our retirement financial monies to Lyfords. During this time we have seen our funds increase with steady return growths.

The team at Lyfords are very approachable, sincere family people who care about how they invest money for the best returns for their clients. It is also important to us that when they are away on well earned holidays they have efficient backup personnel if needed.

During these harder financial times we are very fortunate to have Lyfords caring for our hard earned savings.”

— S REYNOLDS & R WALKER

“Thanks for the financial update. As we get older it gets more difficult to keep up with, let alone, understand what’s going on in the financial world, and we take comfort in the fact that you are able to keep up with the play keep our interests in view. We do appreciate receiving your updates.”

— TREVOR BRIESEMAN

“Lyfords have made, what appeared to me to be, a very complex process – very straight forward. My UK pension was transferred with a minimum of fuss, with Lyfords providing all the support and advice that I needed to reach this outcome as quickly as possible. Thanks,”

“When we had decided to transfer our UK pensions to New Zealand it was difficult to find out the costs involved in transferring them and what the implications were to us relating to the changing regulations in the UK.
We chose Lyfords to help us with transferring our pensions because they provided clear advice that enabled us to make an informed decision on the value to us of transferring our UK pensions.

Lyfords stood out from the other pension providers because their experience was obvious which was reflected in their clear and valuable advice.

We now know exactly where our wealth is located and feel we have far better control over it for our future benefit.

What we like most about Lyfords is the clear communication on the process involved and progress along the way. We found Lyfords to be very easy to deal with and they made the entire transfer process worry free.”

— M AND S FRYER

“I needed advice when I wanted to move my pension. I found a lot of companies were eager to help, too eager, but not really wanting to cover the many issues that I would need to understand before making the decision.

With Lyfords it was a no high pressure sales pitch and each year they followed up to check if I was ready and went through the pros and cons of it all time and time again.

By choosing Lyfords I felt more comfortable about making the transfer without regrets.

What I like most about Lyfords is the communication. I am confident that now that my pensions have been transferred if I need to look at different options or investments in the future I can get an informed and unbiased opinion from them.”

— P ROWE

“Having made the decision to remain in New Zealand for the rest of our lives we embarked on what we thought would be a long and tedious journey of transferring our pensions filled with denials, dishonesty and red tape. A “Google” search came up with Lyford’s web page. It was full of information, not only about their services but also the lives of those who ran the Company, which I liked.

I did look in to some of the larger pension transfer companies, wondering if they would be a “safer” bet but kept returning to Lyfords’ webpage and decided that I felt happier with a smaller company rather than a larger one, where I may get lost in they system or possibly have inadequately trained staff moving my life savings across to the other side of the world. And what a perfect decision I made!

From the onset, Alison, her husband and their devoted staff filled my emailing system with information. Information about new tax changes which I knew nothing about and advice on what I should do. Forms were emailed and completed (by this stage my husband had also decided to transfer his pension). It all seemed a little too easy. I was regularly contacted and updated (mainly about delays at the UK end)… but our pensions seemed to arrive in no time at all… and were placed safely in the hands of a QROPS pension fund. It was great to have Richard on site to give all the information we needed regarding our investment choices.

We both now feel passionately about others transferring their pensions so that they too can relax safe in the knowledge that their retirement in their chosen home country will be a prosperous one! I have and will continue to recommend Lyfords to others. Friends and colleagues who have used their services have been as equally amazed with their professionalism, friendliness and willingness to answer questions… at any time of the day!”

— A LAWSON

“We’ve just had Katie’s quarterly statement from our new superannuation fund manager in NZ and despite it only having been started less than two months ago it has already accrued a healthy little amount of interest.

When it was in the UK, they NEVER told you anything about how much money it had made…only the Prudential did that and then only once a year!!
I genuinely feel that we are making more interest in NZ and it’s nice to be regularly informed as to the performance of the policies.

Thanks for your recommendations Alison.”

— KATIE AND STEVEN PASS

… one of the reasons we enjoy you so much – it is a serious business but you don’t make it ‘heavy’.

— SANDRA BLAKE

“Prior to working with Lyfords I didn’t have a realistic financial plan for my future. I have a professional career and I wanted a professional financial adviser to advise me.

Qualifications and experience of an adviser were important to me and advisers at Lyfords are both highly qualified and experienced.

With Lyfords I got my savings plan underway and have just managed to buy a house through Kiwsaver – just in time before the LVR changes came in!

What I like most about Lyfords is the personalised friendly service with tailored advice specifically to my needs.

I have recommended Lyfords to others because they are good at keeping in touch and keeping me up to date on financial matters as well as making sure I have the right insurance. They are my one stop financial advisory firm.”

— CHARLOTTE STEPHENS

“When considering the process of transferring my pension from the UK to New Zealand, there were a number of issues. I needed an organisation that was responsive, professional and reactive. I went through a process of trying to select an appropriate organisation to help me with a, what I consider to be, a very complex activity – when one considers the operational processes of dealing with the various pension companies, the UK legal requirements and the New Zealand tax regulations.

Lyfords, when I first contacted them, were responsive and appeared to be knowledgeable. They came across as an organisation of integrity and professionalism. This was a key factor in making my choice of whom to work with, considering we were dealing with reasonable sums of money.

Dealing with the business, I have to admit has been pleasurable, Allison and Lucy have always been very responsive and professional. And I must admit, have taken away a whole load of stress of something I nothing about.

In terms of specific features I think it’s down to a comfort factor, personally, that dealing with the business that will look after me.

The process of transferring one’s pension (s) is complicated and things crop up that one does not expect. A key factor to make this process as comfortable as possible was really important.. After a bit of a journey, we got in the end but now it’s a case of how we actually maximise the opportunities in front of us.

Lyfords are a good investment business to work with.”

— PHILL B