Good to know: You do not need to use a claims management company to make your complaint to your pension provider or intermediary. If your complaint is not successful you can refer it to the Financial Ombudsman Service or the Pension Ombudsman yourself for free if the firm is still trading. For eligible failed firms, you can refer a claim to the Financial Services Compensation Scheme for free.

0345 544 1563

Thousands of UK clients were advised to invest their pension savings into Cape Verde Hotel Investments. They were duped by a slick partnership between three companies, including First Review Pension Services Limited, which all mis-sold SIPP products to clients across the country.

Cape Verde Hotel Investments seemed like an attractive proposition – invest in sunny holiday properties in Dunas Beach and Llana Beach in this up-and-coming destination. The idea was that clients would receive a larger return than their current pension investments. Were you one of the thousands of people who moved their pension savings into an unregulated SIPP? If so, you may have been mis-sold SIPP pension products.

What happened with the Cape Verde Hotel Investments?

If you invested in Cape Verde Hotels and Apartment Investments, you were taken for a real ride. Three companies working hand in hand, The Resort Group, Lifestyle Investments, and First Review Pension Services, operated to bilk victims out of their retirement savings.

The Resort Group owned a call centre in Derby called Lifestyle Investments. Lifestyle would first cold call pension holders and sell them on investments in Cape Verde Hotels (operated by The Resort Group), which they assured clients would have huge returns. Once they had a client primed, and had mis-sold SIPP pension transfers to them, they would pass the information onto the third company, First Review Pension Services. Since all of the companies were linked, they all stood to profit from this deception.

Advisors misled clients, convincing them to transfer their pension funds from safe and stable pension schemes to these SIPP funds. Of course, they purposely did not warn clients that these Cape Verde Hotel Investments were high risk and completely unregulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If the fund failed, which it did, clients would lose their entire pension pot.

Are you entitled to mis-sold SIPP compensation from Cape Verde Hotel Investments?

Did you receive advice to invest in Cape Verde Hotel Investments from your advisor? Did you ever deal with The Resort Group, Lifestyle Investments, and/or First Review Pension Services? If so, you may be entitled to mis-sold SIPP compensation. If you think that you were misled or tricked into investing in Cape Verde Hotel or Apartment Investments, you should get in touch with our claims experts. We can look over your case and advise you on your chances of success.

Apply online today for an information pack to learn more.

Obtaining compensation from Cape Verde Hotel Investments

If a financial advisor advised you to invest in an unregulated investment such as Cape Verde Hotel Investments, it is still possible to claim compensation. Where the advisor is still operating, a claim can be pursued against the financial advisor via the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS).

If an advisor is no longer operating, the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) pays compensation for valid mis-selling claims against any financial advisor who has been declared in default by them.

If your pension included investment in Cape Verde Hotel Investements, you could be entitled to compensation.

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Andy Ramsay

Pensions & Investments Claim Manager

Andy understands financial services regulations and the technical arguments required to make a successful claim.

In his career he has successfully dealt with an array of claims such as pension transfers and switches, SIPP and endowment claims.

Andy was part of the “Pension Review” and Customer Liaison Departments for Royal Sun Alliance. Unhappy with how consumers were being treated, he realigned himself and has been representing consumers since 2004, ensuring fair and equitable treatment for consumers.

Pension Query? Contact Andy

Insights from Our Pensions Team

Expert Insight: The Importance of Choosing the Right Pathway for Your Claim: CMCs and Law Firms Compared.

In this article, Allegiant’s Pensions & Investments Manager, Andy Ramsay, explores the fundamental differences between the Court and Ombudsman routes for resolving pension & investment claims. The article highlights key differences in:-

  • costs consequences and funding arrangements
  •  the differing basis of an assessment that a Court will deploy when compared to an Ombudsman
  •  the potential need for claimants to attend a hearing in Court

Andy further explores outdated preconceptions about Claims Management Companies. This short summary is essential reading for anyone planning on making a pension or investment claim with the assistance of a CMC or law firm.

Click to Read

Learn With Allegiant: The Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) In A Nutshell

You may have heard of the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), but do you fully understand its vital role within the UK’s financial services sector? In this short piece, we look at:-

  • The type of claims FSCS covers (and those it doesn’t).
  • How and when it can help
  • The FSCS claims process

This article will be of particular interest to anyone with a potential compensation claim against a financial service provider that has collapsed.

Click to Read

Learn With Allegiant: What is a SIPP?

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has identified ‘serious and ongoing failings’ by both Individual Financial Advisers (IFAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pension Providers. Typically, mis-selling is related to the “wrong” type of investor being given poor or misleading advice as to what investments were relatively safe and right for them. In this summary, we look at What a SIPP is, and how they have been mis-sold, together with the FCA’s review into sector malpractice.

Click to Read

Our Mis-sold Pensions Claim Procedure

  • Step 1

    Pre complaint investigation and analysis. No paperwork? Don't Worry! We could still help.

  • Step 2

    Once we've assessed claim prospects, we make a pension complaint to the Ombudsman or FSCS, where appropriate

  • Step 3

    Pension complaint response received. We'll carefully analyse the response and advise you on how to proceed.

  • Step 4

    If appropriate resolution cannot be reached with a live firm, and we disagree with their stance, we will refer the claim to Ombudsman on your instruction.

Our Fees - What You Need To Know

Worked Fee Example

As of the 1st March 2022 we have implemented a new fee structure which we have explained below. If you signed your contract with us prior to the 1st March 2022, please refer to your signed claims pack for our previous fee terms.

Our fees are owed upon a successful claim and will depend on the Gross Compensation you receive. “Gross Compensation” means the amount awarded to you whether this is paid directly to you or paid into an investment or pension, and prior to any deduction of any income tax due to HMRC on your award. Please refer to the definition of “Gross Compensation” and Section 5 of our Terms of Engagement for further information including a table showing how our fees work in different scenarios.

If successful, your fee will be calculated based on which band your redress falls into and will be charged by whichever is the lowest of:

  1. the maximum percentage rate of charge for that band, or
  2. the maximum total charge for that band.

The below table outlines the redress bands, the maximum percentage rate of charge and the maximum total charge is for each band.

Band Redress % Charge (with VAT) Maximum charge (with VAT) (£) Maximum charge (without VAT) |(£)
1 1 – 1499 36% 504 420
2 1,500 – 9,999 33.6% 3000 2500
3 10,000 – 24,999 30% 6000 5000
4 25,000 – 49,999 24% 9000 7500
5 50,000+ 18% 12,000 10,000

Examples of how this would work in practice:

Band Lower example Higher example
1 You receive £100 in redress; our fee would be £36. You receive £1499 in redress; our fee would be £504.
2 You receive £1,600 in redress; our fee would be £537.60. You receive £9,999 in redress; our fee would be £3,000.
3 You receive £12,000 in redress; our fee would be £3,600. You receive £24,999 in redress; our fee would be £6,000.
4 You receive £30,350 in redress; our fee would be £7,284. You receive £49,999 in redress; our fee would be £9,000.
5 You receive £55,000 in redress; our fee would be £9,900. You receive £100,000 in redress; our fee would be £12,000.

Please note, the above fee examples are for illustration purposes only. They are not an estimate of the likely outcome or fee you will need to pay. Each claim depends on its own merits.

It is possible that our fee may become payable before you have access to your pension or investment which may result in you having to pay our fee from your own funds

Cancellation Rights (Pension Claims)

You can cancel for free at any time within 14-days without giving any reason and without incurring any liability. You can communicate your cancellation by telephone, post, email or online.

You can cancel this agreement at any time after the 14-day cancellation period. However, if a complaint submitted by us is successful, the Success Fee will apply in the usual way.

You can cancel by post: Allegiant Finance Services Limited, Freepost RTYU–XUTZ–YKJC, 400 Chadwick House, Warrington Road, Birchwood Park, Warrington, WA3 6AE; (b) by email: ; (c) by telephone: 0345 544 1563; or (d) online at https://allegiant.co.uk/compliance/cancellation.

Looking for Claim Representation? Why Allegiant is a Great Choice for Pension Claims Assistance

Human

Our small, dedicated pensions team provide a personal touch

Trustworthy

We’ll treat your claim as strictly confidential. Your personal information is safe with us.

Longstanding

We’ve serviced over 100,000 clients across all service lines since our inception in 2010.

No Paperwork? Don't Worry!

We could still help if you don’t have all your paperwork or details. Our team are experienced in helping locate paperwork where possible.

Technologically Driven

Our online application system and claim audit surveys enable us to offer an efficient and convenient claims journey.

Claiming for Free Yourself

Good to know: You do not need to use a claims management company to make your complaint to your pension provider or intermediary. If your complaint is not successful you can refer it to the Financial Ombudsman Service or the Pension Ombudsman yourself for free if the firm is still trading. For eligible failed firms, you can refer a claim to the Financial Services Compensation Scheme for free.