If you have a problem
Whilst we try to resolve problems as quickly and efficiently as possible, there are occasions when things do not go as planned.
This section will help you understand what to do on such an occasion.
-
- Contact Barnett Waddingham, the Plan administrator. It will try to resolve your complaint. However, if it is unable to resolve your complaint directly, they will refer it to the ZF UK Pension Plan managerial team. If you do not wish to raise your complaint with Barnett Waddingham, you may write to the Trustee Secretary at ZF UK Pension Plan, Corporate Services.
-
If you remain dissatisfied with the response from Barnett Waddingham or the ZF UK Pension Plan managerial team, you may raise a complaint through the Trustee’s Internal Dispute Resolution Procedure (IDRP). This is a two stage process:
- Stage 1 – Your complaint will be reviewed by a committee of the Trustee Board. If you remain dissatisfied you can enter Stage 2 of the IDRP.
- Stage 2 – Your complaint will be reviewed by the full Trustee Board.
-
The Pensions Ombudsman’s Early Resolution Service
At any time when your problem remains unsolved you can discuss a potential complaint with the Pensions Ombudsman’s helpline service. They will listen and try to help you there and then or pass your complaint onto their Early Resolution Team who can go into more detail. Raising a complaint in this manner does not affect your right to apply to the Ombudsman for formal adjudication at a later time.
-
The Pensions Ombudsman
In the unlikely event that you have a serious problem that remains unsolved you may contact the Pensions Ombudsman. The Pensions Ombudsman may investigate any complaint or dispute of fact or law and will give a legally binding determination on the complaint.
-
In the first instance it is recommended that you contact Barnett Waddingham, the Plan administrator which will investigate your complaint and provide a full written response. If it is unable to provide a response to your complaint it will refer your complaint to the ZF UK Pension Plan, managerial team to provide a response.
If you do not wish to raise your complaint with the Plan administrator then you may contact the Trustee Secretary at ZF UK Pension Plan, Corporate Services providing full written details of your complaint. Your complaint will be investigated and a written response provided.
If you are not happy with the response from either the Plan administrator or the Trustee Secretary, you can ask for your case to be considered under the Plan’s Internal Dispute Resolution Procedure (IDRP).
Internal Dispute Resolution Procedure
It is a requirement that trustees of occupational pension plans must have procedures for dealing with disputes with members. The procedure is known as the Internal Dispute Resolution Procedure (IDRP). It is a formal, two stage procedure designed to help you.
- Stage 1 – review by a committee of the Trustee Board.
- Stage 2 – review by the Trustee Board (if you are not satisfied with the first stage decision).
A leaflet providing further information is also available.
-
You can use the procedure if:
- You are a due to receive a pension from the Plan.
- You are a member receiving a pension from the Plan.
- You are a widow or other surviving dependant of a deceased member.
- You are not a member but you can become a member under the Plan Rules.
- You have ceased to be a member or have lost the right to become a member under the Rules of the Plan, and six months have not passed since then.
You can use the procedure if your dispute is a result of a disagreement between you and the Trustee. The disagreement can be about any matter relating to you and the Plan.
-
You can ask for a written decision on your disagreement by writing to the Trustee Secretary.
The Secretary will ask you to complete a form. It is important that you give a full description of your complaint, as this will help a reply to be given quickly.
If you wish you can appoint someone to act on your behalf. If you do this, the Trustee will require a letter of authority signed by you and showing the name and address of the person you wish to appoint and also if the reply is to be sent to that person. A committee appointed by the Trustee Board will consider your complaint.
-
You will normally be given a decision in writing within 2 months of when you make your complaint. If this is not possible, you will receive a letter explaining the reason for the delay and a target date for a full reply. The reply will be sent to your home address (unless you have appointed someone to act on your behalf and receive the reply).
The full reply will also explain why the decision has been reached.
-
If you disagree with the decision of the committee appointed by the Trustee Board, you can ask the full Trustee Board to review your complaint by writing to the Trustee Secretary.
The Secretary will ask you to complete a form. If you have any additional information to support your complaint you should provide it to the Trustee Secretary.
At this stage you can still appoint someone to act on your behalf. If you do this, the Trustee will require a letter of authority signed by you and showing the name and address of the person you wish to appoint and also if the reply is to be sent to that person.
-
The Trustee will normally reconsider the decision and reply to you within 2 months of receiving your form or letter. If this is not possible, you will receive a letter explaining the reason for the delay and a target date for a full reply. This could happen if you raise new points, which the Trustee needs to investigate. The reply will be sent to your home address (unless you have appointed someone to act on your behalf and receive the reply).
The reply will tell you if the Trustee has confirmed or changed the original decision. In either case, the reply will also explain why the Trustee has reached its decision.
-
The Trustee’s decision will include a statement to let you know that:
- The Pensions Ombudsman’s Early Resolution Service is available at any stage in the process to help members if they failed to resolve a dispute with the Trustee.
- The Pensions Ombudsman can investigate and rule on any complaint or dispute of fact or law in relation to the Plan.
You will also get a note of the contact details of the above.
The Pensions Ombudsman’s Early Resolution Service
The Pensions Ombudsman’s Early Resolution Service and helpline is available at any time to assist members and beneficiaries of a pension scheme in connection with any pensions query. Using this service does not affect your right to apply to the Ombudsman for formal adjudication if you later choose to do so.
The Pensions Ombudsman
In the unlikely event that you have a serious problem that remains unsolved after using the Internal Dispute Resolution Procedure and the Pensions Ombudsman’s Early Resolution Service and helpline, you may contact the Pensions Ombudsman. The Pensions Ombudsman may investigate and determine any complaint or dispute of fact or law. He can be contacted at: