Process

From first enquiry to written advice

Financial advice here is delivered through booked consultations, not walk-in product sales. This page explains what happens before you pay an advice fee.

Bright meeting room with long table ready for a consultation

Where we meet

Face-to-face consultations are held at our office in Quigley-on-Miller, Scotland. Video meetings cover the rest of the UK using the same agenda and document checklist. Joint meetings with a spouse or business partner are encouraged when decisions affect shared finances.

Typical stages

  1. 1

    Enquiry and fit check

    You tell us the decision you face — leave date, contribution change, gift to family, or director pension. We confirm whether we can advise or whether another professional should lead.

  2. 2

    Fee agreement

    You receive a written fee for the consultation or project. No advice work starts until you accept. Initial scoping calls of about twenty minutes carry no charge.

  3. 3

    Document list

    We send a checklist: pension statements, State Pension forecast, ISA valuations, and recent tax summaries. Incomplete packs slow the planning meeting; we say so early.

  4. 4

    Consultation

    Meetings run from 45 minutes for a focused review to about two hours for retirement income planning. You leave knowing the actions still outstanding.

  5. 5

    Written recommendations

    Advice is confirmed in writing with reasons, risks, and next steps. Implementation help — forms, provider calls — is quoted separately if you want us involved beyond the plan.

Preparation that saves meeting time

Statements dated within 3 months

Older printouts miss transfers and contribution holidays. Download fresh PDFs from each scheme portal.

A leave year, even if approximate

Retirement planning needs a working date. “Sometime in my sixties” is too vague for cashflow.

Essential monthly spend

Housing, utilities, food, and insurance totals matter more than a perfect budget spreadsheet.

Availability

Consultation slots are offered Tuesday to Thursday for in-person meetings, with wider video availability. We aim to offer a first meeting within three weeks of fee acceptance, sooner for time-sensitive retirement dates where documents are already complete.

Discovery Complimentary 20-minute call to confirm fit and fee Request a call
Planning Booked after fee agreement and document checklist Choose advice

Ready to schedule a consultation?

Describe your situation on the contact form. We reply within two working days with next steps.

Contact Harbour Crest