Columbia Threadneedle Investments Reviews 157

One star is too many!

After having read all these reviews, I see that we are not alone.

We have had a hell of a time TRYING to get funds released but instead we find obstructions and delays. I believe we need to flag the lack of customer service and non-responsiveness to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) that has customers’ needs at the heart of what they do. As an executor, we have been trying to get access to funds that have been locked with Columbia Threadneedle for MONTHS. They are asking for everything to certified by a notary or the post office (that won't do it for some of the documents) such as copies of passports, probates, bank statements certified, utility bills, ID cards certified as well as an address that has not changed in 50 years and is on their records. We are now at a point where we can't pay for the care home anymore, a vulnerable person is the victim of he company policy of CT that is to my point of view based on delay and asking for documents that do not exist (original bank statement from an internet bank - welcome to the 21st century). So the bank printed the statement and signed it. No one else in their right mind can certify that unless you let a notary look at your bank account online! And the notary fees! That is money needed to pay for the care home! So we wanted to see a person, any person with all the original paperwork (probate, ID card, bank card, bank statement, passport, etc etc.) in order to speed this process up and get the funds released to pay for the care home but we were refused that. So what is the office in 78 Cannon St, London EC4N 6AG for then? Are the people from the complaints department, trying to avoid direct human contact at all costs as they have no power to make any decisions but refer to their managers that are unreachable for clients? I do agree that security is a priority and needs to be in line with strict standards but the company needs to rethink the way it handles clients. They include a phone number in their letter addressed to a a person living in the EU- yet that number cannot be reached from outside the UK. So when calling to flag this problem and to get a number that can be called from abroad, we are told there is no number for this person/complaints department that can be called from abroad. "But please leave a message for the person you are trying to call." So one more time (the umpteenth time) you give them all the information, proof of identity, etc. that the person you are trying to reach already has simply for leaving a message to get a call back.. only to then be contacted by yet someone else- via email and not via phone - who writes "We have passed the documents to the relevant team for them to review." Back to square one. And what a global company that is!

We are getting ready to file an official complaint with the FCA.

Looking at all the reviews of frustrated customers (sooo many and all about the same issue) - these reviews do not seem to make any difference - same complaint a year ago, six weeks or just yesterday. A word of warning to those that are reading this review - chose carefully where you put your money!

Absolute worst company. They don't know how to operate a FAX machine, don't offer anything online, require a tremendous amount of unnecessary and impossible tasks just to get a small amount of money that you are entitled to if someone should pass away. Their products make no money. They steal money and refuse to release it. They require medallion stamps just to get a small amount of money out of your account.

I transferred my son's Child Trust Fund and opened a Junior ISA for my daughter. They told me that the CTF was the better option for my son rather than an ISA because of lower charges. In fact, the charges are higher.

Very poor info on the performance of the funds -- hard to see how they are doing.
I applied to transfer to a new provider and they have done absolutely nothing, 4 months later.
Beyond awful and not worthy of a single star.

My daughters Child Trust Fund has just matured and they are making it impossible for her to get her money.

Do not use if you ever expect to see your money

Just awful. Child trust fund recently matured and it's been 3 months and I still can't access the funds because of their ridiculous and obstructive processes. Would never use again.

Beware! This company continue to rack up charges a year after the account was closed (and confirmed closed), with charges accumulating on a continuing basis. This was a Child Trust Fund.

Appalling.

Got access to see my child trust fund in January, now whenever i go to log in with my correct password username and use phone verification . It says access denied permission .. i cannot access the money or even see the balance anymore.

It was ridiculous the amount of hoops they made us jump through to claim our money. The whole process to months to do because they were being so awkward. At some point it made us think if they would ever give us our money. The communication was shocking.

Their website sucks, their staff are wonderful, Thank you Harry for sorting things out.
Great company, great fees, great employees...
Crap website. Please get it sorted. When you were BMO it was all so simple...

🚩 Red Flag. They have no Survivor Benefits. Avoid this company at all costs. You will have a difficult time trying to get money when your spouse or family member passes away. To date, we have been unsuccessful and the company has kept, actually stolen, our money. I hope they see this review and they correct this situation. If not, you'll still see this low review. Avoid these investments at all costs.

I don’t understand why this company doesn’t let me set up an account online. It’s 2021. My employer used them for IRA’s, and I had to fill out a paper application, that ended up confusing them. Then, they don’t have a way to resolve anything without calling them. Like I have time to just call for a little chat! I could’ve resolved this in seconds if I had online access instead of my employer knowing all of my business. Instead, it took TWO MONTHS of back and forth calls, systems down, and not calling me back to get anything right. And I still don’t know if it’s right. They said they’d send me crap in the MAIL to confirm. Is is a bunch of 100-year-old men working here????

This company own a retail site in High Peak UK along with the stream that runs behind it..home to ducks and wildlife.This has been neglected and it is now so polluted that the ducks rely on humans to feed them.There is also a property management company involved but no apparent communication between the two to prioritise the state of the watercourse or adequately maintain it so they are in breach of their ownership responsibilities.This is a highly wealthy investment company who have no apparent integrity or interest in improving the environment or caring for the wildlife to promote customer footfall so it's no surprise there are vacant retail units on this site.