2022-03-22 GDD

Our advice process
We start with an informal discussion in which we get to know you and establish whether
we can help you. This is without charge or obligation to proceed.
We offer a number of services, which we refer to as ‘customer propositions'. The fee you
pay is dependent upon the proposition you select. If more than one of our propositions is
appropriate for you, we will advise you of this.
Following our first meeting, if you decide you want us to act on your behalf, we will ask you
to complete a formal customer agreement. This document sets out what we will deliver and
provide you with our best estimate of the cost.
We then collect the details from you needed to prepare our advice. Where you hold
existing financial products, we will ask you to sign authorities allowing us to approach the
providers and obtain details.
Once we have received all necessary information, we will then prepare our advice and
provide this to you in a formal written report setting out the following:
• Our understanding of your objectives.
• The information used to prepare our advice. Where we are advising on investments, we
will ask you to complete a ‘risk tolerance’ questionnaire so we can establish how
comfortable you are with investing. Our report will set out the results of our
assessment and explain how this has affected our recommendations.
• Clear recommendations covering each decision you will need to make, together with an
explanation of why we consider this to be the most appropriate course of action.
• Where we are giving advice on investments, we will set out details of the strategy you
should follow as well as the asset types and geographical sectors in which you should
invest. We will also set out both the potential for future returns on your investments
and the potential for you to incur losses if the value of investments fall.
• The future steps you will need to take in the future to ensure our advice remains
consistent with your requirements.
• Recommendations for product providers with whom you should purchase investments
and other financial products. This will include an assessment of the financial strength of
the provider; cost of the product in relation to others available in the market; and the
servicing record.
• The risks of either following, or not following, our advice.
Page 12 of 34 General Disclosure Document 23/3/2022