The Private Office Reviews 44

Initially I sought pension advice from Steffan Alemanno and Jacob Jerome in July 2021 as I approached retirement, this proved to be extremely informative and I found the advice to be extremely professional and helpful. In 2024 my wife also transferred her saving investments to Steffan and Jacob at TPO. They have reviewed our situation very thoroughly and diligently & we are very pleased with the outcomes to date , it has given us peace of mind. We have regular meetings, with forecasting and suggestions, both are very easy to speak to and are very knowledgeable.

I have been a client of TPO for 3 years and been advised by Steffan Alemanno throughout that time. He has been extremely helpful with all my financial planning and pension advice. After every meeting we have he sends me a thorough review of my position with regard to planning my future. Steffan is very knowledgeable and has been a great help to me . He is always available for a conversation if I have any queries and I would highly recommend him to anyone seeking independent financial advice.

A very informative couple of sessions with David and Grace. I received good solid advice that underpinned some initial planning I had done. They where able to validate some of my thinking and also give me a number of alternative scenarios. Provided very detailed prese tation and followed up with a detailed written report on each scenarios and recommendations.

Dean has been my financial advisor for approximately 8 yrs, following a recommendation from a personal friend of mine. I have found him to be approachable, helpful, friendly and that no challenge or problem is beyond him; I’ve found that his knowledge and expertise from day one has been invaluable in managing my superannuation and retirement goals. I would also add that I like Dean’s tailored advice with regard to my retirement aspirations, always being mindful that I was not looking to invest in any sort of high risk investment strategy.
Dean is very much a client-centric and well-regarded amongst his peers- nothings ever too much trouble for him- he always goes “above and beyond” when required and there have been a couple of incidents where Dean’s suggested planning and/or intervention has ensured that I have not been subject to higher taxation because I wanted to pursue a particular investment strategy.

Donna was amazing. She has given me so much free advice after solicitor wrongly advised me to take out a trust on my property. I cannot thank her enough.

Donna Buffham has been trusted financial advisor to me and my family for many years. She has helped me, over the years, to negotiate my way through a minefield of financial issues, with knowledge, wisdom, good humour and sensitivity, explaining everything in clear English, and providing excellent, effective advice and financial management. Highly recommended.

We recently had an introductory virtual appointment with Susan Tait, who took the time to review a highly complex set of financial circumstances for an older family member. After carefully considering all the details, she advised what was in our best interest and did so with complete openness, clarity, and without financial gain for the company.

What really stood out was the way she handled the situation, with sensitivity, professionalism, and genuine care. It was reassuring to have someone so knowledgeable confirm that we were already in the right place, without any pressure to take unnecessary steps.

I would not hesitate to recommend Susan to anyone looking for advice on later-life finances, trusts, or retirement planning for older relatives. She offers exactly the kind of guidance you hope for: honest, expert, and compassionate during a time of considerable difficulty.

Clare is super efficient and responds very quickly to any queries

I have been a customer with TPO for over a year and a half. They leave you to manage everything - after a full year of trying I still haven't managed to make contributions to my pension. I get left to do everything myself with zero help and they never follow up to check everything is working. You have to chase them constantly - and the responses are perfunctory at best. Avoid

The Private Office has been helping me with my finances for many years now, and I have always found them approachable, helpful and knowledgeable. For the last several years I have been consulting George Hicks, who has been amazingly helpful and supportive. He is friendly, understands my personal needs, and also what my future needs might be, including my worries over inheritance tax implications. He has most recently guided me through the dispersal of the funds in a Trust to my two Children. Above all I have found him completely trustworthy and always courteous. He answers emails and questions promptly, I really can't fault him, or the other members of staff in the background who help him to help me. So thank you George for all your support and advice.

I found Donna Buffham very knowledgeable and helpful in helping me to secure equity release along with her colleague Katrina. I would definitely recommend The Private Office for anyone thinking of doing equity release. Well done team.
Thank you.
Patrick.

David Dodgson has been advising myself and my family for nearly 25 years. His advice has always been tailored perfectly to recognise our current and future needs. He and his colleges have always acted in a professional and timely manner.

We have previously recommended David to Friends and family with great success and would not hesitate to recommend his services to anyone in the future.

The private office have done an excellent job with my investments. They have always increased in value even during turbulent times.

I must say that my partner and I were so pleased to have found The Private Office and Donna Buffham, with Donna's help we were able to buy a house using an Equity release purchase Mortgage as part of the funding. As an older semi retired couple we would have struggled to buy our house without The Private Office and Donna Buffham. 5 Stars all the way.
Gary & Anne

I used the services of David Gruenstein of TPO around 5 years ago initially as a professional check of how we were managing our own money. The report was comprehensive covering not just my selection of funds but also the various benefits and faults of each provider.

The recommendation was to transfer some of what I had to a new provider to improve flexibility before my retirement but also to tailor the investments to when I would be likely to draw them which seemed sensible. They highlighted 2 of my policies as having special benefits and to keep them in place.

I have just had an annual review and all is on track. I have full confidence in recommending them based on my experience to date.

I have had the privilege of working with Robert Morse and Ellie Jarvis for several years, both personally and through our family investment company. They consistently provide an exceptional level of service, balancing professional expertise with a genuine sense of care and reassurance.

Following a capital event, Robert and Ellie have been steadfast in their support, helping me navigate the transition to a new reality with clarity, patience and empathy. At every stage they have taken the time to explain complex issues in a way that feels approachable, while ensuring that I feel both comfortable and confident in the long-term plan we are building together.

What sets them apart is the combination of technical skill and personal commitment. They do not just manage investments, they create real peace of mind. I could not recommend them more highly to anyone seeking trusted, long-term financial partners.

I have been advised by Donna Buffham at TPO for many years and most recently on my retirement. She is always well informed and prepared for our meetings and explains all aspects clearly and concisely. Most importantly I trust her to handle and advise on my financial affairs.

I have dealt with TPO for about 10 years. I recently met with Jonathan & Jack and went over a review of my portfolio. In the light of the IHT changes they advised me about my various options. They were thorough in their review and helped me decide the best course to take for now. We will review again prior to April.

Just entering retirement phase of life and with some additional pension investments to progress, sought out TPO as recommended for initial reviews. Meeting online with Jason Wood was to a high standard of preparation and understanding of my situation, with both outline information and suggestions discussed. Some considerations I had not outlined were also provided. In all this was a very positive and helpful session, and I would like to highlight and compliment Jason's supportive style and open/straightforward considerations throughout, a very positive experience, including over-running our timeslot! Thanks.

Matthew Cole has been my trusted financial adviser at TPO for six years, giving me excellent advice during my retirement, looking after my financial position and performance of my funds throughout the year, and always keeping an eye on the future. He has a natural empathy as well as an astute and impressive financial brain and has always acted in my best possible interest.