Foresters Friendly Society Reviews

Name: Foresters Friendly Society
Address: Third Floor, Enterprise House, Ocean Way, Southampton
Rating: 4.40

4.4 Rating 659 Reviews

85 %

of reviewers recommend Foresters Friendly Society

Company Reviews

Metrics

Info

4.4

Based on 659 reviews

Shipping & Delivery
Delivery Methods	Postal Service
Average Delivery Time	Within 5 Days
On-time Delivery	Greater than 68%
Accurate And Undamaged Orders	100%
Customer Service
Communication Channels	Email, Live Chat, Telephone
Queries Resolved In	Under An Hour
Customer Service	4.5 out of 5

About Foresters Friendly Society:

Foresters Friendly Society has been helping with family finances since 1834. As a mutual society, we don't have shareholders so our profits are instead distributed to our policyholders in the form of bonuses and also through our Foresters Extras membership package.

Visit Website

Phone:

0800 988 2418

Location:

Third Floor, Enterprise House, Ocean Way
Southampton
SO14 3XB

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Anonymous

Anonymous // 01/01/2019

Sort by: Most Recent Most Recent Highest Rated Filter: None None 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Stars Helpful

“Money invested and then market value reduction applied. Can’t get money out without taking a hit on initial investment.”

Helpful Report

Thank you for sharing your experience with us. It’s important to remember that the savings plan you have opened with us is a longer-term investment which is designed to be held over many years. Investment volatility is not unique to Foresters and is being experienced by all investment providers and their customers. So, while short-term investment value changes can be unsettling, it’s important to maintain a longer-term view as well. As a result of investment volatility, a small proportion of plans that have invested in our Order Insurance with profits Fund in previous years have a Market Value Reduction (MVR) applied to them but no MVR is currently in place for plans taken out in 2023. This is the first time in our history that we have had to apply an MVR. As an adjustment that can be applied to the value of your investment, if you choose to cash-in or withdraw from your plan during volatile investment conditions, which reduces how much you get back, it ensures that everybody gets their fair share of the returns from a with profits fund and is designed to protect members who do not take their money out of the fund during poor market conditions. You will only see the effect of an MVR should you wish to withdraw your money at the time there is an MVR in place. An MVR can be added, removed, increased or decreased at any time and, as we are unable to predict future investment market performance, we are unable to advise how long the MVR for previous year’s investments will be in place for. Our investment team are continually looking for additional opportunities to improve returns whilst remaining within risk tolerance levels. If you have any further questions, please do let us know. We are available Monday to Friday 9 am to 5 pm on 0800 988 2418 or by email membersalesandservice@forestersfriendlysociety.co.uk. Kind regards, Foresters Friendly

“I set up a Stocks and Shares ISA in May 2023 and made contributions for the next 5 months at £1000 a month. 7 months later I'm still waiting to register as a member and have been fobbed off with excuses saying they'll get to me eventually. I have no idea how my investment is doing as I'm unable to access it either to view or to make any investment decisions. Absolute shambles and I'm beyond angry about it. Have had to deal with my wife being seriously Ill this year and my sister dying in July. Last thing I needed was this money nonsense. Needless to say I won't be recommending you to and friends or family.”

Helpful Report

Hi Dylan, Thank you for your feedback. We appreciate your frustration regarding your current inability to register for and make use of our member portal and apologise that this has taken place during an already difficult year for you. We launched the member portal in July of this year, initially, it was only available to members who have taken out a plan after the launch date, so that we could evaluate real world performance of the portal and seek member feedback, making adjustments where needed. Additionally, as a multi-brand business a significant amount of work has taken place so that members who hold plans from across our various brands are able to see and manage them all in one place. We hope that you'll appreciate that delay in inviting you, and other members who have taken out plans before the portal launched in July of this year is because as a member-focused business, we want to make sure that we’re offering the best possible portal experience when the time comes, and that a significant amount of technical work needs be done in order to do so. The work mentioned above is ongoing, but we are now beginning to onboard members who took out plans prior to July of this year, and will do so in a phased manner, starting with the most recent plans, and working our way back so as to be able to manage the volume of invitations and subsequent sign-ups. At this point in time, we expect to send your invitation to register to the Portal by the end of February and will be in touch to notify you when it becomes available for you to register. We are sorry to hear about the personal challenges you've faced this year. Kind regards, Foresters Friendly

“I do not have any means to check my investments, that is why I stopped investing.”

Helpful Report

Hi Alexandru, thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with us. We are sorry to hear that you’ve stopped investing with us and appreciate your honesty about the reasons for this. We launched the member portal in July of this year, initially, it was only available to members who have taken out a plan after the launch date, so that we could evaluate real world performance of the portal and seek member feedback, making adjustments where needed. We are now beginning to onboard members who took out plans prior to July of this year, and will do so in a phased manner, starting with the most recent plans, and working our way back so as to be able to manage the volume of invitations and subsequent sign-ups. Best wishes, Foresters Friendly.

“Access to view online accounts would be great”

Helpful Report

Hi Robert, thank you for sharing your feedback with us. We launched the member portal in July of this year, initially, it was only available to members who have taken out a plan after the launch date, so that we could evaluate real world performance of the portal and seek member feedback, making adjustments where needed. We are now beginning to onboard members who took out plans prior to July of this year, and will do so in a phased manner, starting with the most recent plans, and working our way back so as to be able to manage the volume of invitations and subsequent sign-ups. We expect to send your invitation to register to the Portal early in the New Year and will be in touch to notify you when it becomes available for you to register. Kind regards, Foresters Friendly.

“I was looking for somewhere to lodge my savings and remembered that many years ago my grandmother had been so very well cared for in a home for the elderly and nursing home in Bridlington that went by the name of the Foresters and I suppose was run by the society. So with that sense of gratitude in mind I decided I would lodge my savings with the Foresters Friendly Society They provided all the information I needed and the process was simple and quick to invest and begin to see some fruit from this long-term saving plan Thank you”

Helpful Report

Thank you so much for taking the time to share such lovely feedback. We are delighted to hear that your decision to lodge your savings with us was influenced by the fond memories of your grandmother's care. We are happy to hear that our team was able to provide you with all the information you needed and that the process was simple and quick for you. Best wishes, Foresters Friendly

“Really helpful emails and when speaking with you the service is excellent.”

Helpful Report

Hi Ruby, thank you for taking your time to leave us a review. We are glad to hear that you had a good experience with our customer service. Kind regards, Foresters Friendly

“Great customer service and great benefits.”

Helpful Report

Hi Rebecca, thank you so much for your kind words and positive feedback! We're delighted to hear that you had a great experience with our customer service team. Kind regards, Foresters Friendly.

“Extremely user-friendly, website interface. Easily navigated through the registration process. 5 stars for the good website. Thanks”

Helpful Report

Hi Aman, thank you for taking the time to share your positive feedback with us! We're thrilled to hear that you found our website interface user-friendly and that the registration process was easy. Kind regards, Foresters Friendly.

“Found the website easy to apply now waiting for the paperwork”

Helpful Report

Hi Roslynne, thank you for taking a moment to share your positive feedback with us. We are happy to hear that you found our website easy to use during the application process. The paperwork should be with you soon. If you have any question, please do let us know. We are available Monday to Friday 9 am to 5 pm on 0800 988 2418 or by email memberservices@forestersfriendlysociety.co.uk. Kind regards, Foresters.

“So easy to set up and all faith hey will do good by me.”

Helpful Report

Hi Zoe, we appreciate you taking the time to write a review for us. We are happy to hear that you that the setup process was smooth and that you are pleased with our service. Best wishes, Foresters.

“Lost almost 10% in an ISA run by Foresters. They placed a market value reduction on my ISA so my £20,000 went down to around £18,000.”

Helpful Report

Thank you for sharing your feedback with us. It’s important to remember that the savings plan you have opened with us is a longer-term investment which is designed to be held over many years. Investment volatility is not unique to Foresters and is being experienced by all investment providers and their customers. So, while short-term investment value changes can be unsettling, it’s important to maintain a longer-term view as well. As a result of investment volatility, a small proportion of plans that have invested in our Order Insurance with profits Fund in previous years have a Market Value Reduction (MVR) applied to them but no MVR is currently in place for plans taken out in 2023. This is the first time in our long history that we have had to apply an MVR. As an adjustment that can be applied to the value of your investment, if you choose to cash-in or withdraw from your plan during volatile investment conditions, which reduces how much you get back, it ensures that everybody gets their fair share of the returns from a with profits fund and is designed to protect members who do not take their money out of the fund during poor market conditions. You will only see the effect of an MVR should you wish to withdraw your money at the time there is an MVR in place. An MVR can be added, removed, increased or decreased at any time and, as we are unable to predict future investment market performance, we are unable to advise how long the MVR for previous year’s investments will be in place for. Our investment team are continually looking for additional opportunities to improve returns whilst remaining within risk tolerance levels. If you require any further assistance, please contact us by email at membersalesandservice@forestersfriendlysociety.co.uk or by phone at 0800 988 2418. Kind regards, Foresters.

“I rarely take time to write reviews but I wanted to flag up the stellar customer service I have received from Laura at Foresters Friendly. I had been trying to transfer a Junior ISA from another provider who were dragging their feet. Laura has called and emailed countless times, chasing the missing transfer and keeping me updated throughout. I am happy to say that now my transfer has completed and I now have opened another account with FF. Laura helped me every step of the way. It is very unusual to get to talk to the same person in a company these days, much less to see them proactively deal with issues on a customer's behalf. I wish everyone I dealt with was like Laura. Absolutely brilliant service and a credit to her employer. Thank you!”

Helpful Report

Hi Catherine, thank you so much for taking the time to share your positive experience with us. We're happy to hear about the stellar customer service you received. We have passed along your compliments to Laura, who was pleased to hear your kind words. Best wishes, Foresters

“I have several investments and Life Insurance with Foresters Inc. POIS, and I am completely satisfied with the customer service provided by the Friendly Society. I have received good bonuses and returns on maturing investments over the years I have been a customer of Forester's.”

Helpful Report

Hi Philip, thank you for sharing your positive feedback with us! We're absolutely thrilled to hear that you are happy with our service. Best wishes, Foresters.

“Found the staff extremely helpful and supportive 👏. The products provided are excellent with so many added benefits not found anywhere else. Would highly recommend 👌”

Helpful Report

Hi Leighton, thank you for taking the time to provide such wonderful review! We're glad to hear that you’re happy with our service. Best wishes, Foresters.

“I was looking for an investment portfolio which provided a good rate of return but invested ethically and looked after its members.”

Helpful Report

Hi Charles, thank you so much for taking the time to share your positive experience with us! Best wishes, Foresters.

“I recently opened a Life Time ISA, and the whole process was seamless. I needed some support with adding more funds, and the customer service was amazing, no long waiting time and great advice at the end of the phone. Thank you for making this process easy!”

Helpful Report

Hi Rosanna, thank you for sharing your positive experience with us! We're delighted to hear that your journey in opening a Lifetime ISA with us was seamless. It's great to know that our customer service team was able to assist you promptly and effectively. If you have any more questions or need assistance in the future, please feel free to reach out. Best wishes, Foresters.

“I found the process of applying for a Stocks and Shares ISA online with FFS very easy and straight forward. As a member I have since benefitted from being a member of a local Court with all the benefits that that brings.”

Helpful Report

Hi Graham, thank you so much for taking the time to share your positive experience with us! We're happy to hear that you found the process of applying for a Stocks and Shares ISA online easy and straightforward and that you have been enjoying the benefits of being part of a local Court. Best wishes, Foresters.

“Although the product was what I was looking for, the administration and backup is poor. Phone calls not answered or answered and subsequently cut off, e-mails taking ages to receive a response and letters clearly addressed with the published Freepost address returned marked 'addressee unknown'! I would think carefully next time before I invest in another product.”

Helpful Report

“Have been promised online access now for nearly as long as I’ve had the account without that I am reluctant to invest anymore money I have spoken to customer service who seem genuine but can’t say I’m satisfied”

Helpful Report

Hi Harris, We appreciate your frustration regarding your current inability to register for and make use of our member portal. We launched the member portal in July of this year, and it is currently accessible only by members taking out plans after the launch date so that we could evaluate real world performance of the portal and seek member feedback, making adjustments where needed. Additionally, as a multi-brand business a significant amount of work has taken place so that members who hold plans from across our various brands are able to see and manage them all in one place. We hope that you'll appreciate that delay in inviting you, and other members who have taken out plans before the portal launched in July of this year is because as a member-focused business, we want to make sure that we’re offering the best possible portal experience when the time comes, and that a significant amount of technical work needs be done in order to do so. The work mentioned above is ongoing, but we are now beginning to onboard members who took out plans prior to July of this year, and will do so in a phased manner, starting with the most recent plans, and working our way back so as to be able to manage the volume of invitations and subsequent sign-ups. We'll be in touch to notify you when the registration for your account becomes available. Thank you for your patience. Kind regards, Foresters

“Excellent service and personal touch. Good rate of return given the current financial issues.”

Helpful Report

Hi Malone. Thank you so much for taking the time to provide us with such wonderful feedback! We are happy to hear that you are pleased with our service. Best wishes, Foresters.

Foresters Friendly Society is rated 4.4 based on 659 reviews