Berkhamsted: Client keeps full pension after ex failed to engage

The steps taken to move things forward

Natalie Nero attempted to engage his ex-wife and encourage her to cooperate with the pension provider. She didn’t respond, ignoring emails, and she had moved home, which meant even reaching her by post was no longer possible.

With direct contact ruled out, we applied to court. Rather than let that stall things, we obtained permission to serve her publicly, even though she was no longer living at her last known address, which meant the case could continue despite her absence.

The matter then came before the court on several occasions. We made clear to the court that our client should not be left indefinitely unable to retire simply because the other party refused to engage. The court agreed and set aside the pension sharing order.

As a result, our client was able to retire and retained his full pension, including the share that had previously been earmarked for his ex-wife. Her failure to engage with the process ultimately meant she lost the entitlement she had originally been awarded.

In the words of our client:

“I would like to thank you and your team for your support over the last 5 years. Without it, I wouldn’t be where I am.”