My name is Carlin. I’ve been a client of Solus for about six months, and my adviser is Gavin Johnson.

One of the issues that I had in mind when I approached Gavin was whether I could afford to retire, when I could afford to retire, and what my best options were for dealing with the various pension pots that I had. He explained all that very clearly.

I had met Gavin at a networking event several years previously, and I was looking – I think it was either on LinkedIn or Google – for financial advisers in my area. I noticed that Solus had very good reviews. So, I thought it would be worth giving them a go. Also, they specialise in financial advice for single people, which few consultants really do, which suits me.

I was offered a free initial session, which I found very useful. And there was no pressure to go ahead with anything if I didn’t want to, and it was very relaxed. Gavin took his time and didn’t rush me. I felt very comfortable talking about my financial issues and situation. So, I was impressed by that.

I feel very comfortable working with Solus mainly because I received a very good introduction to the financial jargon that can be confusing when starting this journey. I have a clearer picture of what everything involves now. I understand my risk appetite. This is something that Gavin went through from the beginning, doing a questionnaire to reveal what my risk appetite was. So, I feel a lot more confident now reviewing my financial portfolio.

The three words I’d used to describe Gavin are knowledgeable, friendly, and reliable.

I think the best thing about working with Gavin and the team at Solus is knowing that I’ve always got someone to ask about any financial issues or concerns that might arise. For example, when I was buying a property recently, I was able to check whether I had enough finances to do it and what the impact on the rest of my portfolio might be.

I would definitely recommend Gavin and Solus, especially to single people. There is a definite need for specialist financial advice. Some people may feel a bit of a stigma attached to being older and single, but I never felt that way with Gavin and his team. They are very open-minded about every situation. I would definitely recommend them.