Warning - do not use wolstenholmes solicitors

Rockyk9

This is causing much damage Stirling Law is not connected in any way whatsoever to Wolstenholmes Law firm !!!!!!

Rockyk9

This is causing much damage Stirling Law is not connected in any way whatsoever to Wolstenholmes Law firm !!!!!!

Brahan_seer_3

Rockyk9 wrote: »

This is causing much damage Stirling Law is not connected in any way whatsoever to Wolstenholmes Law firm !!!!!!

There may not be any link but clearly they entered into some form of arrangement with Wolstenholmes to take over files, in circumstances where Wolstenholmes had no authority from the clients to pass them on.

CURNOW1

Used Wolstenholmes for conveyancing that completed Aug. 09. Nightmare service (but not as bad as many) complained to Legal Complaints Service - mid Dec. got agreement for some compensation (£200) + £158 owed. Small beer but never materialised because of intervention. Case passed on to SRA - contacted me a few weeks ago as presumably my case had come to the top of the pile. Not too concerned as amount owed was small, however, SRA investigator could not trace payment of stamp duty....Check with HMRC revealed that property registered correctly but inland revenue informed that property value was £150K against the correct value of £263 therefore avoiding duty. DWF are not dealing with this. I wonder how many other cases where this has happened?

Brahan_seer_3

CURNOW1 wrote: »

Used Wolstenholmes for conveyancing that completed Aug. 09. Nightmare service (but not as bad as many) complained to Legal Complaints Service - mid Dec. got agreement for some compensation (£200) + £158 owed. Small beer but never materialised because of intervention. Case passed on to SRA - contacted me a few weeks ago as presumably my case had come to the top of the pile. Not too concerned as amount owed was small, however, SRA investigator could not trace payment of stamp duty....Check with HMRC revealed that property registered correctly but inland revenue informed that property value was £150K against the correct value of £263 therefore avoiding duty. DWF are not dealing with this. I wonder how many other cases where this has happened?

Don't understand this. If SDLT was payable on the price at 3% (ie £7890) then presumably you piad this amount to Wolstenholmes and it should still be sitting in their client account. I have no doubt that HMRC will want their pound of flesh plus interest and penalties and will be looking to you for it. No doubt you in turn will be looking to the SRA, or have I misunderstood? Was it perhaps a transfer of equity where the value transferred was indeed £150 notwithstanding that the property was worth more?

lytton-man

Quite simple. Wolstenholmes returned incorrect property values in order to retain stamp duty paid by clients. I understand that HMRC were on to this before the intervention and had W under investigation.

mjmal51

isayoldchap wrote: »

I haven't been on here for a while now,but eventually after nearly ten months(moved 06/10/09)I see our property has been registered with the Land Registry.
I have also been advised by Gordons LLP ,that we used free of charge,
that the Inland Revenue have now sent a fine which will be passed onto the SRA

The Adjudicator at LCA has also suggested an award of £600 compensation .The solicitors being investigated have been written to (home residence)and have not replied.
The SRA has now been advised and will send Wolstenholmes insurance details ,where I have been advised to contact them for payment.
No guarantees are made and LCA will shortly close my case

If the insurance company fail to pay out I may consider using the legal cover on my previous house insurance at the time to see if they can sue the other insurer.

Nice to hear from somebody going through with a claim to the LCS and that Gordons did post completion free of charge.
I completed back in Nov with WH doing no post completion work.
After intervention I paid a local solicitor to pay the SDLT, the HMRC fine, register the property in my name, and his associated costs then got the SRA to pay it back to me (luckily I had the money available). At the time DWF/SRA both advised employing another solicitor, they did not initially offer the free services of Gordons and DWF.
After that I then fully detailed the history to the LCS for a claim (inconvenience, distress) but they made it too difficult wanting my full file with the deeds etc, which is bulky and safely in the vault of my new solicitor.
Also the implication was that as WH were in administration and their insurers may not (probably would not!) be able to pay I decided to drop the case as being too much effort and decided to put the whole nightmare behind me.

Would love to hear the final outcome of your claim.

Brahan_seer_3

lytton-man wrote: »

Quite simple. Wolstenholmes returned incorrect property values in order to retain stamp duty paid by clients. I understand that HMRC were on to this before the intervention and had W under investigation.

If what you are saying is correct then some persons at Wolstenholmes have been committing criminal offences. That would have needed the active involvement of at least 2 persons - someone in the conveyancing department and someone in the Accounts department and would undoubtedly have been instigated by someone in overall control, but who. No doubt it will all come out in the wash. If you are right and it can be proved then no doubt there will be prosecutions.

isayoldchap

Now that the LCS have concluded my case (and due to close my file)
I have now received a reply from the SRA with the details of Wolstenholmes insurance company at the time of intervention.
These are International Insurance Company of Hannover Limited.
The policy number was A0997210.
Attention of AH(name provided by SRA)

After speaking to him I was given the solicitors address where to send the LCS claim form
address is ....Solicitor AN is advising clients

Solicitor - Claims Department

Fishburns solicitors

60 Fenchurch Street

London EC3M 4AD

Direct dial: +44 (0)20 7280 8956

Fax: +44 (0)20 7280 8899


AN has asked me to send the claim form direct to their office and that will join the queue.


Does anyone know how many people are affected in the Wolstenholmes
farce?

Please email me if you require the names of AN and AH

mjmal51

isayoldchap wrote: »

AN has asked me to send the claim form direct to their office and that will join the queue.


Does anyone know how many people are affected in the Wolstenholmes
farce?

Please email me if you require the names of AN and AH

All the best for success in your claim, I gave up on the possibility of the insurers paying and LCS were all too keen to close my case asap.
The original statement at intervention was that over 4,000 people were affected but the range was from people paying a deposit of £2/300 to a sale that had reached completion stage with WH holding the money (£400,000).
I doubt many people got to the LCS claim and just settled for SRA compensation.
I do wonder if there are still people out there who are blissfully unaware that they are affected, ie. WH did not register the property, did not pay the correct SDLT or even pay it at all?