Warning - do not use wolstenholmes solicitors

cakinwande

Here is the link to see issue being raised at the House of Commons

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200910/cmhansrd/cm100105/debtext/100105-0003.htm

I'm looking forward to seeing where we will go from here. I guess SRA are dealing with the bigger cases first but I wonder how long it will take to people like me who have lost significantly less than thousands, but still few hundred.

Simply_Me_2

anxious_24 wrote: »

i have sent them email asking procedure wether my solicitor can send document proof and they will send them to her or wether sending back to dwf but i havent had anyresponse yet since sending it , asked solicitor to request both and already phoned dwf and gave details yesterday he said could still be possible to complete end january albeit depending on getting file back soon ,but worth getting in touch he told us ref to make sure goes to right area

Anxious 24

Where did your £42k come from, whose bank account, plr=ease ansswer.

Simply_Me_2

shocked_solicitor wrote: »

don't forget that Stirling is the phoenix firm of Chartbridge - Victoria Sharp was an employee of Chartbridge, then Megsons Law and now Stirling - see her letter posted above. The same as the assistant solicitor Abbe (as listed on the Law Society website under the Stirling Law entry) - trading addresses for all three so called firms are the same too!! The relevance is that one of the suspended solicitors from Wolstenholmes (HM) was a member/partner of Chartbridge with a man called Schofield who is an undischarged bankrupt with a condition on his practicing certificate (public record on insolvency website and the SRA website) and that they illegally transferred client files - does anyone really want people like this undertaking their legal work???

You have been warned.

mjmal51

keiran wrote: »

Thanks mjmal51

I thought my MP would not be interested as the firm was elsewhere, but I will write to him

I found this very useful website from where you can email all your representatives !!!

http://www.writetothem.com/

Yes, he should take an interest as the whole issue of the SRA and their lack of action is a national issue and as such needs raising by all those affected and indeed anybody who intends to hand over money to a solicitor in the future.
Everybody thought it was safe to hand over their 10% (or +) deposit to a solicitor when buying a house, can we ever trust them again?, not unless the system changes!

Just noticed from your link where it says that it is a waste of time to write to any MP but your own
"

• Please be polite, concise and to the point; if you abuse your MP you devalue the service for all users.
• Use your own words (new window); we block copy and pasted identical messages.
• It’s a waste of time (new window) writing to MPs other than your own; your message will be ignored.
• Read this (new window) to learn when a MP can help you – and when they can’t."

This shows up when you find your MP

anxious_24

Simply_Me wrote: »

Anxious 24

Where did your £42k come from, whose bank account, plr=ease ansswer.

chec posts 619 + 620

Horrified_Solicitor

mjmal51 wrote: »

Everybody thought it was safe to hand over their 10% (or +) deposit to a solicitor when buying a house, can we ever trust them again?, not unless the system changes!

It is safe in the sense that compensation for missing money is guaranteed, first by insurance and then as a last resort by the Solicitors Compensation Fund. This is funded by levies on the entire solicitors profession which is why the honest solicitors hate the dishonest ones with passion. Not only do they ruin our name, but we have pay for their thieving.

Irritatingly enough even when the thieving scum are struck off, they still seem to carry on living in the same large houses as before, rather than sharing an overcrowded cell in 'E' Wing with someone seriously violent who's taken a dislike to them.

anxious_24

shocked_solicitor wrote: »

if they have your file why not collect it or arrange for a local taxi firm to collect it - you would have to send a signed form authorising the person to collect the file to Stirling and also to the taxi or courier firm so that they have evidence that they are supposed to collect it - it can then be delivered directly to DWF - that is the only way you can guarantee the file getting there in time. I would speak to DWF about it first the make sure they are happy with this being done - it is your file after all not Stirlings and they have no right to hold on to it.

if we went and wouldnt give we can then call police cant we ? also do we have to tell them were coming or as we have only told them otherwise today so we know they havent posted file wether to tell them we are collecting the file ourself, i cant get off work tomorrow but could go fri am first thing cos we live in doncaster just dont want them to say sent it off when we get down there

Simply_Me_2

mjmal51 wrote: »

Yes, he should take an interest as the whole issue of the SRA and their lack of action is a national issue and as such needs raising by all those affected and indeed anybody who intends to hand over money to a solicitor in the future.
Everybody thought it was safe to hand over their 10% (or +) deposit to a solicitor when buying a house, can we ever trust them again?, not unless the system changes!

I agree. For those who insist on insulting those of us who hve suffered loss by saying "that's what you get for going cheap" I do not recall England operating a two tier system of regulating solicitors. If I choose to go with a cheaper insurance quote is it sufficient to say that I deserve what I got when the policy is not what I paid for, I think not. I repeat myself again and I am surprised at the solicitors on here who post these stupid comments about cheap conveyancing. Regardless of whether the solicitors quote is cheap, online or local there is only one regulator for all solicitors in England and Wales and that is the inefficient SRA. Only time will tell but if the SRA had information in its possession and decided to not act upon that then questions will have to be answered and heads will roll. Members of the public and the profession should take comfort in the fact that a firm is regulated by the SRA whether they are cheap or online that is the seal of approval we all go for.

I registered my complaint with the SRA in October there are many who logged their complaint long before me. When Wolstenholmes was experiencing "technical difficulties" and I contacted them again I found them to be sooooo unhelpful.

This whole mess should invite a review by government to ensure that consumers are better protected, it is the banks that insist on using a solicitor, it is the banks that insist on having these legal people involved. Some of the most simple transactions could be done by yourself if it was not for the insistence of the banks on having solicitors involved. If there are those amongst us who honestly believe that you will get a better rate of service if you pay £800 as opposed to £400 for conveyancing then I beg to differ as incompetency is found at all levels.

I also find the standard letters that are being sent out by the SRA and the LCS to be insulting, send me some credible information that will put my mind to rest not a cut and paste job.

anxious_24

shocked_solicitor wrote: »

if they have your file why not collect it or arrange for a local taxi firm to collect it - you would have to send a signed form authorising the person to collect the file to Stirling and also to the taxi or courier firm so that they have evidence that they are supposed to collect it - it can then be delivered directly to DWF - that is the only way you can guarantee the file getting there in time. I would speak to DWF about it first the make sure they are happy with this being done - it is your file after all not Stirlings and they have no right to hold on to it.

just phoned dwf they said as long as i take my passports etc to prove identity and phone them to prepare it we can do that because as you say it is our file . just got to check tomorrow that there office is where it says it is before driving up to oldham im off work friday so can go up then ,heres hoping one step closer

mjmal51

Horrified_Solicitor wrote: »

It is safe in the sense that compensation for missing money is guaranteed, first by insurance and then as a last resort by the Solicitors Compensation Fund. This is funded by levies on the entire solicitors profession which is why the honest solicitors hate the dishonest ones with passion. Not only do they ruin our name, but we have pay for their thieving.

Irritatingly enough even when the thieving scum are struck off, they still seem to carry on living in the same large houses as before, rather than sharing an overcrowded cell in 'E' Wing with someone seriously violent who's taken a dislike to them.

Not really a safe system though is it?
As an example you hand over your thousands of pounds for exchange of contracts and decide you want 6-8 weeks before completion. Unknown to you your solicitor disappears with your money and that of all his other clients. When it comes to completion you find there is a problem. You contact SRA/LCS and then have to wait who knows how long to get your money back. Vendor and yourself have a real problem, as well as anybody else in the chain.
No, that system falls well short of SAFE!