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Warning - do not use wolstenholmes solicitors
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in reply to shocked- solicitor0 -
shocked_solicitor wrote: »I object to being mis-quoted and if you read my posts properly I have never given any advice on conveyancing simply on the intervention process as I have been an agent for the law society myself and acted in numerous interventions. I also stated that credentials should be checked and that people should use licenced conveyancers, solicitors or FILEX.
As to say if it ain't broke don't fix it - most professionals who value practice rule one which is to put client first and provide good service would say that low cost bargain basement conveyancing should be banned or more strictly regulated - just check the archives of the law society gazette on complaints about these outfits - as the old saying goes if you pay peanuts you will get monkeys!!!
I sincerely wish everyone who has had problems with this firm the best of luck for the future. I will not be posting anymore as the forum is being taken over by opinions rather than fact and all useful information has been posted.
File collection should happen via DWF regardless of who you wish to instruct - they are insured to carry out this process - it is time consuming but the system is SRA regulated and backed - instruct a local solicitor or licenced conveyancer so you can go into the office and sit and wait to speak to someone if you can't get any response to your queries - do your research on the firm first or seek recommendations from friends and relatives is the best advice I can give you to protect yourselves.
Wiseman52 is entitled to his opinion but just have a look at the reputation that personal injury practitioners and conveyancing firms have these days - all because they use non-qualified people - see the law society web page and do a google search - you can then draw your own conclusions rather than have someone elses pushed down your throat.
All best wishes to everyone affected!!
I would like to say a big thank you for all of your help and advice too and please feel free to continue on this thread, I am sure thaqt anxious 24 and I are not the only two that agree..................Please stay0 -
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People in this forum are saying how Gavin Wall left WH to start up HS, but everyone seems to have overlooked a simple fact - that Gavin has not been qualified for long enough to start his own firm. If you look at the Law Society, you can see that he is only just over TWO YEARS qualified. Having check with the Law Society, you have to be THREE YEARS qualified to start your won firm. So someone else must be behind this. It can't be Gavin who started HS.0
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John1000000 wrote: »People in this forum are saying how Gavin Wall left WH to start up HS, but everyone seems to have overlooked a simple fact - that Gavin has not been qualified for long enough to start his own firm. If you look at the Law Society, you can see that he is only just over TWO YEARS qualified. Having check with the Law Society, you have to be THREE YEARS qualified to start your won firm. So someone else must be behind this. It can't be Gavin who started HS.
You are exactly right, however the other regulated principal there has been qualified since 2002 but there is always a risk that there are others behind the venture.0 -
You are exactly right, however the other regulated principal there has been qualified since 2002 but there is always a risk that there are others behind the venture.
Well a RICH, DARREN STUART is listed as a regulated principle who had his admission in 2002. He is probably the one who managed to get the practising licence for the company0 -
Originally Posted by Catwoman8950
OK, but what will happen if DWF have not got my file? Unlike the other posters on this forum, Wolsteholmes acted for me in a probate matter. I have been reliably informed that my file which contains some very important documents may have "disappeared" before the SRA intervention took place.
Originally Posted by picklesjsw
You will have to wait till DWF have all files and have collated everything before that happens. If necessary DWF will get a court order to search Illyas's property as well as the others involved; but it might take a while. If you have any information, then I suggest you forward it to the SRA and DWF.
Don't worry, I have!
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Obviously not a "wise man" than!Response to all- I am not very good a posting replies with quotes so please read.
It is broke! Fact!The business model is similar that is true but others firms also work on this model (volume conveyancing). If its not broke why fix it!
More Solicitors from conveyancing & personal injury get struck off than any other field and more complaints are raised with the Legal Complaints Service against such firms than in any other field! Facts!
Both of whom have been tarnished with the same brush by those in the know.For example, this Forum mentions two other firms Friday Property Lawyers and Your Conveyancing Services….check the website it also looks very similar to Wolstenholmes website…so what next tarnish them too with the same brush? No
Till the "Tesco" Law comes in this is impossible. The only ones who can own a Solicitors firm till then are Solicitors.This business model has been used effectively for a very long time the difference is making it work is that those people behind them have practical experience of the profession unlike Wolstenholmes. Behind Wolstenholmes model were two non- solicitors/conveyancers who had no experience and didn’t understand the profession but ultimately in charge.
Doubt this very much!Please also note Fridays Property lawyers are regulated by the Council of Licencsed Conveyancers only 1 full licence holder, it states so on the website but Your Conveyancing services- I couldn’t find on the website who they are regulated by but I’m sure if I looked harder I could find out.
Also a lot of Law firms, you will find (search law society and Council of licensed conveyancers) have 1 or 2 regulated principles that is quite normal. It just means how many partners/solicitors. There are firms with 1 regulated principle that are perfectly fine.
As a guide some of the firms I have worked at had 4, 2 and 10 regulated principle. I now work for one of the magic circle (very large reputable city) firm.
True, but not quantity focused, only quality focused.You, in this business, also come across sole practioners/conveyancer who are great at what they do.
I repeat as above. Impossible.I can’t say it enough behind Wolstenholmes model were two non-solicitors /conveyancers.
These are people who left or were sacked! And if they stayed in a firm they knew was conducting fraudulent activities they would be disbarred!To those who keep mentioning names, like I say and many others in the profession who have contributed to the forum please do not. You do not know who has and not reported it to the relevant authorities as those who have don’t go around shouting it at the roof tops because they would have been sacked, for those who didn’t report I share your views, but please refrain from stating names.
Rubbish! Read the posts! Numbers were given by those involved! I know this first hand!As to how a WH client had been given a contact number for HS easy – google, confusion on part of client
They were closely linked.a lot of clients think/thought they’re were the same company because of Gavin taking on the best of WH staff for his own new practice but they’re not.
Stop blabbing rubbish! Names were removed very quickly!That was probably due to the WH website not being updated with who had left the company – easily done or someone at WH could have given the number for HS as to were the person who they were trying to speak to had taken up employment.
Perhaps because if they were a current client they weren't told you had left - which is against SRA rules - or they called because they used you a while back. Ain't mistake or confusion.Even some of my one of my ex-client’s rang HS asking for me (further instruction) when I don’t even work there now how did that happen? Mistake/confusion perhaps.
Rubbish! Now they're trying to disconnect themselves from it as it's blown up in their faces! Duh!No files were passed to HS at all and they wouldn’t touch them with a bargepole! HS are trying to put the whole WH episode behind them and getting as far away as they can and build a reputation. Call Gavin this forum gives his number he will tell you- Try it and then post your response.
They had left! Duh!Having read this forum I feel abit sad that people think that HS are linked when they’re not. They is a great deal of animosity from WH towards HS because HS set up as direct competition. Those who left WS to Join HS were told to leave immediately that minute!
Sent there without permission, hence illegal! And conveyancing files aren't too complicated. You don't exactly need the same person who was dealing with it to explain the file - unless of course you are saying it was done incompetently, in which case it would be even more incompetent to take on the same staff!So ex – employees have been offered jobs at Stirling Law to finish off work on files that have been sent there until they are cleared- a person I used to work with is working there, that’s how I know before you ask – conveyancing world is small you recognise names on letters and correspondence.
It's one thing to have two out of a firm in a very large firm (you claim above you work for a magic circle firm, which therefore would be very large) but another thing where even 2 ex-WH are taken on by a firm with 2 staff! Duh!No I did what I could before I left WH and that’s it never touched a file after that.
I agree the SRA have a very large task ahead of them. What I post is what I saw, what I heard and what I know first hand from working at WH sir, Fact. Those also like me with personal experience and posting on here will agree and I still speak to some of my ex-colleagues in fact one is starting where I now work next month, so that makes two of us ex- WH here- does that mean we are going to be tarnished with the same brush? No, thankfully those in the profession know better.
And yes those really in the profession know exactly who to tarnish with the same brush!!!
Yeah right!Some things at WH were not secret they were eventually in your face. I can only offer you what I can it is for you to believe or not. I have no hidden agenda, rest assure, just to enlighten you from my personal experience, should you not require any further posts do let me know.
Dumb! If they aren't a Solicitor they can't be registered with the Law Society.When I make reference to ‘hearsay’ or ‘employees gossiping’ I meant making assumptions abit like those I have read on this forum, which I have tried to inform and correct, we are all guilty of that in offices the term is ‘office politics’.
To those solicitors posting here, one is clearly not in the field of conveyancing. The credentials of the person in conveyancing are in my opinion are truly judged by how many years practical experience the individual, not the company, has in conveyancing running their own caseload. You could have a qualified solicitor with 3 months experience or a conveyancer with 15 years behind them – who would you choose to represent you?
You do not have to be a qualified solicitor to do conveyancing or personal injury for that matter but read reviews and ensure that the company is registered with the Law Society or council for Licensed Conveyancers
You haven't shed any light or put any pieces of any jigsaw puzzle together, only proven how incompetent you are!Thank you for those showing me support and I am very happy to have shed some light and put some of the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle together for you, I hope your matters are resolved very very quickly and peacefully. Either wait for DWF or for quicker results instruct new local solicitors asap with or without your file, documents can be reproduced – it will cost but as you have found out it is worth every penny.
Best Wishes
I am not a DWF client. I am knowledgeable in this area, and have done digging and spoken to several ex-WH clients. I have also assisted people with claims against DWF where DWF has been acting for them or their opponents.shocked_solicitor wrote: »picklesjsw - what's your interest in all of this? - you appear to be a DWF client - but you also seem to have a lot of knowledge about other matters on here including views on Stirling Law etc
My interest is I helped a friend recover money from WH in 2008 (when David Burke was there) and as such know a lot about WH.
It doesn't work that way at all. DWF will compile financial statements and then the funds will be paid out by the SRA. The accounts wouldn't be unfrozen and refrozen, and that can't happen!Librachick wrote: »I phoned my bank yesterday and I have put in a claim to get my money back from WH. They said the maximum it can take will be 3 months. I was advised that SRA /DWF have the right to activate WH accounts and pay back my money then freeze the account again.
As for the chargeback, your bank would demand a chargeback, and if not represented against would refund you the money. The card processor would pay your bank and become an unsecured creditor against WH and would lodge a claim withthe SRA.
Smart move. Put in a claim with the Legal Complaints Service when you know how much you are losing, as you should be entitled to compensation which will come out of the SRA indemnity fund.Librachick wrote: »I have instructed a new solicitor, however, it is costing nearly 3 times as much, but due to my circumstances they are reducing it by £27!! Last of the big spenders. They said they will start from scratch (so at least another 8 weeks) as they can't just believe that WH did everything right and they are regulated to ensure they do their own searches etc. More money, but what else can I do, if I don't want to move on with my life and get over the WH debacle.
Good Luck!!!Librachick wrote: »When I called Imran Hussain on 21 December, he promised he would send my file and my refund within 2 - 4 days, I sent an email to him re-iterating what we had said in the conversation. However, the email was deleted without being read and he has never answered his mobile again, I left messages on his voicemail. DWF have my file, but I don't care about it anymore, since the new solicitor said the original deeds of mine are obsolete the minute the property is sold.
So I am moving on, this has been eating away at me daily, but I am not in nearly the same boat as a lot of you like Tracie X and simply me.
So I wish you all the very best with sorting this out.
Keep thinking about the song by Lena Martell "one day at a time".
I second this!shocked_solicitor wrote: »I object to being mis-quoted and if you read my posts properly I have never given any advice on conveyancing simply on the intervention process as I have been an agent for the law society myself and acted in numerous interventions. I also stated that credentials should be checked and that people should use licenced conveyancers, solicitors or FILEX.
As to say if it ain't broke don't fix it - most professionals who value practice rule one which is to put client first and provide good service would say that low cost bargain basement conveyancing should be banned or more strictly regulated - just check the archives of the law society gazette on complaints about these outfits - as the old saying goes if you pay peanuts you will get monkeys!!!
I sincerely wish everyone who has had problems with this firm the best of luck for the future. I will not be posting anymore as the forum is being taken over by opinions rather than fact and all useful information has been posted.
File collection should happen via DWF regardless of who you wish to instruct - they are insured to carry out this process - it is time consuming but the system is SRA regulated and backed - instruct a local solicitor or licenced conveyancer so you can go into the office and sit and wait to speak to someone if you can't get any response to your queries - do your research on the firm first or seek recommendations from friends and relatives is the best advice I can give you to protect yourselves.
Wiseman52 is entitled to his opinion but just have a look at the reputation that personal injury practitioners and conveyancing firms have these days - all because they use non-qualified people - see the law society web page and do a google search - you can then draw your own conclusions rather than have someone elses pushed down your throat.
All best wishes to everyone affected!!
Rubbish! I note you're a first time poster, probably David Burke or one of Illyas's cronies posting under a pseudonym!Picklesjsw,
What a vitriolic little minded person you are. If your going to slag legal firms and solicitors off try to use facts and not your slant on hearsay.:mad:
People like you only get their kicks from anonymous sites. Lots of people have had their names and personal details spread about on this site by people like you who only use daft names to hide behind.
Now give it a rest and let the poor people who are waiting action/money get some sound advice from the fair minded on this forum. :mad:
I am using facts and have evidence to back everything up! If you want to check, make a claim against MoneySavingExpert for alleged libel - showing your real name - and I will show them my files - they can trace me by IP address - and then sue you for libel!0 -
Hi there
I had completed purchase via WH on 28. August 2009. They promised to send me deeds in two month which obviously did not happen. I live in purchased house now but a bit concerned about not having deeds yet.
Should I be worried or can I expect the deeds to come?
Unfortunately, the following contact did not help me much. Could I somehow get the deeds myself?
DWF LLP
Centurion House
129 Deansgate
Manchester
M3 3AA
Tel: 0161 603 50000 -
Hi there
I had completed purchase via WH on 28. August 2009. They promised to send me deeds in two month which obviously did not happen. I live in purchased house now but a bit concerned about not having deeds yet.
Should I be worried or can I expect the deeds to come?
Unfortunately, the following contact did not help me much. Could I somehow get the deeds myself?
DWF LLP
Centurion House
129 Deansgate
Manchester
M3 3AA
Tel: 0161 603 5000
If it is a registered property then apply to Land Registry for copies or order online.0
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