Warning - do not use wolstenholmes solicitors

homelessmat

15 working days since completion was meant to happen and 12/13 working days since the SRA intervened.
File still hasn't been found at DWF or Stirling Law. My new solicitors have started to re-create it and instigated new searches yesterday. Seller's solicitors are now asking for an undertaking of £500+VAT from my solicitor before they will send over their "half" of the contract. I have to pay my solicitors first this amount before they will give an undertaking to the seller's solicitors. The seller's solicitors are also asking for various other ancillary costs, which my solicitor are trying to pursue DWF for. Still no word from DWF on when mine and the banks funds may be released, but it's looking doubtful that anything will happen next week. I'd hate to be in a hurry!

LexiB_2

Hi, I'll be honest with everyone, I have been following this thread for a while, especially since Wolstenholmes were intervened by SRA over the Christmas period. I'm a former employee of WH, I sympathise with everyone who has been caught up in this mess, and urge everyone to take caution when dealing with the firms mentioned in this thread, namely Homes and Stirling Law. Unfortunately I wasnt in any position to be able to help any of the former clients, but I heard alot of 'rumours' just as Gavin left the firm to set up Homes. I dont want to get caught up in any controversy but just want to apologise to anyone affected by this chaos, I feel for you. Wolstenholmes were a mess and deserved to be closed down, but I (just like a lot of other people there) was only there so that I could provide food for my family. In hindsight, i now know I should have left a long time before they closed.
Sincerely hope everyone gets sorted as soon as possible.

cakinwande

LexiB wrote: »

Unfortunately I wasnt in any position to be able to help any of the former clients, but I heard alot of 'rumours' just as Gavin left the firm to set up Homes.

Thanks for your post Lexi. Would you be able to divulge on any of these rumours? It is quite important as some peoples files are with Stirling Law. We must acknowledge that what you say may or may not be facts though but any information would be helpful to us

Brahan_seer_3

homelessmat wrote: »

15 working days since completion was meant to happen and 12/13 working days since the SRA intervened.
File still hasn't been found at DWF or Stirling Law. My new solicitors have started to re-create it and instigated new searches yesterday. Seller's solicitors are now asking for an undertaking of £500+VAT from my solicitor before they will send over their "half" of the contract. I have to pay my solicitors first this amount before they will give an undertaking to the seller's solicitors. The seller's solicitors are also asking for various other ancillary costs, which my solicitor are trying to pursue DWF for. Still no word from DWF on when mine and the banks funds may be released, but it's looking doubtful that anything will happen next week. I'd hate to be in a hurry!

I cannot think why you are being alsked to pay over sums to your sellers solicitors. If any part of it is for copying documents previously supplied to Wolstenholmes then they should be ashamed of themselves. The profession as a whole is going to have to pay for the Wolstenholmes debacle through the indemnity compensation fund any way. Because of the damage all of this is going to do to the reputation of solicitors it would be helpful if those other solicitors who act for the buyers/sellers where the other party was represented by Wolstenholmes could be more co-operative. That may help to restore some faith in the profession as a whole, even though there will always be bad apples.

LexiB_2

I have to say again this is only hearsay, but I heard he was asked to start rivalry with WH by setting up HS, maybe because they knew what would happen to WH in the following months...?

rfsp

Originally Posted by Google44
I've been told today that DWF does no have my file. They claim to have another pile of closed cases which they will go and check within next month. This is no good at all. How could Mathew Roberts close it? The LR definetly dont have my name on the house and I have sent a letter to HM Ravenue to check for SD. This is so bad that I do need to see a doctor.

I was planning to instruct the seller's solicitor to act of my behalf now and finish this off. I am just worried as I need to find additional founds now to finance this then hope for SRA compensation. What on earth was WH plan buy not finishing the cases? How did they think they gona get away with it? I just done get their game.

1andy wrote: »

My first post on this...

I've just spoken to DWF and been advised that they have finished cataloging Wolstenholmes live files/cases, but that my file has not been found.

This is really worrying, as although we completed successfully (7th December), our estate agent hasnt been paid his fee and our stamp duty was never paid to the Stamp office - both are now late payments - nor the land registry updated, and my new solicitor is struggling to get anywhere without my file.

DWF advise that it will take them months to catalogue the closed cases, and there doesnt seem to be any way for them to quickly locate my case (if it is in the closed case list at all - might just be missing full stop!).

If anyone else has encountered this I'd be interest to hear. Also if anyone has any advise generally - I'm worried my claim to the SRA fund will not be accepted if my case file cannot be found by DWF (hopefully tracing of monies in and out of the Wolstenholmes accounts is sufficient for them to be able to pay out, SRA seem unclear on this).

R/e SRA intervention - would be great if the process initially prevented a bad solicitor from taking on new clients, but still allowed them to clear backlog of open cases themselves (or even obliged them to), to prevent some of this disruption to existing customers...

My sympathies to everyone else who has been impacted by this.

Hi

You are not the only one! there are number of people out there who lost the file...( Google 44, rodeo12, higda202, mjmal51 & 1andy) majority are completed the pruchase recently and waiting for an update on stamp duty and land registration....my file also missing thats what DWF said to me, but i dont believe their words. If its only one or two case then thats fine but number of recently completed cases are missing!!! how can you believe it.

I think DWF is not doing their work properly, they told all other files are archived! how it is possible if the case is not completed? i think DWF dont want to check all the files and their simple answer is 'we cannot locate your file, so please ask your new solicitor to produce a duplicate'....they dont understand our situation,,, its not easy to produce a duplicate.

homelessmat

Brahan_seer wrote: »

I cannot think why you are being alsked to pay over sums to your sellers solicitors. If any part of it is for copying documents previously supplied to Wolstenholmes then they should be ashamed of themselves. The profession as a whole is going to have to pay for the Wolstenholmes debacle through the indemnity compensation fund any way. Because of the damage all of this is going to do to the reputation of solicitors it would be helpful if those other solicitors who act for the buyers/sellers where the other party was represented by Wolstenholmes could be more co-operative. That may help to restore some faith in the profession as a whole, even though there will always be bad apples.

That's precisely what they are asking for money for. I personally think it's absolutely disgusting, £500+VAT to basically send over a copy of everything that was sent to WH (the cost of a few photocopies and a stamp) and to potentially answer a few queries from my new solicitors. However I am over the proverbial barrel on this one. When my transaction is completed I will have no hesitation in making the name of the firm acting for the seller public.

happy_to_help

I can only thank my lucky stars that i 'dodged the bullet' with regard to Wolstenholmes i semm to have been one of the lucky ones in that my file was transfered to Stirling law and my sale did go through. If you are still struggling with it you might try 0161785 7868 if you haven't already that is. Good luck to you all.

Google44

I've instructed seller's solicitor to finish it off for me. He said there is no conflict of interest as the selling part of it is closed back in september last year. The seller also agreed to use his files. It looks like I will have to pay SD and LR again plus solicitor. I will claim for all the money I've paid to WH. I had no searches and surely dont wont to pay for service I did not receive.

mjmal51

Google44 wrote: »

I've instructed seller's solicitor to finish it off for me. He said there is no conflict of interest as the selling part of it is closed back in september last year. The seller also agreed to use his files. It looks like I will have to pay SD and LR again plus solicitor. I will claim for all the money I've paid to WH. I had no searches and surely dont wont to pay for service I did not receive.

I've also instructed a new solicitor to do the post completion work and am looking at £11,000 or so in SD, fees, etc. Luckily DWF found my file at the end of last week and it is being sent to the new solicitor. I've had conflicting info from LCS/DWF on whether the solicitor can claim the money from the funds that the SRA froze from WH or if I will have to find this money and claim it myself in the future, not a great prospect.
For now I will be glad when I feel that the property is finally put in my name.