Warning - do not use wolstenholmes solicitors

anotherproblem

I think I am going to have a nervous breakdown - I was just told by the LCS that the caseworker would help with everything including looking at and helping with compensation!!!!!!!!

anotherproblem

:eek: :mad:

Also I was told by the SRA to put a claim in as soon as possible


:mad: :eek:

mjmal51

anotherproblem wrote: »

I think I am going to have a nervous breakdown - I was just told by the LCS that the caseworker would help with everything including looking at and helping with compensation!!!!!!!!

That's what they told me originally now I get this, everything is as clear as MUD
"
I trust this clarifies the position and should confirm your file is closed. You would need to contact us again within 6 months of all matters concluding."
and
"I apologise if my letter was not clear - although we have closed our file you are not without redress as you are able to write in and refer your complaints/claims to us within 6 months of all matters concluding. We would then be in a better position to know exactly what costs etc you have incurred. The letter refers to the file being closed as we cannot keep a file open pending conclusion of your matters."

anotherproblem

Whats clear is that the agencies set up to help in these situations just confuse. Just More bums on seats that we are all paying for. I think the staff in the SRA LCS need an idiots guide. Then they would be clear and able to pass clear and concise information on. I have sent two lots of correspondance (today and Yesterday) one to the SRA and one to LCS and then realised the address was pretty much the same. Just different departments in the same area basically. It beggers belief. It really does This saga should be fully investigated at the end of the day. If I was as incompitant I would have been sacked !!!!!!!

Catwoman8950

mjmal51 wrote: »

That's what they told me originally now I get this, everything is as clear as MUD

It's all as clear as mud to me too. Here's an extract from the generic letter I received from the SRA entitled "information for clients" which was sent to me by DWF. The text in brackets (i.e. DWF/SRA) is my addition and did not appear in the original letter. BTW I have not (yet) involved the LCS. All my communication so far has been with the SRA and DWF.

What about my money?
If you believe Wolstenholmes LLP held money on your behalf please complete the attached claim form providing details of the sum and any documentary evidence you have in support. It is part of the Agent’s (i.e. DWF) function to carry out a complete examination of the accounts records of Wolstenholmes to establish how much money is held on behalf of each client. Should this be possible then the Agent will distribute all monies held to those people who are entitled to it. If this is not possible (for instance, the accounts records are not adequate) then the money will be sent to the Law Society to hold and clients will need to contact the Law Society’s Compensation Fund (i.e. SRA) to claim any money due.
If you are unable to wait for the Agent to complete the examination of the accounts, you may make an application to the Compensation Fund before it is completed. Please note that applications to the Compensation Fund should be submitted within 6 months of the loss arising or its discovery. The address of the Compensation Fund is Victoria Court, 8 Dormer Place, Leamington Spa, CV32 5AE.

keiran

As I've said before the SRA is the biggest failure/culprit in this long and sad saga. They now make life even more difficult for the innocent consumer with this nonsense between SRA, LCS, Law society, etc etc

Trust lawyers to cause so much chaos and confusion.!!

No doubt they get more pay this way and more jobs for each other, too"""

I had a long chat with someoen at the LCS yesterday about the types of info required in my claim

I get the impression that LCS is wanting me to undertake a great deal of work, to add to the woes and stresses already heaped on me

Surely it ought to be accepted that Wolstenholmes were incompetent and tardy, without my having to go therough all my records to give a detailed blow by blow accoount of every contact/lack of contact??

The man did say I could claim for this extra work, but was very guarded in everything he said so that it is hard to work out whether all the woprk of claiming will lead to worthwhile compensation

I urge people to write to their MPs so that a detailed, high level review of these shysters may lead to a more responsive regulator, looking after consumers better

These are parts my e mail to an MP. It is easy to write to your MP by going to www.writetothem.com

""Wolstenholmes Solicitors and the functions of the Solicitors' Regulation Authority‏


I was unfortunately involved in this saga as a seller of a property. Thankfully, we did manage to complete just before the firm closed and I suffered "only" incompetence and a delayed sale. I can only imagine the horrors facing those whose chains have collapsed, who have lost their dream homes, have significant monies and documents "in limbo" and who have to start the conveyancing process afresh.

I wonder whether you may be able to ask specifically into the actions/failures of the SRA in connection with all this?

My understanding is that they were aware of streams of information from concerned solicitors as well as disgruntled clients for a year.

They quite simply failed to act to protect consumers

I tried to ask them what was happening for most of Nov/Dec, and they simply stated that as far as they knew Wolstenholmes was still operating
They were even saying this after 18 Dec 09, by which date Wolstenholmes itself had advised clients that their Birmingham office would be closed.

Whenever I enquired, they would simply tell me to speak to the Legal Complaints Service, which of course knew even less than they (the SRA) did.

In fact I believe that the inaction/incompetence of the SRA is the biggest failure in this long and sad episode

Whilst there will always be incompetent and dishonest individuals/firms, the regulator should show considerably more awareness and competence if they are to fulfil the functions demanded of it by the public and, indeed, even to justify its very (expensive) existence

The SRA has failed miserably in its roles as shown by this embarrassing episode, and (in common with all regulators I think) has sided, supported and identified with the very organisations it should be regulating, against the interests of the innocent consumer.

I do hope that a high level and detailed review of the actions of the SRA in this saga will lead to numerous sackings, an extensive change in the terms of reference of the SRA and a new organisation which places consumers' (and not solicitors') protection at its heart.

The public has little trust in lawyers at the best of times. When salt is rubbed into the wound by an incompetent, expensive and biased SRA it diminishes further


Thank you for addressing these issues


Yours sincerely,


You know I've always thought very poorly of lawyers and every time I have to have anything further to do with them, my beliefs about them are reinforced

anotherproblem

keiran wrote: »

As I've said before the SRA is the biggest failure/culprit in this long and sad saga. They now make life even more difficult for the innocent consumer with this nonsense between SRA, LCS, Law society, etc etc

Trust lawyers to cause so much chaos and confusion.!!

No doubt they get more pay this way and more jobs for each other, too"""

I had a long chat with someoen at the LCS yesterday about the types of info required in my claim

I get the impression that LCS is wanting me to undertake a great deal of work, to add to the woes and stresses already heaped on me

Surely it ought to be accepted that Wolstenholmes were incompetent and tardy, without my having to go therough all my records to give a detailed blow by blow accoount of every contact/lack of contact??

The man did say I could claim for this extra work, but was very guarded in everything he said so that it is hard to work out whether all the woprk of claiming will lead to worthwhile compensation

I urge people to write to their MPs so that a detailed, high level review of these shysters may lead to a more responsive regulator, looking after consumers better

These are parts my e mail to an MP. It is easy to write to your MP by going to

""Wolstenholmes Solicitors and the functions of the Solicitors' Regulation Authority‏


I was unfortunately involved in this saga as a seller of a property. Thankfully, we did manage to complete just before the firm closed and I suffered "only" incompetence and a delayed sale. I can only imagine the horrors facing those whose chains have collapsed, who have lost their dream homes, have significant monies and documents "in limbo" and who have to start the conveyancing process afresh.

I wonder whether you may be able to ask specifically into the actions/failures of the SRA in connection with all this?

My understanding is that they were aware of streams of information from concerned solicitors as well as disgruntled clients for a year.

They quite simply failed to act to protect consumers

I tried to ask them what was happening for most of Nov/Dec, and they simply stated that as far as they knew Wolstenholmes was still operating
They were even saying this after 18 Dec 09, by which date Wolstenholmes itself had advised clients that their Birmingham office would be closed.

Whenever I enquired, they would simply tell me to speak to the Legal Complaints Service, which of course knew even less than they (the SRA) did.

In fact I believe that the inaction/incompetence of the SRA is the biggest failure in this long and sad episode

Whilst there will always be incompetent and dishonest individuals/firms, the regulator should show considerably more awareness and competence if they are to fulfil the functions demanded of it by the public and, indeed, even to justify its very (expensive) existence

The SRA has failed miserably in its roles as shown by this embarrassing episode, and (in common with all regulators I think) has sided, supported and identified with the very organisations it should be regulating, against the interests of the innocent consumer.

I do hope that a high level and detailed review of the actions of the SRA in this saga will lead to numerous sackings, an extensive change in the terms of reference of the SRA and a new organisation which places consumers' (and not solicitors') protection at its heart.

The public has little trust in lawyers at the best of times. When salt is rubbed into the wound by an incompetent, expensive and biased SRA it diminishes further


Thank you for addressing these issues


Yours sincerely,


You know I've always thought very poorly of lawyers and every time I have to have anything further to do with them, my beliefs about them are reinforced

Hi my first thought also was that the SRA had not acted in the best possible way. I have asked all involved (SRA LCS DWF) about the computers. As WS used online systems for most of their communication between both clients and other bodies it seems to me that a lot of the missing communication will not be on hard files. DWF have informed me that their remit was to go in to WS and take over client files (computers were not part of that remit due to data protection act?) and that everything should have been printed off and placed in hard files by WS. Surely if they had been that organised we would not be sitting here with lost files and in the middle of this shambles.

Catwoman8950

anotherproblem wrote: »

Hi my first thought also was that the SRA had not acted in the best possible way. I have asked all involved (SRA LCS DWF) about the computers. As WS used online systems for most of their communication between both clients and other bodies it seems to me that a lot of the missing communication will not be on hard files. DWF have informed me that their remit was to go in to WS and take over client files (computers were not part of that remit due to data protection act?) and that everything should have been printed off and placed in hard files by WS. Surely if they had been that organised we would not be sitting here with lost files and in the middle of this shambles.

I wondered about the computers myself. I'm glad that I've kept copies of all my e-mail correspondence with Wolstenholmes. This is going to come in handy when I need to produce "documentary evidence".

Does anyone know what happens to mail sent to WH after the SRA intervened? Are DWF picking it up? I was waiting for something which would have been sent to WH by post.

anotherproblem

Catwoman8950 wrote: »

I wondered about the computers myself. I'm glad that I've kept copies of all my e-mail correspondence with Wolstenholmes. This is going to come in handy when I need to produce "documentary evidence".

Does anyone know what happens to mail sent to WH after the SRA intervened? Are DWF picking it up? I was waiting for something which would have been sent to WH by post.

Hello DWF also have loose mail that is still being gone through and listed. They just found a letter from my selllors Building Society stating that The sellors mortgage has been discharged - I gather there is still a backlog that they are clearing. I am afraid I ring them regularly and make a pest of myself as my sellors files have dissapeared (they have emigrated and every little bit of paper found belonging to me is a step nearer being able to get the property registered that I paid for (and at the moment cant prove) Hope that helps. Ring them up and keep nagging. Thats my advice

anotherproblem

I forgot to say - DWF also have a list of files that are on Sterling Soliciters list. It did not help me but it might help you if you had files in the Birmingham Office