ITC Legal Services - Avoid Them

Tabitha_T

Hi, could somebody tell me if this is the same ITC as Independent Trust Corporation Ltd from Stratford? The latter is trading as a probate company and currently advertising for Sales Consultants (for which my OH was just about to apply). Having read the distressing experiences of forum members I am filled with horror that this may be the same company looking for more staff to expand their dubious working practices. I would be grateful if someone could confirm, many thanks, Tabs

portlandboy

Tabitha_T wrote: »

Hi, could somebody tell me if this is the same ITC as Independent Trust Corporation Ltd from Stratford? The latter is trading as a probate company and currently advertising for Sales Consultants (for which my OH was just about to apply). Having read the distressing experiences of forum members I am filled with horror that this may be the same company looking for more staff to expand their dubious working practices. I would be grateful if someone could confirm, many thanks, Tabs

Hi Tabitha T,

Yes this is the very same company. They usually have quite a quick turnover of staff, as any of the customers here will verify. A case manager lasts about as long as a teabag - they seem good the first time out, but then they are gone or very weak and useless second time around. ITC have previously employed such "high-flyers" as a "probate software developer" who's last job was in a paper hat making company!
Independent Trust Corp. of Stratford-Upon-Avon (ITC Legal Services) are a bunch of con artists who do not need to employ legally trained staff as they farm out all of the legal work to a solicitor of their choice. I understand from some private comments I have received from people claiming to be employees or ex-employees of ITC that they are treated in a similar vain to ITC's customers, the only difference being that their staff can (and regularly do) leave because of the pressure they get put under, while their customers are forced to stay till the bitter end.
I hope your OH has had a lucky escape here!!
Regards

Tabitha_T

Gosh, thanks Portlandboy, forewarned indeed, and much appreciated. Definitely the old adage of if it sounds too good to be true.....etc etc... £35K basic, OTE £70K, plus fully expensed car!!!!!!!! Lies lies and more lies, no doubt. I wish the best to all those who have suffered at the hands of such low-lifes that prey on people in their time of need and darkest hour. No wonder their advert requested empathy AND tenaciousness - quite shocking really, swines. Thanks again, Tabs

John_Pierpoint

No wonder their advert requested empathy AND tenaciousness - quite shocking really,

That is exactly what is needed to do the job, there is not a lot of rocket science involved in the average estate.
However Pareto's 80/20 rule comes into play. After 20% of the effort the job looks like 80% finished.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pareto_principle
From personal experience it is very difficult to foresee the unknown unknowns.
Just how far someone should go to get an estate 100% accurate, I don't know.

For example: In a box of photographs you find a yellowing life insurance certificate, What do you do?

If you have experience you probably realise that the maximum value might be £50, so it is probably uneconomic to pursue it from an expensive air conditioned office.

Paying a 100% commission bonus on the work smacks of selling what shall we say ? Time share? rather than a professional service.

lookingwithinterest

Hi All

Have been looking at this thread for some time and very curious to have one question answered.
I see from various post that ITC have been charging a Power of Attorney charge in some instances - how does this work as i was always under the impression that a POA could only be taken out on a living person? Any body with any experience of this and ITC would be appreciated.

YesWillMan

lookingwithinterest wrote: »

Hi All

Have been looking at this thread for some time and very curious to have one question answered.
I see from various post that ITC have been charging a Power of Attorney charge in some instances - how does this work as i was always under the impression that a POA could only be taken out on a living person? Any body with any experience of this and ITC would be appreciated.

Power of Attorney charge is ITC's charge to whoever is the Executor or administrator (if there was no will) for acting on their behalf in sorting out the estate as far as I am aware. So when no one signs this for a while ITC drag their feet and do not get on with the administration of the estate as they have no real authority to do so and in ITC's eyes they are less likely to get paid. So if it is you instructing then you are very much alive.

portlandboy

lookingwithinterest wrote: »

Hi All

Have been looking at this thread for some time and very curious to have one question answered.
I see from various post that ITC have been charging a Power of Attorney charge in some instances - how does this work as i was always under the impression that a POA could only be taken out on a living person? Any body with any experience of this and ITC would be appreciated.

In my case, I was the executor of my late father's will. I was unable to execute the will due to illness and prolonged stays in hospital, so I asked ITC to obtain the Grant of Probate on the will on my behalf. This they did, but they insisted that I signed my existing POA over to them so that they could act as executors to the will. So yes, only a living person can create a POA, but the executor is the poor fool who unwittingly does this in ITC's favour. Alas, once they had that power, I had none...and the rest is history. That is also the reason I started this thread, totally unaware of the number of people in very similar circumstances to myself!

lookingwithinterest

thanks to the replys
So once Probate has been achieved by ICT does the POA cease automatically -is there something in their paperwork to confirm this.??? The reason i ask is that you would not want a power of attorney over any future financial transactions or decisions on your own finances . Does the POA only apply to the deceased affairs only. sorry to sound a little nieve on this as I was on the understanding that most solicitors do not even ask to obtain a POA on behalf of the executor

portlandboy

lookingwithinterest wrote: »

thanks to the replys
So once Probate has been achieved by ICT does the POA cease automatically -is there something in their paperwork to confirm this.??? The reason i ask is that you would not want a power of attorney over any future financial transactions or decisions on your own finances . Does the POA only apply to the deceased affairs only. sorry to sound a little nieve on this as I was on the understanding that most solicitors do not even ask to obtain a POA on behalf of the executor

The POA that an executor creates with ITC is only in respect of the estate that the executor was left to deal with by the deceased. It does not mean that the executor's own will or possessions have been signed over to ITC and it has no bearing on anything other than the deceased persons estate.

However, I suppose the POA does not necessarily cease when the case is signed off (though this is only my guess), because if someone comes forward at some later date with an amount of money that should have been accounted for in the deceased persons estate, that should technically be dealt with by ITC at that later date, as they would be the registered executors and holder of the POAregarding that estate. Any future debts that may arise owed by the deceased persons estate, once the estate has been dispersed, would not be the responsibility of the original executor, because that is then the fault of the holder of the new POA (ITC) for not finding them in the first place...

...I think!

Deep_Throat

Many of you on here will have been had in the net by the orange man McKeron's favourite "advisor" Roberta who subsequently tucked the company up good looking with paid time off for phantom illness and all sorts.Roberta often had a Pat on the back for service above and beyond...How is your very own "Westland" crisis looking Grant?Any high profile resignations yet?