Solicitors

max2129

My daughter and her ex split up shortly after they moved into their new home. She moved out and six months later she found he had not paid any morgage. He moved out and she moved back in and claered the arrears. I had money invested in the house so went to the solicitors and put a charge on the property. I have since found out that her ex has been to another branch of the solicitors where his relative works, and has accessed my archived documents. can they do this without my permission

HPoirot

How did you find out that the ex has had access to your documents? Do you have anything in writing?

This is a breach of the solicitors' code of conduct so you should be able to complain directly to the solicitors regulatory authority about the employee of the firm / relative of the ex breaching the firm's duty of confidentiality.

max2129

No he told my daughter because, he has decided after 6 years he wants the house, in which he has no money. Infact the exact opposite.Their has been a couple of charges put on the property since they split because he hasnt paid debts

HPoirot

In this case you should write to the solicitors firm to complain. They should have a complaints procedure in place and you can take it from there.

andygb

max2129 wrote: »

I have since found out that her ex has been to another branch of the solicitors where his relative works, and has accessed my archived documents. can they do this without my permission

How sure are you that this has happened, and have you absolute proof, because if you have, then this is a clear breach of client confidentiality, and the firm should be reported immediately (without telling them) to the Law Society/Solicitors Regulation Authority.

Kynthia

Do they own as joint tenants or tenants in common? Do they own unequal shares? Was there a deed of trust specifying anything? Was your investment recorded anywhere?

dancingfairy

What do you mean by accessed the archived documents? Accessed the original documents or found out/was told their was a charge on the property? It's pretty easy to find out there's a charge on the property....
It's impossible to say whether he ha been lying to your daughter to frighten her or whether he really did access the files. Has he revealed anything that he hadn't been told?
If he has accessed the files, then yes absolutely get complaints in.
df

max2129

No the charge was put on about six years ago, he had to sign a document to allow this. Just after the document was returned to my solicitor. The ex phoned my daughter complaining that his relative had phoned him asking if he had signed the document himself. Obviously he didnt want anyone knowing that someone else had money in the house.I had used that solicitor on a recommendation and wasnt aware of the relative. I was angry but didn't want her to lose her job so I did nothing. Now its happend again he says he has been to the solicitor's and accessed the files because he wants her to move out and him move in and pay me every six months untill the charge is removed. He's not able to get another mortgage because of the other charges on this one.

fluffnutter

How do you know he's not talking complete shite?

max2129

I don't but wanted to know if the solicitor would have to have my permission before accessing the files:question::question

jacques_chirac

fluffnutter wrote: »

How do you know he's not talking complete shite?

I'm thinking this too, he is saying it to wind people up.

OP, is there any information he has that he could not have found out elsewhere, such as the Land Registry?