News
Wolstenholmes of Cheadle and Birmingham
8 January 2010
The firm has been intervened into (in other words, closed down) by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).
The intervention protects the immediate position and safeguards documents and clients' money. The SRA has appointed a law firm which has collected clients' files and is keeping them safe.
The law firm is DWF solicitors and the person responsible there is Kieran Walshe.
DWF solicitors is at
Centurion House,
129 Deansgate,
Manchester,
Lancashire,
M3 3AA
Tel: 0161 603 5000
Fax: 0161 603 5050
The SRA has also enlisted the help of Gordons LLP of 14 Piccadilly, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD1 3LX to assist Kieran Walsh of DWF solicitors. Unless you are contacted directly by Gordons LLP, your point of contact should be DWF solicitors.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need new solicitors?
You may need to arrange for a new firm of solicitors to act for you. We recommend you do so if your transaction has not been completed. If you do arrange for a firm to act for you, they should contact DWF as soon as possible.
How can I get a refund of money paid to Wolstenholmes?
If Wolstenholmes held money that was yours, you should apply to the Claims Management Unit of the Compensation Fund at the SRA. If payments have been made for you from these monies, known as disbursements, or if fees have been charged by the solicitor, these will be deducted from any payment made by the Compensation Fund.
For more details about the Compensation Fund, please visit www.sra.org.uk/consumers/problems/solicitor-owes-money.page.
The purpose of the Compensation Fund is to replace money received by the solicitors that they have failed to pay to you (or on your behalf) or where the money has been improperly taken by the solicitors. If this is what you think has happened, you should contact the Claims Management Unit.
If you are buying a home and contracts have been exchanged and you need the money that was held by Wolstenholmes to complete your transaction, please contact DWF immediately (contact details above).
If you ask a new solicitor to help you apply to the Claims Management Unit and you receive a payment from the Compensation Fund, we may also pay your new solicitor's reasonable costs for dealing with us. However, we cannot pay these costs if you are unsuccessful with your claim.
How do I apply to the Compensation Fund?
You can
How will you deal with my claim on the Compensation Fund?
We will ask you to fill in an application form. A Claims Investigator will look into your application and let you know if we need more information. The Claims Investigator will answer any questions you may have.
When will I get my money back?
Some applications need detailed investigations and take time to deal with. Others can be dealt with within weeks. The time it takes to deal with your application will depend on how complex it is and how easy it is to get any supporting evidence.
Is it guaranteed that I'll get my funds back?
A payment may be made to you from the Compensation Fund where the evidence supports your claim, but you are not automatically entitled to a payment. The Claims Investigator will give you help and guidance about what will be needed to prove your claim.
Can I claim interest?
If a payment is made from the Compensation Fund, we may also pay interest.
How do I complain?
If you want to complain about the service you received from Wolstenholmes, you should contact the Legal Complaints Service (www.legalcomplaints.org.uk – helpline open Monday to Friday 9.00 to 17.00, 0845 608 6565). You should make your complaint within six months of knowing that there was a problem. (This is likely to be when the intervention took place, at the latest).
The LCS helps consumers who have a complaint about the service provided by solicitors. However, you should consider whether it is worth making a complaint, especially if some of the difficulties you have experienced have been caused by the intervention, rather than poor service by the solicitors before that took place.
Whilst the LCS can award compensation for distress and inconvenience, the amount may be small in circumstances such as yours. There is no guarantee that the solicitors will be able to pay the award. Awards of compensation for distress and inconvenience directed by the LCS are not covered by the Compensation Fund. The solicitor's insurers may pay out if the LCS makes an award, but this is not guaranteed.
Finding a new solicitor
The Law Society’s Find a Solicitor service can help you find a new solicitor. You can refine your search by location and the field of law relevant to your matter.
Read more information about interventions