Most purchasers of a property pay through their solicitors to the seller’s solicitors the deposit and then the completion monies. However a small (but growing) number of purchasers are finding that having paid the deposit and completion monies, they do not own the property. This is a devastating outcome and potentially financially ruinous.
However, do not despair but do contact Robert Johnson of Healys LLP who will in these circumstances be able to recover your monies.
Robert has built up a considerable amount of experience and expertise in dealing with these types of property frauds. The fraudster could be someone impersonating the true owner of the property; or a rogue conveyancer at the firm instructed by the true vendor; or a party who by way of cyber crime is able to interfere with the transaction and divert the monies to his/her (wrong) account. It does not matter; Robert will be able to assist you.
Claims against intended purchaser’s solicitors and purported vendor’s solicitors
Acted on behalf of the intended purchaser against two firms of solicitors in relation to a fraudulent property transaction in the sum of £1.1 million. We succeeded in obtaining judgment against the First Defendant for breach of trust after a 6 day Trial. The First Defendant appealed, our client cross-appealed and the Court of Appeal considered it together with a co-joined appeal for four days in 2018: The Court of Appeal held that both Defendants were jointly liable for our client’s losses.
Claims against Sterling Avram LLP (“SA”)
Acted on behalf of a firm of solicitors who had acted for the intended purchasers of a house for about £7 million. The purchase monies had been paid to SA (a genuine firm of solicitors) but the fee-earner dealing with the transaction at SA was a fraudster. In his position within SA, the fraudster was able to pretend that he and SA were acting for the true vendor of the house whereas the whole transaction was a fiction. Hence when the monies were received for the purchase of the house, they were not transferred to the true owner of the house but rather accounts in Eastern Europe. After a number of years judgment was obtained against SA by both the intended purchasers (for whom we did not act) and the intended purchasers’ solicitors (for whom we did act) for both the full amount of the losses and the majority of legal costs incurred.
Claims against intended purchaser’s solicitor
Acted for the intended purchaser of a property for about £300,000 but because the purported vendor was a fraudster, the monies were paid to that fraudster and our client did not become the owner of the property. Within 8 months and without having to go anywhere near a courtroom, all of the purchase monies and most of the legal costs had been recovered.
23rd May 2022
In a recent interview with Latest TV, Healys Head of Professional Negligence Robert Johnson discusses what potential claimants need to know when considering bringing a claim against a professional. Continue reading »
20th May 2022
Vindictive bloggers who hide behind a cloak of anonymity may feel that they can use the internet to subject innocent people to abuse with complete impunity. However, in coming to the aid of an academic falsely accused of being a sexual predator, the High Court emphatically showed how very wrong they are. Continue reading »
28th April 2022
No matter how strongly you may feel, you should pause for thought before venting your spleen on social media. As a High Court ruling showed, expressions of regret after the mouse has been clicked may not be enough to save you from the crushing legal consequences of descending into libel or harassment. Continue reading »
27th April 2022
When money passes from one member of a family to another, questions can all too easily arise as to whether it is a loan or a gift. Proper legal documentation is by far the best means of avoiding such ambiguity but, as a Court of Appeal ruling showed, even that does not always succeed in defusing disputes. Continue reading »
19th April 2022
23rd May 2022
In a recent interview with Latest TV, Healys Head of Professional Negligence Robert Johnson discusses what potential claimants need to know when considering bringing a claim against a professional. Continue reading »
20th May 2022
Vindictive bloggers who hide behind a cloak of anonymity may feel that they can use the internet to subject innocent people to abuse with complete impunity. However, in coming to the aid of an academic falsely accused of being a sexual predator, the High Court emphatically showed how very wrong they are. Continue reading »
28th April 2022
No matter how strongly you may feel, you should pause for thought before venting your spleen on social media. As a High Court ruling showed, expressions of regret after the mouse has been clicked may not be enough to save you from the crushing legal consequences of descending into libel or harassment. Continue reading »
27th April 2022
When money passes from one member of a family to another, questions can all too easily arise as to whether it is a loan or a gift. Proper legal documentation is by far the best means of avoiding such ambiguity but, as a Court of Appeal ruling showed, even that does not always succeed in defusing disputes. Continue reading »
19th April 2022