Gullands

16 Mill Street
Maidstone
Kent ME15 6XT
England
CHAIRMAN BLAIR GULLAND, JOHN ROBERTS, RICHARD CRIPPS AND PAULINE HITCH
Conveyancing Warning In 2000, we instructed Gullands Solicitors to do the conveyancing on a property we purchased. PAULINE HITCH of Gullands did this for us. In 2007 we put the property on the market as I am disabled and in poor health and needed a bungalow. We accepted an offer on the property but... When the new purchaser's solicitor was doing his searches, he found out that our property had title defects, which meant we could not sell without asking next door's permission. Also we would have to ask permission to make alterations within our own house (note, the house is not even attached to the neighbour’s); These covenants proved too restrictive for the prospective buyers. Therefore they withdrew from the Purchase. PAULINE HITCH never informed us of these restrictions when we bought the house and that was pure negligence on her part. After seeking advice from a local solicitor he informed me that Gullands were responsible for this situation as it should have been noticed at the time of OUR Purchase of the property. We should have been made aware of the restrictive covenants by Pauline Hitch of Gullands Solicitors who were paid to protect our interests, but Gullands failed in their duty. Who in there right mind buys a property with these restrictions? Gullands were notified of a claim against them, and passed the Claim on to their Insurers whom in turn passed it on to Fishburns Solicitors, 60 Fenchurch Street London EC3. So now Gullands were being protected by Adrian Neve, and Sara Gray at Fishburns. After the initial acknowledgement from Fishburns all went quiet... for 10 months: 10 months went by during which Gullands and Fishburns kindly decided to ignore every letter from our acting solicitor. Then when Fishburns finally replied they sent the letter to the wrong DX (Document Exchange) address, in fact to a town where our Solicitors do not practice; that letter was sent without the necessary enclosures. BUT Fishburns did send a letter acknowledging the fact that we do have a justifiable claim and referred to a case not unlike ours and what the court awarded (Pilkington v Wood). Then, once again, the silence was deafening for ages. Deadly silence. They possibly thought by doing nothing the case would fail to get off the ground and we would not pursue justice… no way! Now they tell us we are statute barred; yet they have used techniques to lose and delay the case. You might think this is crooked action. Blair Gulland stated that: “It doesn’t make us look good”. Richard Cripps of Gullands told me: "Firstly may I apologise for creating the impression that we are not taking your claim seriously. That is not the case. At Gullands we pride ourselves on providing a high level of service at all times and take any complaint made very seriously indeed. Whilst I do understand the frustration that you are feeling, and as you will see from the attached letter, we accept that the way in which Mrs Hitch conducted your conveyancing when you purchased, was not as complete as we would have wished". Meanwhile Pauline Hitch remains quiet.
On the advice of a local Maidstone Councillor Mr Dan Daley (a friend of Blair Gulland) my solicitor stated: “I personally believe that this whole system is riddled with injustice but that, unfortunately, is the way in which the law operates: ‘He who has unlimited funds gets the best justice’ has always been the way of things it seems to me – and that is to be deplored.”And goes on to say… “I have no words to express adequately my thoughts and feelings on this matter. The way in which the legal ‘profession’ has treated the whole matter of the complaint has been, in my view, an absolute disgrace and needs to be shamed publicly.” (So that is exactly what I am starting to do.) “Mrs. Caroline Gunbrell of Roythornes Solicitors of Deans Court, 10 Minister Precincts, Peterborough PE1 1XS wrote a letter to Fishburns demanding a response and I was much surprised to hear that even this had been ignored. I do not know if there is any way in which, within the legal profession, there are ways in which firms can complain at what I would call totally unprofessional conduct and I am only too well aware that they have to be careful in the manner in which they embroil themselves in matters which are only theirs ‘by proxy’, as it were. However, if I had written a letter to an Insurer on behalf of my client and had been ignored in this way, I think that I would be wanting to ‘take steps’. However, I am sorry that I have not been able to move Gullands and have also come up against the protective screen that seems to operate where one solicitor in a firm will do nothing to interfere with another.” What is distressing me most, is the fact the money invested, both in my house and in unnecessary and unproductive fees paid to solicitors, (who were supposed to guard my interests) has been wasted. I have lost tens of thousands of pounds thanks to Gullands. Much of this money was left to me by my late father, money which he received as compensation from the Germans for being in 5 Concentration Camps. Money he invested for me to have when he passed away: I feel what has now happened is an insult to his memory and suffering. Last year I did finally managed to arrange a meeting with BLAIR GULLAND, (CHAIRMAN OF GULLANDS) and JOHN ROBERTS, who has now taken over my case from their complaints manager, RICHARD CRIPPS: (Boy do Gullands seem to have a lot of complaints staff). RICHARD CRIPPS did inform me eventually that he was taking my case seriously (please note: he is another one who ignored emails - that was until he was threatened with exposure in the papers as I intended to go public). Is this convenient deafness and lack of normal courtesy the same technique that Fishburns Solicitors used? At that meeting BLAIR GULLAND and JOHN ROBERTS did in fact admit that PAULINE HITCH had not completed the conveyancing as she should have. Also: BLAIR GULLAND STATED: “Technically the wording was wrong” (on the deeds). JOHN ROBERTS STATED: “Yes, it could have been made plain at the point of sale” (our purchase). BLAIR GULLAND then goes on to say in a tone of voice that I took to be of a threatening nature: “Be careful what you say otherwise I will have to consider my position. I cannot see why this has happened. It was a competent job. The loss is not our creation.” Blair Gulland knows I am disabled and my health not good. When I informed Blair Gulland that we are now financially ruined as a result of this he "kindly" informed me to move where the properties are CHEAPER! When asked if they would like a mortgage coming out of their pensions until they are 76, both said “NO” but it appears it is totally acceptable for clients to have one as a result of their practice’s actions. When the matter of my father’s money was mentioned JOHN ROBERTS appeared vexed and stated that this is getting too “emotional” and he then ended the meeting. But remember at this meeting both Blair Gulland and John Roberts verbally ADMITTED their company’s negligence but in subsequent correspondence they use the term “alleged negligence.” Incredibly this is from a Company, where the Chairman, Blair Gulland, sits on several charity boards and committees; is this to ease his conscience, so he can sleep at night knowing how he conducts himself in business by day? Honourable men? Well, I have been told by many people to go public and have now done so. I have been invited to submit my story to the authors of “The Perfect Crime: A story of truth or fantasy” ISBN: 978-1-4349-8924-6, where I know GULLANDS are already mentioned. The authors are ready and willing to add my case to the sequel they are working on. I have contacted the Holocaust Association to inform them what has happened. Lord McNally and Cheri Booth's office too told me to take GULLANDS to court to obtain justice. Also Cheri Booth Q.C's, Senior Practice Assistance stated: "If there is anything further I can help you with, do not hesitate to contact me". As a result of all this, we find our selves financially ruined: lost the right to move house when and where we wanted to. My husband lost the right to retire when he wanted now he is FORCED to work. Being disabled we have lost the right to a bungalow and small, more convenient, home. For your information the situation at home has deteriorated drastically because of the failures of those within the legal profession; my husband is now drinking more than normal as a result of having to work rather than retire, as he should have; and sees friends retire. To add to my problems he is taking it out on me. This is beyond doubt, totally unacceptable. All this is true and I have all the paper work to support everything that is said. This is in the public's interest and to warn people of what could happen to them. Meanwhile do not expect justice from any of these people.

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by Carol Galloway

on 19 September, 2012

So sorry you had to endure their so called 'assistance'! Used them for my divorce many years ago - cost me a fortune and was totally dissatisfied, still irritated! Would not recommend to anyone.

Carol

by krysia

on 5 January, 2013

yes I too would strongly warn anyone about using them for anything. I am going public they have ruined our lives and ruined us financially, I have seen many many other solicitors and they all inform me that its a plain case of negligence from Gullands. Now I am going public, they can not be allowed to do this to clients and get away with it. I also know I am not the only one that has problems with Gullands and have lost as a result.. thank you for you reply

by This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

on 6 January, 2013

I used Gullands Solicitors, Maidstone and the charged for work they did not do, plus work they did after they were told to stop, twice, then they harassed me and when I complained to the SRA they accepted all Gullands antics as normal (which is worse Gullands or the SRA?) Gullands also gave false information and advise and achieved nothing except increased their bank balance.

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