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Bennett Richmond – SRA Intervention

Wednesday 17th July 2024

What has happened to Bennett Richmond?

Bennett Richmond Solicitors was closed by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (‘SRA’) on 14 June 2023.  This is known as an intervention. We are dealing with the closure for the SRA.

The intervention only relates to Bennett Richmond Solicitors.

We understand Bennett Richmond Estate Agents ceased trading prior to the intervention.

What happens next?

All clients with an ongoing matter for whom we recovered a file have been notified of the intervention so they can instruct a new solicitor. We are not acting on any matters in place of Bennett Richmond Solicitors.

All ongoing files for which we received a file request form have been released. All remaining files have been collected and taken to the SRA for storage. You can request your file by contacting the SRA’s archives team at iaf@sra.org.uk or 0204 525 0250.

What about deeds and wills held at Bennett Richmond Solicitors?

If your enquiry is about deeds or wills held by those solicitors, these documents will be held by the SRA’s archives team who can be contacted at iaf@sra.org.uk or 0204 525 0250.

 

There is a large volume of house deeds and the SRA will be dealing with lots of requests, so it may be quicker for you to get hold of the information you want online. In most cases, deeds (i.e. evidence of property ownership) are now stored electronically at the Land Registry.

You can find out more about this here: https://www.gov.uk/search-property-information-land-registry.

Is my will still valid?

The intervention does not affect the validity of your will. However, if your will names Mark Davies or other former partners in Bennett Richmond as your executors, we recommend that you speak to a new solicitor to change this, as Mr Davies and Bennett Richmond are no longer practising. It is advisable to review your will every few years in any event and after any major change in your life, so this could be a good opportunity to ensure that your wishes are accurately reflected in your will.

What has happened to old/archived files?

All old/archived files held in storage by Bennett Richmond have been collected and indexed by the SRA. If you want to request an old/archived file please contact the SRA at iaf@sra.org.uk or 0204 525 0250.

Bennett Richmond Solicitors were holding money for me. What should I do?

The accounts of Bennett Richmond Solicitors are now closed and in the possession of the SRA. We/the SRA will be working to identify and contact those who are beneficially entitled to money in their accounts. In the meantime, if you wish to claim money held on your behalf urgently, you can make a claim to the SRA’s Compensation Fund.

Details of how to claim can be found here: https://www.sra.org.uk/consumers/compensation-fund/

The SRA’s Compensation Fund will consider each claim with regard to its rules. We can’t guarantee the outcome of any claims made.

How can I get more information about Bennett Richmond Solicitors?

You can: