Couple left 'flabbergasted' over sudden closure of Maidenhead solicitors' firm

A couple have been left ‘flabbergasted’ by the sudden closure of a Maidenhead solicitors’ firm while they were in the middle of buying a house.

Robert Groves and his wife Kim are among clients across the country who have been left in limbo by the abrupt closure of a group of law firms under the umbrella of Sheffield business PM Law Ltd – including Grove Road-based Proddow Mackay (Conveyancing) Limited.

The couple used the firm to sell their house in Maidenhead and were in the process of buying a new property in Binfield, but were stunned to find a notice on the door saying ‘CLOSED’ when they arrived to sign some forms on Monday morning.

The notice added: “Due to regulatory matters, the PM Group businesses carried out within this building can no longer trade.”

Mr Groves said he tried to call the company, but the number is ‘engaged all the time’ and the Proddow Mackay website is no longer online.

The company could not be reached by the Advertiser for comment.

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), which regulates solicitors and most law practices in England and Wales, said it was alerted to the closure of PM Law Ltd on Monday and has ‘acted quickly and decisively to protect the interests of clients’

It said it launched an ‘immediate investigation’ into PM Law Ltd on Monday and contacted the company to ‘make sure client interests are protected properly’.

As a result of its initial investigation, the SRA took the decision on Thursday to ‘intervene into the group of firms’, including Proddow Mackay (Conveyancing) Limited in Maidenhead.

According to the SRA, an intervention means ‘we take possession of all documents and papers held by the firm, take possession of all money held by the firm (including clients’ money), and, where a firm is still trading, close it with immediate effect’.

An intervention agent ‘will contact clients with ongoing matters, prioritising those with the most urgent or imminent issues’.

Mr and Mrs Groves moved out of their Maidenhead home on December 10, and have been moving around, staying at different places, including with family and friends and in a hotel.

They had only arranged to visit the law firm offices on Friday (January 31), and were hoping the latest development in the process meant they were nearing completion.

Mr Groves said he is ‘bitterly disappointed’ by this situation, which has meant the couple have had to seek help to progress the purchase elsewhere.

“It’s not good enough, is it?” he said.

“I only spoke to the office on Friday afternoon and then [we] show up Monday morning at 10 o’clock and there’s no sign of anybody.

“I think it’s very poor service.

“I’m talking for myself, [but] surely there’s got to be other people this is affecting, not just ourselves,”

In a statement about PM Law Ltd, Sarah Rapson, chief executive of the SRA, said: “We have acted quickly and decisively to protect the interests of clients.

“While we cannot disclose information about an ongoing investigation, we are working quickly to gather all the relevant information and provide answers to those that have raised important questions about their ongoing matters with the firm.

“'Finally, we also recognise that this is a difficult time for the employees of the firm who have sadly lost their jobs this week.'

The SRA also has more information for clients and employees impacted at www.sra.org.uk/news/news/pm-law-clients/