Warning on unregulated legal services

Unregulated claims management and will-writing companies with no legal recourse are ripping off thousands of people, Chief Legal Ombudsman Adam Sampson has claimed.

Mr Sampson urged the Government to act quickly to ensure that consumers are protected from unregulated companies in his first report to Parliament since his office was set up last year.

His claims were backed by consumer organisation Which? and the Law Society.

Both organisations said the increased phenomenon of merging together of legal services with financial services and other products, including those offered online, posed serious dangers for consumer protection.

Chief Legal Ombudsman Adam Sampson said: "Will-writing. It's a service carried out often by will-writing firms who aren't regulated.

"Because of this, customers are left with little means of redress when things go wrong."

Des Hudson, chief executive of the Law Society for England and Wales, said: "The gap in regulation which allows unregulated cowboys to operate in areas like will-writing does not just cause unfair competition to solicitors, who provide a regulated, professional service."

For advice on issues relating to wills, trusts, probate and tax and estate planning, contact our wills and probate solicitors, call us on 01494 790007 or email enquiries@ibblaw.co.uk.