UK: Law firm denies allegations of exploiting elderly, vulnerable clients

A law firm in Essex has become the focal point of a controversial investigation into claims of financial exploitation of elderly and vulnerable clients.

Craybeck Law, based in Benfleet, has been accused of pressuring individuals into granting lasting power of attorney (LPA) and subsequently mismanaging their finances.

These allegations, unveiled in the BBC’s new Radio 4 series Shadow World, The Willpower Detectives, have sparked a storm of concern and triggered investigations by authorities.

The investigation highlights disturbing claims from at least 30 clients who allege that their bank accounts were inaccessible, properties sold below market value, and possessions removed without their consent. Some say they felt coerced into handing over LPA to one of Craybeck’s partners, Ron Hiller.

One alleged victim, Petra, from Letchworth, Hertfordshire, shared her account of meeting Hiller through an NHS social worker named Margaret Falegan.

Petra, who suffers from anxiety and had expressed financial struggles to Falegan, said she felt “very much” pressured to sign up with Hiller. Feeling uneasy, Petra reached out to her local Citizens Advice Bureau and successfully halted the process.

She later received a letter from Hiller, which stated, “I’ve informed the mental health team, Stevenage, of your decision, as this may impact on the level of support they may have planned to provide you in the future.”

Consultant psychiatrist James Warner, commenting on the program, voiced his concerns: “If an NHS or care worker is making introductions between their clients and potential attorneys, that is very concerning. If [elderly or vulnerable people] don’t have the ability to decide who they want to appoint as their attorneys, they shouldn’t be appointing attorneys.”

The allegations have prompted Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (HPFT) to launch an internal investigation into Falegan and any other staff who may have introduced clients to Hiller. In a statement, an HPFT spokesperson said, “Safeguarding of service users is our priority.

We are clear that the concerns raised with us by the BBC are not in line with Trust policy, and are also not in line with Social Work England’s code of practice. We have launched an internal investigation and raised the matter with the appropriate professional bodies and the police.”

The BBC also featured the story of Carole, a woman in her 60s from Uxbridge, west London, who appointed Hiller as her attorney after meeting him in a care home. Her former neighbors expressed alarm over her house being sold for £355,000, significantly lower than comparable properties in the area valued at up to £500,000.

Carole claimed Craybeck advised her to sell the home to cover care fees, attributing the lower price to a lack of buyer interest. However, her cousin Sandie, who lives 100 miles away, reported suspicious withdrawals from Carole’s bank account, including repeated £300 cash withdrawals in Essex.

Another troubling case involves Elizabeth, an elderly woman whose house in Watford was sold for £350,000 after she moved into a care home. Months later, the same property was sold again for just £52,000.

In response, Craybeck Law has staunchly denied the allegations. On its website, the firm accused the BBC of presenting a “highly misleading and inaccurate” narrative. “We believe that we provide a high-quality, understanding, and empathetic service to our clients and fully refute any insinuation by the BBC to the contrary,” the statement read.

The firm also pointed to systemic issues within the UK’s care and social services, claiming, “We provide services to vulnerable individuals that have been let down by a stretched care and social services system – an ongoing societal problem that impacts many people around the country and is well documented.”

Craybeck stressed its commitment to client confidentiality, stating that its obligations under Solicitors Regulation Authority codes and data protection laws prevented it from commenting on specific cases. “Much of what has been put to us is inaccurate and is based on second or third-hand hearsay,” the statement continued. “Looking after our clients’ best interests will remain at the heart of everything we do.”

As investigations by HPFT, professional bodies, and the police unfold, the allegations against Craybeck Law have cast a spotlight on the vulnerability of elderly individuals navigating the complexities of legal and financial systems.

(Daily Mail)

ALSO READ FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE 

Japa: UK issued 300,000 visas to Nigerians in recent years – Envoy