BENNETT OAKLEY LIMITED

I am writing to make a formal complaint regarding the standard of service I received throughout my mortgage renewal process. As this was my first mortgage renewal, I expected to receive clear guidance, timely communication, and professional support. Unfortunately, my experience fell far below those expectations and caused me significant distress.

The most concerning incident occurred during a telephone conversation with the solicitor. I contacted your office simply because I did not understand why I had been presented with such a large bill relating to my mortgage. At no point was I angry, aggressive, or malicious. I was simply trying to understand what was happening and to have my concerns explained.

During the call, I felt rushed and was not given sufficient opportunity to ask questions or fully understand the information being provided. The solicitor stated, “I haven’t got time for this. I have other clients to deal with.” This comment made me feel insignificant and as though I was not a valued client. It left me feeling intimidated and reluctant to continue asking questions, as I was concerned the call would be ended before my concerns had been addressed.

Rather than ensuring I understood the situation, it felt as though the solicitors priority was to persuade me to make a payment for an issue that had not been properly explained. As a client, I believe I should have been given the opportunity to fully understand the charges before being expected to pay them.

From the beginning of the process, I felt I was treated as though I should already know how everything worked, despite making it clear that this was my first mortgage renewal. Instead of receiving reassurance and guidance, I was often left feeling confused and unsupported.

Communication throughout the process was consistently poor. Whenever I requested updates, I frequently waited one to two weeks for a response, and on several occasions I had to chase for information because my original requests had gone unanswered. This lack of communication only increased my anxiety and uncertainty.

A further issue arose the day before completion when I received a draft completion statement showing that I owed £1,475.85. This came as a complete shock, as I had previously been advised that, due to the completion date being pushed back, I would likely need to pay only around £300 to £400.

Believing the statement to be incorrect, I immediately emailed the person who had sent it. Unfortunately, I received no response. I therefore asked my mortgage adviser to review the statement with me. He also believed that the figures appeared to be incorrect and contacted your completion assistant for clarification. The next communication we received was simply an amended completion statement showing the correct amount owed. At no point did anyone acknowledge the error or apologise for the distress and confusion caused by issuing an incorrect statement.

Overall, the handling of my mortgage renewal has been deeply disappointing. The combination of poor communication, inaccurate documentation, feeling pressured to make payments I did not understand, and the dismissive manner in which I was spoken to has caused me an extraordinary amount of stress and anxiety.

This entire experience has had a significant impact on my mental wellbeing. The level of worry and anxiety I have experienced throughout this process is unlike anything I have experienced before, and it has genuinely affected me as a person.

I would appreciate a full investigation into the issues I have raised, particularly the conduct displayed during my telephone conversation with the solicitor, the repeated failures in communication, and the incorrect completion statement that was issued. I also believe an explanation and a formal apology are warranted for the distress I have been caused.

If you have read the above this was my complaint that I raised with the solicitors in question and all I received back was an apology.

Sarah was my solicitor for context.

I believe the above tells you all you need to know.

I can highly recommend James Leighton as an employment solicitor assisting with settlement agreement following redundancy.
James checked all the documents before he came to the meeting then we went through the whole document together and he was happy to answer all of my questions.
I also need to mention Polly who has been great with prompt communication.

Thank you James and Polly for your assistance..

Fantastic team at Bennett Oakley. Jessica was particularly helpful throughout the process and managed to juggle various elements of our case with calm and ease. I would highly recommend Bennet Oakley to anyone in need of a solicitor.

We recently used Bennett Oakley for our house purchase and had a great experience. Rory supported us every step of the way and made sure everything was prepared and ready to go, even when we encountered a few unexpected delays. We would definitely recommend them!

I wanted to say a huge thank you to Charlotte and Emily, this agency is really really great !

Charlotte dealt with me for the lasy few months and I highly recommand them ! Both of them are professionnal, Kind and show you step by step everything !
It was my first time buying and i was really anxious, they reassured all the time, super pro active ! They are amazing and again, I recommanf them 1000% !

Thank you again for all your hard work, you clearly deserve an award !