Matthew Macefield makes a number of valid points regarding the solicitor who was recently imprisoned for money-laundering offences (see [2006]Gazette, 30 November, 16).


However, he also highlights the fact that somebody has to assess whether a transaction is an undervaluation or not. Sometimes it will be obvious if it is a residential property in a locality known to the solicitor concerned. But if the locality is not known, as is often the case, or if the solicitor concerned is new to the area, how can he be expected to make that judgement? And if the property is non-residential, how could that solicitor be expected to recognise an undervalue? We are not valuers and we do not make site visits, except in a minority of cases.



D Campion, Humfrys & Symonds, Hereford