Report comment

The SRA behaved in exactly the opposite way to a whistleblower in the Ecohouse case. Instead of acting on complaints about misappropriation (dishonesty), they have consistently tried to conceal the fraud because they knew it would bankrupt the compensation scheme (insurers don't indemnify fraud, so claims fall back to the SRA). The SRA did not intervene either, despite being aware that misappropriation was taking place - this caused hundreds more clients to suffer significant loss.

By concealing fraud and dishonesty the SRA compromised justice, so none of the solicitors were struck off for involvement with fraud.

It is a sorry state of affairs when a regulator turns a blind eye to fraud and permits it to continue for 11 months in the knowledge that clients will suffer loss, and it adds insult to injury when the SRA's actions prevent  justice being served.

It is reprehensible for a regulator to conceal fraud and permit fraudulent solicitors to remain in the profession, but that is exactly what has happened.

The SRA has lost all sense of what's right and wrong due to their conflicted position - they know that where large frauds are concerned, they would take a big hit on the compensation fund if they establish fraud and allege dishonesty. 

The SRA is effectively committing regulatory fraud itself through non disclosure of evidence and the consequential benefit that brings to the SRA, whilst inflicting permanent loss on victims of fraud who reasonably expect to be protected and to receive redress. SRA fraud by misrepresentation would appear to hold true also because the SRA is misrepresenting the protections that are purportedly in place for consumers and breaching the Legal Services Act 2007 to boot.

Where the Ecohouse fraud is concerned the SRA has seriously undermined its own credibility & integrity, but regrettably there is no route to bring the officers that have been complicit in corruption to account - the LSB, JSC and MoJ have all turned a blind eye to the SRA's impropriety and perversion of justice.