Following a meeting of eight ex-members of intermediary network Ashley Law (Mortgage Solutions p1 7/4/03), action group Ashley Law Exmag has been established to bring the network to the negotiating table or court.
The group has detailed a list of 12 common issues of dispute that it claims Ashley Law has persistently refused to address. The complaints relate to problems over commission, marketing expenditure and alleged breaches of the franchise agreement between Ashley Law and individual members.
Ned Naylor, member and nominated representative of Ashley Law Exmag, said: ‘We will be communicating with the company within two weeks with a list of our demands and how we wish our disputes to be resolved. Failure or refusal by the company to enter into negotiations with our appointed solicitors will result in one of two courses of actions. These are either a joint action on behalf of group members or a co-joined action with Wilson’s case as Co Plaintiffs with additional claims.’
Chris Wilson, mentioned by Naylor, has already filed a claim with Guildford County Court against Ashley Law.
Another ex-member of Ashley Law, who asked not to be named, has also taken the intermediary network to court, and won the case in question. The case related to monies outstanding to the adviser after the licensing agreement between the two parties had been terminated in March 2000.
Jock Cassidy, managing director of Ashley Law, said he had not received any formal contact from the Ashley Law Exmag group, but hoped any problems could be resolved amicably. He said: ‘It is always our policy to negotiate before going to court as legal action is only a last resort.’
Ashley Law has a membership of over 70 IFAs nationally.
