Burnley MP Antony Higginbotham - SSB Law - video Dailymotion

Burnley MP Antony Higginbotham calls on Parliament to help seek justice for residents chased for tens of thousands after SSB Law goes bust.

Transcript

00:00 tens of thousands of pounds. That's the bill that has landed on the doors of a

00:05 number of my constituents, but according to a BBC report, constituents of

00:10 honourable and right honourable members certainly across the north of England.

00:14 The bills relate to cavity wall insulation that residents had installed

00:20 using a government grant. That cavity wall insulation was defective, caused

00:24 damp, mould and damage to property. When no fee lawyers got in touch,

00:31 residents took up the offer. That proceeded through the courts, they were

00:38 told they wouldn't have to pay and a law firm based in Sheffield, SSB Law, has now

00:44 collapsed. There was no insurance policy for residents and they have now been hit

00:50 with legal costs because of the collapse of SSB Law. Now I understand that the SRA

00:56 has done a forensic investigation last year and they're now investigating it

01:01 again, but could I enlist the help of the Leader of the House to get justice for

01:07 those residents who have no means to pay the tens of thousands of pounds they're

01:12 now being asked for, when they thought they were doing the right thing to get

01:16 cavity wall insulation and then to put it right after it went wrong?

01:21 Well that is an appalling situation, I'm very sorry to hear about it. I understand

01:28 that this issue has been reported to the Solicitors Regulation Authority and that

01:33 there is an investigation into the matters that have been raised and the

01:39 Honourable Gentleman I'm sure will be supporting his constituents with regard

01:44 to any complaints they wish to make to the Legal Ombudsman and the Solicitors

01:49 Regulation Authority. He will know that Justice Orwell's is scheduled to take

01:56 place on the 20th of February, but I also think that the Department for Leveling

02:02 Up Housing and Communities may also be able to assist perhaps with some of the

02:07 schemes that they have in place to help regenerate communities and tackle

02:14 some of these issues. So I will write to that department and ask them if they can

02:18 assist the Honourable Gentleman.

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