I have been fighting a claim from UCB Homeloans for 10 years or so just by asking them for details which prove the MIG. They have finally passed the debt to a solicitor which has resulted in a threat then court action to recover the debt and the interest (£44,000 would you believe). About a year ago I contracted Peter Walker to act for me because this is all about the MIG policy and he successfully kept UCB away - the culmination of his actions was the current court case (at the allocation form stage now). He advises me that it will never get to court and if it does we will win, but he seems to be slow in responding at times causing me some anxiety. Although, for the moment I am continuing using him I am starting to have some doubts about whether he is the expert he claims to be.

Can anyone give me feed back about his bona fides?

I am aware of the Union Finance situation some years ago, but I am not asking him to manage my finances, just to get me through this legal jungle at minimum cost.

-- Alistair (alistair.hill1@virgin.net), May 20, 2001

Answers

If you use the search engine on this Home Repo site (under 'Site Map' on the main Options list), and type in 'Peter Walker', you'll see a couple of interesting pieces, including mention of the Careys of Essex, whom he apparently helped.

I have no personal experience or knowledge of Peter Walker, however.

-- Eleanor Scott (eleanor.scott@btinternet.com), May 20, 2001.

CONMAN - BEWARE.

Is this the same Peter Walker that was behind Union Finance? If so, in my opinion you should disregard him. My personal opinion is that he is a cynical conman preying on people who perceive themselves to be in a desperate situation. I should know, this chap did me several years ago with what I believe is his MIG scam. Despite his promises that Union Finance would take care of my negative equity problem, and relieving me of several hundred pounds in the process, I got shortfall letters looking for £30,000 this January and continuing up until April. A total of 7 in all.

I ignored them, until eventually they sent a letter asking for £3,000 in full and final settlement. I paid this and the matter is now finished. So if you let things take their course the building society will settle for far less of their own accord. Maybe they might never go to court, depending on your circumstances. My personal opinion is that whatever you do, do not give this joker any more money, he's made enough out of peoples' misery as it is. He will just take the credit for "negotiating" a settlement, when in reality, this is standard practise with building societys. Mine was Nationwide.

-- John Casey (johncasey10@hotmail.com), May 29, 2001.

I have recently emailed you privately Alistair, but for everyone else's benefit - I can confirm the last poster's evaluation of Mr.Walker.I feel I was ripped off by him too - also watch out for John Sheppard and David Sutton.. who I think all peddle(d) what I would call the same scam.

-- Too scared to say (iwasduped@yahoo.com), May 29, 2001.

So, is the general feeling that RSA would have backed off against the Careys whether or not Peter Walker had been involved?

Any thoughts?

-- Eleanor Scott (eleanor.scott@btinternet.com), June 02, 2001.

For everyones information and by way of an update. I have not paid Mr Walker any further money - as yet although I will owe him a couple of hundred when (if) the matter is successfully concluded.

On his advice I have submitted a defence based on the MIG (and asked the court to ensure I get sight of the poicy) and the 6 year rule. On the allocation questionnaire I asked for the fast-track.

I have now recieved notification from the court that the case has been allocated to the multi-track (but don't yet know what this implies)

From SARN documents I have established that UCB did not take the best price offered for the property and also took only one valuation when selling. I have also a document refering to 'full and final settlement' for the £6,300 my co-owner paid them some years ago.

I intend to add these to the defence and to serve Lean & Co (UCB's solicitors) with an interogatory asking if their MIG documentation is as the document held by PW. This should force them to reveal their hand iin the MIG department.

Although this all sounds pretty organised I still feel that I am swimming uphill and just the idea of someone taking me to court for £44k is a bit intimidating. I tried discussing thing with a solicitor but they wanted to charge a fortune to just read the files and then said they would pass things straight to a barrister. This sounded like a bit of usery going on so I have not pursued this any furhter to date. However, if I don't get some really satisfactory results therough discussion with PW in the next week or so a recommendation of a good solicitor in this field would be appreciated.

-- Alistair (alistair.hill1@virgin.net), July 11, 2001.