Ban For Solicitor

A solicitor has been struck off by the solicitors disciplinary tribunal after he enabled a £62,000 overpayment on a property.
Milan Patel, sole director of ALD Legal Solicitors was instructed by a resident of Saudi Arabia to purchase a UK property on his behalf.
According to the judgment, the property was transferred from the seller to a firm called HB Consultants Ltd for £438,000. The client who was not aware of this went on to purchase the property from HB Consultants for £500,000.
The tribunal found that Patel had shown a ‘flagrant disregard’ for his client’s best interests and found his conduct dishonest and driven by ‘personal financial gain.’
The tribunal found, on separate allegations, that Patel misappropriated client money in 13 improper payments, totalling £277,000, causing a shortfall in the client account.
Patel did not attend the tribunal. He was struck off and ordered to pay costs of £27,412.