2 reviews (1/5) and information for Blanchards Law Ltd, Henley-on-Thames

27/11/22 - Reviewed by Anonymous

Avoid!
I am entitled to legal aid and I am in universal credit, but wasn’t advised that I should apply for legal aid, (because they obviously wouldn’t be able to take all my money if I went that route. After paying out way more than I should have, I then ran out of money - even resorting to withdrawing money from credit cards to pay bills and I therefore said that I could not go any further as there was no more money and I was in a lot of debt. I was told to not worry about the fees as we were so close to concluding the case. I then developed a long term condition and could not work for 4.5 months, lost my income and was dropped like a hot brick, right before the hearing. I was told to represent myself and continue with the hearing alone. I suffer with chronic anxiety and anybody who has ever had anxiety would be aware that to just pull yourself together and represent yourself in court is not something that can necessarily be done. I had also just been diagnosed with a long term condition, which made it difficult to perform normal everyday tasks, and it brought on depression along with the anxiety due to being unable to pay bills and buy food without my income. This was followed by a lot of drowsiness from medication - in short my world turned upside down.

I tried to bring up the fact that I was told to not worry about the outstanding fees, and that we should proceed with the process, added with the fact that we’d been told my ex husband wanted to discuss settling out of court, and was told that they are not a bank…. Funny how the change of mind over whether I could delay paying any fees until the settlement, coincidentally happened as soon as i lost my income. I am now receiving disability payments and have limited working dapacity.

I complained formally as per the Law Society instruction and regarding the fact that I could have received legal aid and that fit the criteria to be awarded it, and should have been given that information - the reply I received was that it is up to me to find out this information on my own and that they cannot advise me…. Erm… helloooooo???? It’s a solicitor’s JOB to advise you!!!!

My father tried to reason with the firm (the owner I believe, Ms Denley) and her reply was condescending, rude and unnecessarily full of attitude. Cannot recommend this firm and I have contacted the ombudsman to proceed further. I’m in debt due to the money shelled out to this company and I needn’t have paid at all until settlement, it could have all gone through legal aid.

They also appear to make lots of mistakes, the first procedure they tried, took 3 or 4 months before they realised it wouldn’t be possible to go that route, and they had to start again, and I received an invoice for somebody else, with all their personal details on including full name and full address.

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08/09/21 - Reviewed by Error after error made amicable divorce a nightmare

Avoid at all costs! Immediately disinterested (angry even) when my ex and I agreed terms without a fight. I was made to feel that I'd let her down by refusing to draw swords. However matters worsened considerably when she filled in our court application misspelling my then husband's name! It was consequently thrown out of court costing me yet more time and money. The second application she filled in the Court Case number wrong - honestly, you couldn't make this up! Again it was thrown out of court and we had to begin the entire process for a third time. I tried to dis instruct her but she effectively blackmailed me refusing to pass on paperwork. In the end the court and I verbally communicated directly because the delays Blanchards Law created eventually left me not in receipt of monies I needed to complete the purchase of a new house! A three month divorce took two years and put huge emotionally strain upon my relationship with my ex and I that never needed to happen. I then refused to pay the last £1,000 as a matter of principle and to reflect the cost and time (it was far, far more expensive that it needed to be and on both sides and all because of the careless errors made by Blanchards Law!) They then issued court proceedings! Ironically listing the date as 2022 rather than 2021!!!

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