Written by The legal system is built on the principle that disputes should be resolved through due process. When a solicitor’s firm and a property management company refuse to respond to a formal legal notice, their silence is not an oversight. It is a strategy—a calculated attempt to evade responsibility.
On 21 January 2025, I issued a Pre-Action Protocol Letter under the Civil Procedure Rules (CPR), setting out detailed claims against Burnetts Solicitors LLP and Balliol Property Services. These claims include professional negligence, breach of fiduciary duty, misrepresentation, unlawful eviction, and data protection breaches. The letter was backed by extensive documentary evidence, including contracts, financial records, correspondence, and internal disclosures obtained through a Subject Access Request (SAR).
Under CPR, they had 14 days to respond. That deadline expired on 4 February 2025.
They have failed to reply.
This is not a matter of administrative delay. It is a deliberate refusal to engage.
Avoidance is Not a Defence
A firm that believes it has acted lawfully does not ignore legal correspondence. It responds, presents its position, and addresses the allegations directly. The refusal of Burnetts and Balliol Property Services to engage is an implicit admission that they cannot justify their actions.
Silence is a common tactic used to delay, obstruct, and exhaust claimants, forcing them into prolonged legal battles in the hope that they will abandon their case. It will not work. This matter will proceed through both the courts and the public domain.
A Business Destroyed by Misconduct
This is not a routine commercial dispute. It is about a business being unlawfully forced to close through fabricated arrears and procedural misconduct.
- I operated Flashback Toys Ltd at Lillyhall Business Centre for six years, with a monthly turnover exceeding £15,000.
- Burnetts acted for me on a separate matter while also representing Balliol Property Services against me—a clear conflict of interest.
- A £1,400 deposit was never properly accounted for, and a November rent payment made in advance on 3 October 2023 was rejected on 6 October 2023—seemingly to manufacture arrears.
- On 17 October 2023, bailiffs acting for Balliol Property Services forcibly changed the locks at 6:30 AM, without notice or a valid court order.
- Despite police involvement, I was given just six hours to remove my stock—crippling the business at its most critical trading period.
The damage was catastrophic. The business was unable to fulfil online orders through Amazon and eBay, lost customers, and ultimately collapsed.
Legal and Regulatory Failures
Burnetts Solicitors LLP and Balliol Property Services have not just acted unethically; they have potentially broken the law.
- Burnetts, as a regulated firm, is bound by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) Code of Conduct, which requires solicitors to act with integrity, avoid conflicts of interest, and provide competent legal services.
- Their failure to disclose key documents, respond to legal correspondence, and handle SAR requests lawfully raises serious concerns about compliance with UK GDPR and data protection laws.
- Balliol Property Services may have committed a criminal offence under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977 by unlawfully depriving me of my premises.
If their actions were lawful, they would have responded. Instead, they have remained silent, hoping to avoid scrutiny.
There Will Be Consequences
If Burnetts and Balliol Property Services think that ignoring this matter will make it go away, they are mistaken.
This case will now proceed on multiple fronts:
- Legal Action – Litigation is imminent, and the courts will have full access to the evidence of their misconduct.
- Regulatory Complaints – The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) will be further notified of their conduct.
- Public Accountability – Their refusal to respond will be made public, ensuring their actions are known within the legal profession, the property sector, and beyond.
This will not be resolved in silence or behind closed doors. Burnetts and Balliol Property Services will be held to account.