Will writing firms shut down after mis-selling

Three companies providing will and trust writing services were wound up last week after an operation by Company Investigations (CI), a branch of the Insolvency Service.

The linked companies, Minster Legal Services and Legal Assistance, based in Lincolnshire, and Legal Assistance 4U, from Nottinghamshire, had been cold-calling customers offering home visits from self-employed "legal consultants".

Between them, the companies had generated a sales income of £1.1m.

Minster Legal Services had mis-sold products and charged different prices for the same product for no reason, CI said.

The business was found to be insolvent. Minster's director had been managing the company despite having been disqualified, company funds had been put into a bank account over which it had no control, and the company did not have proper accounts, CI's investigation found.

Legal Assistance had been used to continue the business of Minster, and had conducted business in a similar manner to its parent company.

Legal Assistance 4 U was a telesales operation run on behalf of Legal Assistance, and so involved in the same "objectionable" practices, CI said.

Together the three companies acquired sales income of over £1.1m.