Questions about Metamorph intensify after Beaumont Legal sale

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Beaumont Legal: Firm sold

Questions over what is happening at law firm consolidator Metamorph Group have intensified after its executive chairman ceased to be a director but remains one at the law firm that has taken over Beaumont Legal.

Metamorph operates through 11 law firm brands as well as the QualitySolicitors network. It is made up of a web of companies.

Companies House filings last week showed that chairman Tony Stockdale was no longer a director of many of them: Metamorph Group, Metamorph Group Services, Atray Ltd (known until recently as Metamorph Law), Beaumont ABS, MLL Ltd, Knight Polson, BPL Solicitors, Browns Solicitors, and Beeton Edwards.

However, he remains a director of Knowles Benning, a three-office Bedfordshire practice that joined the Metamorph group in July, which has just taken over Beaumont ABS. This traded in Wakefield as volume conveyancing and remortgaging firm Beaumont Legal.

Beaumont Legal’s website now just tells users that the firm has been acquired by Knowles Benning and points them to its website.

Estate agency Connells issued a winding-up petition against Beaumont ABS last week, with a hearing scheduled for 22 November in Leeds.

Last month, MLL Ltd was served with a winding-up petition by HM Revenue & Customs. MLL owns four of the Metamorph law firms: Linder Myers, SLC Solicitors, Verisona Law and Donnelly & Elliott. The hearing is scheduled for 16 November at the Rolls Building in London.

Metamorph acquired Beaumont Legal from US legal giant LegalZoom in 2020, its biggest deal at the time. LegalZoom had acquired Beaumont Legal in 2016 for £6.4m but sold it because of its sub-par performance.

Like many of the Metamorph companies, Beaumont’s annual accounts are overdue. Its most recent accounts, for the 18 months to 30 June 2020 – and so affected in the last three and a half months by lockdown – showed a turnover of £9.5m and operating loss of nearly £2m (ignoring exceptional income in the form of LegalZoom waiving a loan of nearly £14m).

In the previous 12 months, Beaumont’s turnover was £9m with a similar operating loss. Staff numbers also fell significantly, from 195 as at 31 December 2018 to 130 18 months later.

Despite multiple requests, Metamorph has not commented on the latest developments.

Readers Comments

• James Reed says:

  November 17, 2022 at 10:17 am

  Thanks for this Neil, I have been desperately trying to contact BPL Solicitors the past 10 days to proceed with a house sale that has a December deadline, but there’s been no rely via email or phone. It’s incredibly frustrating and worrying. There just seems to be no way to contact them or to get any information.

  Reply
• Peter Scobey says:

  December 6, 2022 at 2:41 pm

  Trying to contact them as my money is held in their
  clients fund! Are they dipping into this?

  Reply
• Millie P says:

  December 9, 2022 at 2:44 pm

  My property has been sold Subject to Contract for the last 13 months. I have had 4 solicitors at Linder Myers throughout this time and gone nowhere. I have the evidence that I have doe the running around – obtaining and forwarding Title deeds, asking for the Memorandum of Sale to be forwarded etc I addition to providing the necessary documents such as EPC, evidence that I own te freehold etc. I have had to regularly call LM to see where things are up to , t be informed every time that things are progressing but still we do not see an end. Now I have been forced to support a new solicitor in a different company. That means 2 bills!!!! Can I avoid paying LM due to their incompetentce?

  Reply
• louise Bentley says:

  January 12, 2023 at 5:37 am

  I have been trying to find out where my money is as Beaumont Legal held a retention following a flat sale that should have been returned to me in October 2022. I’ve got nowhere. 😡

  Reply
• K warner says:

  January 16, 2023 at 10:23 am

  Beaumont legal has held retention money after the sale of flat and should of been paid back at the end of October 2022. Had no reply of e mails from Beaumont legal or from metamorph group.

  Reply
• Zara stacey says:

  January 24, 2023 at 11:48 am

  Same here, first they told me the retention fee would be returned September 2022 and then said December 2022. I contacted the SRA and they said I could file a claim but may not get full amount. My property was sold in November 2021. So angry.

  Reply
• Ian Hinchliffe says:

  March 21, 2023 at 5:21 pm

  It’s absolutely shocking. I’m trying to get various documents from Beaumont pertaining to my late Mum who passed away in January including her will. Know they are held by Quality Solicitors. I’m getting knowhere and the SRA have just walked away from it all.

  Reply
• Alison Robinson says:

  March 22, 2023 at 12:11 pm

  Does anybody have a contact number that works for Beaumonts? I’m trying to get hold of deeds for a transfer but can’t get in touch.

  Reply
• Vincent says:

  May 20, 2023 at 5:19 pm

  I sold my property thru Beaumont in Nov. 2021 and they are holding a retention of £200.00, I can’t get hold of them to get my money back. Luckily for me I refused to pay the £400.00 they were asking for.
  Any advice would be welcome.

  Reply

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