And Now The Positive Reviews

In the interests of balance here are a couple of the 5 star reviews that have been posted on allAgents.co.uk over the past few weeks, increasing Ernest Wilson's rating to 2.1 stars!

The Baroness of Barkisland?

All of the information below has been gathered from the public domain.

As we've seen before, in many less than positive reviews and discussions, some clients of Ernest Wilson are unhappy that the agency has failed to sell their business but still pursued them, often through the courts, for thousands of pounds in fees.

It's ironic then to find this 2012 article in the Sunday Times where Robert and Eve Williamson complain that they can't sell their mansion, Barkisland Hall (and that's despite the fact that it's been featured in The Wall Street Journal)!

Barkisland Hall was until recently advertised on Rightmove, where it's now shown as withdrawn from sale, but it's still on Zoopla, for sale at offers over £2m.

If you're worried about whether the Williamsons have been able to sell their mansion, sorry, we don't know, but Eve Williamson, a Kennel Club judge, is listed on the KC website as "Baroness E Williamson" of The Grange, Willow Court, Kirkheaton, Huddersfield. From a quick look at Google Streetview, it looks like it could be here.

As for Mrs Williamson's title, she's also been described as "Lady Eve Williamson" in this account of a garden party, although she doesn't appear, either as a Lady or a Baroness, on the UK Government House of Lords website or Debretts.

Ernest Wilson's Directors' Property Interests

We've been reminded by a friend that some of Ernest Wilson's directors and senior staff, and their relatives, are also company officers (director/secretary) for property companies.

Willow Properties (Yorkshire) Limited

Directors: Robert Williamson, Eve Williamson, Paul Williamson, Tamara Dawn Beckwith, Jonathan Holmes

Cleckheaton Properties Limited

Directors: Paul Williamson, Tamara Dawn Beckwith

(Note: Paul Williamson and Tamara Dawn Beckwith are, we're told, the son and daughter of Robert and Eve Williamson, and information on companies is available for free from Companies House).

We've also been given information that these property companies sometimes buy and sell businesses through Ernest Wilson - this is allowed by the regulator under certain circumstances, mainly that any interests are declared:

Declaring a personal interest

You must reveal promptly and in writing any personal interest you or a connected person have in a transaction. A ‘connected person’ (which includes partnerships, companies and unincorporated associations as well as individuals), means any of the following:

• your employer or principal
• your employee or agent
• any associate either of you or of any of the persons mentioned above

Note that ‘associate’ includes any business associate, as well as a person’s spouse and relatives and the spouse and relatives of a person’s business associate.

If you have an exisitng personal interest you must declare this in writing before you begin negotiations.

If you or a connected person are seeking to acquire an interest in your client’s property you must tell the client in writing as soon as possible. You should do the same if you or a connected person are selling your property to the client.

You must not seek or receive a deposit for the sale of a property in which you have a personal interest.

We're sure that the staff of Ernest Wilson already know all that, and comply with it fully, though.