Can a solicitor firm intimidate users who leave bad reviews?
Can a solicitor firm intimidate users who leave bad reviews?
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Discussion

carboy2017

Original Poster:

743 posts

107 months

Thursday 1st August 2019
quotequote all
does this happen and do the solicitors firm stand a chance in suing a person who left a review like the one mentioned below

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/law...

What redress can the client get in a similar situation?

anonymous-user

83 months

Thursday 1st August 2019
quotequote all
It used to be that they could or any other business. But the law courts got so over whelmed with it all, people can post a review as long as its believed to be factual. So no porky pies!

anonymous-user

83 months

Thursday 1st August 2019
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Don't defame them in the review and there's nothing to worry about. Be factual, not emotional.

Don't say "Useless bunch of incompetent shysters", do say "I had a poor experience because of <whatever>, would not use again"

Integroo

11,631 posts

114 months

Thursday 1st August 2019
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There is a reasonable chance that the conduct mentioned would be in breach of the professional standards that a solicitor must uphold.

anonymous-user

83 months

Thursday 1st August 2019
quotequote all
As has been said, there’s little they can do if the criticism is fair and based on facts.

Assuming that, were I to receive one of their letters, I think I’d simply scan it and post it up on the review site.


carboy2017

Original Poster:

743 posts

107 months

Thursday 1st August 2019
quotequote all
REALIST123 said:
As has been said, there’s little they can do if the criticism is fair and based on facts.

Assuming that, were I to receive one of their letters, I think I’d simply scan it and post it up on the review site.
true but its not possible on the trust pilot review site as they had blanked out my cousins review after the solicitor firm complained and and in any case cant upload images which in turn makes me question the neutrality of Trust Pilot

Also they had demanded that he remove it via email but there is no name in the email smile

Edited by carboy2017 on Thursday 1st August 17:41

Lindun

1,965 posts

91 months

Thursday 1st August 2019
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What did you write after you lost your case?

It’s not always as clear cut as you think it is.

anonymous-user

83 months

Thursday 1st August 2019
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Trustpilot don't just delete reviews, they contact the reviewer to explain what's going on and why.

https://support.trustpilot.com/hc/en-us/articles/2...

The reasons they can do this are all in the T&Cs, so if they've not had any contact then your cousin should check their spam folders and if there's nothing there they should get in touch with Trustpilot.

If they honestly feel that their review doesn't breach the Trustpilot guidelines then they should ask for it to be reinstated.

vitesse2000

369 posts

192 months

Friday 2nd August 2019
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I personally have my doubts about TrustPilot - I’m having a row with them at the moment over a review I posted.

An appliance warranty company, who I shan’t name directly but the place where you live, and something a warrior might use to protect himself in a sword fight might give a clue.

This company kept phoning my land line telling me the manufacturers warranty on my Hoover washing machine was about to expire and I should extend the warranty with them for fee X.

I have never owned a Hoover machine, neither would I, which I told them but the hard sell kept going. I told them to remove my name and number from their list which they said they would - if only....

A week or so passes, and a mobile number rings, same company, Hoover washing machine etc - stronger suggestion I am removed etc but hard sell continues so I hang up. I google this firm and they are all over the web with complaints including on TrustPilot, so I chuck in my twopence worth on there. Apparently their scam is to take £76 by card for three years extended warranty, but then take a total of £228 saying the operator made a mistake and only took a year’s fee instead of the full 3.

My review just contained what had happened to me and I listed the mobile number they used saying if it came up on your caller ID just bin it to save your time

Not sure how Trustpilot make their money, but must be from the firms who get reviewed, thing is how can you trust the impartiality of the site?


anonymous-user

83 months

Friday 2nd August 2019
quotequote all
vitesse2000 said:
I personally have my doubts about TrustPilot - I’m having a row with them at the moment over a review I posted.

An appliance warranty company, who I shan’t name directly but the place where you live, and something a warrior might use to protect himself in a sword fight might give a clue.

This company kept phoning my land line telling me the manufacturers warranty on my Hoover washing machine was about to expire and I should extend the warranty with them for fee X.

I have never owned a Hoover machine, neither would I, which I told them but the hard sell kept going. I told them to remove my name and number from their list which they said they would - if only....

A week or so passes, and a mobile number rings, same company, Hoover washing machine etc - stronger suggestion I am removed etc but hard sell continues so I hang up. I google this firm and they are all over the web with complaints including on TrustPilot, so I chuck in my twopence worth on there. Apparently their scam is to take £76 by card for three years extended warranty, but then take a total of £228 saying the operator made a mistake and only took a year’s fee instead of the full 3.

My review just contained what had happened to me and I listed the mobile number they used saying if it came up on your caller ID just bin it to save your time

Not sure how Trustpilot make their money, but must be from the firms who get reviewed, thing is how can you trust the impartiality of the site?
Can you block their number on your mobile by using the block list and also sign up to the Telephone Preference Service to stop them cold calling on your land line?

anonymous-user

83 months

Friday 2nd August 2019
quotequote all
vitesse2000 said:
I personally have my doubts about TrustPilot - I’m having a row with them at the moment over a review I posted.

An appliance warranty company, who I shan’t name directly but the place where you live, and something a warrior might use to protect himself in a sword fight might give a clue.

This company kept phoning my land line telling me the manufacturers warranty on my Hoover washing machine was about to expire and I should extend the warranty with them for fee X.

I have never owned a Hoover machine, neither would I, which I told them but the hard sell kept going. I told them to remove my name and number from their list which they said they would - if only....

A week or so passes, and a mobile number rings, same company, Hoover washing machine etc - stronger suggestion I am removed etc but hard sell continues so I hang up. I google this firm and they are all over the web with complaints including on TrustPilot, so I chuck in my twopence worth on there. Apparently their scam is to take £76 by card for three years extended warranty, but then take a total of £228 saying the operator made a mistake and only took a year’s fee instead of the full 3.

My review just contained what had happened to me and I listed the mobile number they used saying if it came up on your caller ID just bin it to save your time

Not sure how Trustpilot make their money, but must be from the firms who get reviewed, thing is how can you trust the impartiality of the site?
So what’s your row about, you don’t actually say?

Btw, it’s one of the most easy things to do to block any number you don’t want to receive, the first time they call you.

If it’s a land line, there are systems available for just a few pounds with call filtering systems which will stop these nuisance calls in their tracks.

I haven’t had nuisance calls for years now. If we all used the tech available they might even stop trying.

Brads67

3,199 posts

127 months

Friday 2nd August 2019
quotequote all
Not sure about trust pilot either.
I may test it soon and review a Glasgow road traffic outfit, who were quite frankly lazy disenterested and uncommunicative.

A slight result from them was more luck than due to any work done by them. Strangely there rating is 5 star. Along with their glowing celeb endorsments on their website.

steveo3002

11,206 posts

203 months

Friday 2nd August 2019
quotequote all
id say trustpilot cannot be trusted , i left a less than favorable review for a cleaning service we had , 12 months later they write and say theyre taking it down as the provider claims its fake , do i still have the reciept to prove im genuine

tinnitusjosh

356 posts

101 months

Friday 2nd August 2019
quotequote all
I have a bit of sympathy with these sites taking down reviews - the risks for them of getting comeback for facilitating / publishing potentially defamatory material must be immense. They have to take a view at some point as to whether it's worth the hassle / risk of keeping contentious reviews on the site

carboy2017

Original Poster:

743 posts

107 months

Friday 2nd August 2019
quotequote all
in which case why run a review site in the first place if the only want positive reviews posted on their sites?


tinnitusjosh said:
I have a bit of sympathy with these sites taking down reviews - the risks for them of getting comeback for facilitating / publishing potentially defamatory material must be immense. They have to take a view at some point as to whether it's worth the hassle / risk of keeping contentious reviews on the site

16v stretch

990 posts

186 months

Friday 2nd August 2019
quotequote all
carboy2017 said:
tinnitusjosh said:
I have a bit of sympathy with these sites taking down reviews - the risks for them of getting comeback for facilitating / publishing potentially defamatory material must be immense. They have to take a view at some point as to whether it's worth the hassle / risk of keeping contentious reviews on the site
in which case why run a review site in the first place if the only want positive reviews posted on their sites?
Because it's a business at the end of the day, it makes money.

You're not the customer, the businesses that use it are.

Ken Figenus

6,011 posts

146 months

Friday 2nd August 2019
quotequote all
Trust-pilot is totally untrustworthy in my experience.

I had a shocking experience with an online letting agent and posted the facts. Was immediately pulled and had to work very hard to get it re-instated. Took months. Then you note the reams and reams of the agency's self penned 'verified customer' false reviews - to the point where the staff are bigging themselves up by name and dont even mention the service. Flag them to Trustpilot and they tell me they cant do anything about them. Site is an absolute joke as each staffer does this ten times a day and obliterates the genuine low to middle real reviews. Seen it with another firm too. Not fit.

carboy2017

Original Poster:

743 posts

107 months

Friday 2nd August 2019
quotequote all
Ken Figenus said:
Trust-pilot is totally untrustworthy in my experience.

I had a shocking experience with an online letting agent and posted the facts. Was immediately pulled and had to work very hard to get it re-instated. Took months. Then you note the reams and reams of the agency's self penned 'verified customer' false reviews - to the point where the staff are bigging themselves up by name and dont even mention the service. Flag them to Trustpilot and they tell me they cant do anything about them. Site is an absolute joke as each staffer does this ten times a day and obliterates the genuine low to middle real reviews. Seen it with another firm too. Not fit.
Yes a quick look at the said issue which I mentioned has the similar stuff to what you say,the said firm seems to be writing their very own glowing reports and mention staff by name saying so and so are doing a great job smile

any idea how you can contact TrustPilot customer services?


Ken Figenus

6,011 posts

146 months

Friday 2nd August 2019
quotequote all
Yes mate, report fake reviews, but its pointless. They get paid by those frigging their ratings and have no motive to lose that business by being representative of actual real customers. I gave it my best shot but concluded in failure. All i can do is 'out' them here...

Chrisgr31

14,276 posts

284 months

Saturday 3rd August 2019
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The answer to the original question is of course that on is entitled to say what you like about solicitors and indeed any other company as long as it is accurate and within the terms of the website you are posting on. However solicitors are more likely to send you official letters asking you to take it down.

Before the was what it is now a local solicitor firm managed to give poor service to a local client and lied to them as well, not only that but one of the partners managed to thump the client!

The result was the client who owned some land beside a busy road put up a large sign adjacent to the road saying Dont use X as they are liars, and physically assault their clients.

Needless to say the solicitors werent very pleased with this but couldnt take legal action about the sign as it was true. They instead lobbied the local District Council to have the sign removed as it needed planning consent as an advertising board. The Council did serve en Enforcement notice, but all the landowner did was take the sign down and fix it to a trailer instead. It was now mobile so not subject to planning, but still in the same location.

The sign remained in position for around a decade causing great entertainment for locals!