Belcher Addison Solicitors Limited
(Belcher Addison Solicitors Limited)
3 West Street, Emsworth, Hampshire
, PO10 7DX
Recognised body
596629
Decision - Fined
Outcome: Fine
Outcome date: 15 October 2023
Published date: 5 June 2024
Firm details
Firm or organisation at date of publication
Name: Belcher Addison Solicitors Limited
Address(es): 3 West Street, Emsworth, Hampshire, PO10 7DX
Firm ID: 596629
Outcome details
This outcome was reached by SRA decision.
Decision details
Belcher Addison Solicitors Limited was directed to pay a fixed financial penalty of £750 and costs of £150.
Reasons/basis
Belcher Addison Solicitors Limited is a recognised body whose office is at 3 West Street, Emsworth, Hampshire, PO10 7DX.
Firms must at all times have in place a compliance officer for legal practice (COLP) and a compliance officer for finance and administration (COFA).
A firm must designate a person as its COLP and a person as its COFA and the SRA must approve that person before they commence their role.
The COLP and COFA of a firm have specific responsibility for ensuring a firm, its managers and employees comply with the SRA’s regulatory requirements. They are also responsible for recording any breaches and reporting those to the SRA, where necessary.
A firm must promptly notify the SRA if it becomes aware of any material changes to information previously provided to the SRA, by it or on its behalf, including to its compliance officers.
Belcher Addison Solicitors Ltd failed to:
- promptly notify the SRA of a material change to the information it had previously provided to the SRA about its COFA
in breach of paragraph 3.8(a) of the Code of Conduct for Firms.
The firm failed to remedy this breach after being given notice and reasonable time in which to do so.