John Mann, MP for Bassetlaw has today issued a warning that the ability to recover money from double charging solicitors who took fees for handling miners compensation claims is now time limited.

The Legal Complaints Service, the body that formally investigates complaints about solicitors is being abolished to be replaced with the Office for Legal Complaints. The new organisation has made no commitment to continue with the recovery of fees for the thousands of miners and their families who have lost out and the unit that was especially set up by the Legal Complaints Service to manage these complaints will be closed.

The Legal Complaints Service have set a deadline of 31st July 2010 for the receipt of complaints so that the unit can be wound down in time for the transfer of responsibilities to the Office for Legal Complaints.

John Mann is calling on all people who have not yet raised a complaint to move fast before its too late. He said "The charging and deduction of fees from miners has been a huge scandal. There is still a lot of money that should rightfully be in the pockets of miners and their families and I am very concerned that we are fast approaching a deadline when there is so much more work to be done.

John Mann is encouraging people to come forward and added "even if you only think that you may have been charged, contact me and I can advise you. Don't worry if you have lost or destroyed your paperwork because your files are also kept with your solicitors and much of the information is still available. Move fast now and get your money back".

You can find contact details for John Mann here.

7 July 2010