Prime Minister pledges action over collapsed law firm

The prime minister said he would respond to the collapse of a Yorkshire law firm which has left scores of families facing demands for money they don’t have.

Former clients of Sheffield-based SSB Law have been hit with huge legal bills after their compensation claims fell through, despite being told their cases were on a no-win, no-fee basis.

At Prime Minister’s Questions, Bradford West MP Naz Shah urged Rishi Sunak to intervene. Sunak said he would look into the situation and “get back to her as soon as possible”.

Most of the clients’ claims were linked to allegations of faulty cavity wall insulation and damp-proofing work, dating back up to a decade.

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) says it is continuing to investigate what it describes as a “complex” case.

Speaking in the Commons, Shah said: “The Prime Minister is no doubt aware of the collapse of SSB Law and many constituents, including hundreds in my constituency, have been affected and have bills of hundreds, up to hundreds of thousands.

“One constituent had to sell his wedding gifts, and his father had a heart attack with the stress.

“People are having to literally raid their pension pots and getting bills and bailiffs knocking on the door.

“Will the Prime Minister meet with me and my constituents’ representatives (regarding the) collapse of SSB Law and make sure the government responds to something that is an injustice that’s happened to people across the country?”

Sunak said: “I’m sorry to hear about the situation impacting the honourable lady’s constituents.

“I’ll be more than happy to make sure the right minister looks into it and we get back to her as soon as possible.”

Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt has previously said she would contact the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities for intervention guidance.

Many families affected by the case have received demands for costs – some up to £40,000 – and say they have no means of paying.

The BBC has reported it understands as many has 1,400 people could be affected, with the costs they are being pursued for adding up to hundreds of thousands of pounds in total.

SSB Group was headquartered in Navigation House, South Quay Drive.

The group, which went into administration in January this year with nearly 200 jobs lost, had been trading since 2007 and comprised SSB Law, SSB Funding, SSB Insurance, SSB Financial and SSB Compliance.