Lakeforest Title & Escrow

July 22,2014Dear [redacted] :Enclosed you will find a copy of a letter dated July 11,from [redacted] This letter responds to our inquiry concerning your complaint.The jurisdiction of this office is generally limited to reviewing conduct that may be in violation of the Maryland Rules of Professional Conduct, established for lawyers who practice in MarylandI have considered your complaint and the attorney's responseI do not find a sufficient basis for this office to take further actionI am therefore constrained to close the file at this time.Very truly yours

July 11, Dear *** ***:This letter is in response to your letter dated July 8, concerning the settlement of the property located at * *** *** *** ***, Maryland ***, On April 29, this office conducted a purchase settlement on the subject property
The complainant, *** *** was the seller.As part of the settlement negotiations, the seller was to rentback the subject property for days.As such, the contract of sale called for Lakeforest Title & Escrow Company to hold a $1,security deposit escrow, which we didI explained to the parties that once the rentback term was concluded, f am required to get written authorization to release the security deposit escrow back to ***.On June the buyer sent written authorization to release the security deposit escrow by email transmissionOn an average day this office can receive between and emailsSome days we receive well over emailsAs such, I enlist the aid of my staff to help me respond to emails, otherwise I would not be able to answer or respond to all emailsI spend the majority of my day conducting settlements and therefore I am not always in front of the computerI believe one of my staff responded to the email sent on the June 11, I did not become personally aware of the email authorizing me to release the security deposit escrow until June 16, even though the email was sent on June 11, Upon becoming aware that I was authorized to release the security deposit escrow, I mailed the check to *** the same day on June 16, I have attached a copy of the check for your review,I would like to point out that the check to was sent to *** within business days of the original email being received.I would be happy to apologize to *** for the business day delay in releasing the funds to herI did send the check to *** as soon as I was aware that I had authority to release the funds.I do agree that the email was sent to the Lakeforest Title & Escrow general email and I am sorry that I did not personally see it as soon as it was receivedI apologize for the oversightI do not agree that I lied to *** or agree with her contention that I intentionally held on to her funds to collect the interestMy escrow account is a MAHT account and therefore neither Lakeforest Title nor I receive any interest on funds held in escrow, All of the interest earned goes to the State of MarylandI do not fee! the need to respond to her contention about my ethics or business practicesI have been practicing real estate law for years and rarely have any issues with buyers or sellersI try my best to serve both buyers and sellers to make the settlement experience a positive oneI was not aware that *** was unhappy until I received your letter yesterdayI am sorry for any inconvenience I may have caused herHowever, please be aware that even with the delay, ***’s funds were release to her in business days, which in my opinion is reasonable.Please feel free contact me at anytime if you need any further information regarding this matter

Good Afternoon,
This lawyer is not being thrutful since in the email from June he in fact responded only minutes later to the buyer and wrote "understood" when the buyer authorized the deposit releaseIn his response on June he claims he was not aware, this is the part in which he liesThe document attached proves that he responded and just was not honest about this and not honest enough to recognized that he did received it on the of JuneIs this a trick to keep deposits longer to obtain more interests?
After I sent his own email back to him on June he still denied having received anything, however two days later he did send the deposit back to meThe point to make here is that lawyers like him take advantage of people and keep their deposits in order to continue making moneys with the interests that these deposits provideI am certain that many people do not even complain to avoid the grief of complaining itself
Besides this, he also ignored my email on June when I first asked for my deposit
It is not fair to do what he does and the system needs to keep an eye on people like this, so no abuse is done to anyone
I feel sorry for his future clients
*** ** ***
[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the responseIf no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved] Complaint: 10133309I am rejecting this response because:Regards,*** ***

July 22,2014Dear [redacted]:Enclosed you will find a copy of a letter dated July 11,2014 from [redacted]. This letter responds to our inquiry concerning your complaint.The jurisdiction of this office is generally limited to reviewing conduct that may be in violation of the Maryland Rules of Professional Conduct, established for lawyers who practice in Maryland. I have considered your complaint and the attorney's response. I do not find a sufficient basis for this office to take further action. I am therefore constrained to close the file at this time.Very truly yours.

Review: The Lake Forest Title Company held deposit to be realsed for several day and denied receiving authorization to do so while emails proved that he did.

Info:

[redacted]. [redacted], Attorney at Law

Lakeforest Title & Escrow Company, Inc.

[redacted] MD [redacted]

Phone: ###-###-####, Fax: ###-###-####

[email protected]

The Lake Forest Title Company located in [redacted], MD. specifically founder: Attorney [redacted] has denied receiving the authorization from the buyer of a property I sold to release my deposit since I was renting back from the new owners till my new house was ready for moving in.

I have been asking for my deposit since the final walkthrough of my former property happened on the 7 of June, and he did not respond or took days. Finally I hear from my agent that the auhtorization from the buyer was sent to Attorney [redacted] and requested a date so I will know when to expect it; he did not answer and then answer that he had not received anything from the buyer. My agent forwarded me the note to him from the buyers, and he still denied it.

My opinion is that he purposely hold people's deposit to get interest return as his own benefit. This is totally wrong and unethical.

I recommend you do not business with someone like him.Desired Settlement: I am seeking the release of my deposit from renting my old property for 40 days. $ 1,000.00 were held by the Title company. It has been 06 business day and he is still benefiting from my deposit.

Business

Response:

July 11, 2014Dear [redacted]:This letter is in response to your letter dated July 8, 2014 concerning the settlement of the property located at [redacted], Maryland [redacted], On April 29, 2014 this office conducted a purchase settlement on the subject property. The complainant, [redacted] was the seller.As part of the settlement negotiations, the seller was to rentback the subject property for 40 days.As such, the contract of sale called for Lakeforest Title & Escrow Company to hold a $1,000.00 security deposit escrow, which we did. I explained to the parties that once the rentback term was concluded, f am required to get written authorization to release the security deposit escrow back to **. [redacted].On June 11 the buyer sent written authorization to release the security deposit escrow by email transmission. On an average day this office can receive between 76 and 100 emails. Some days we receive well over 100 emails. As such, I enlist the aid of my staff to help me respond to emails, otherwise I would not be able to answer or respond to all emails. I spend the majority of my day conducting settlements and therefore I am not always in front of the computer. I believe one of my staff responded to the email sent on the June 11, 2014. I did not become personally aware of the email authorizing me to release the security deposit escrow until June 16, 2014 even though the email was sent on June 11, 2014. Upon becoming aware that I was authorized to release the security deposit escrow, I mailed the check to **. [redacted] the same day on June 16, 2014. I have attached a copy of the check for your review,. I would like to point out that the check to was sent to **. [redacted] within 3 business days of the original email being received.I would be happy to apologize to **. [redacted] for the 3 business day delay in releasing the funds to her. I did send the check to **. [redacted] as soon as I was aware that I had authority to release the funds.I do agree that the email was sent to the Lakeforest Title & Escrow general email and I am sorry that I did not personally see it as soon as it was received. I apologize for the oversight. I do not agree that I lied to **. [redacted] or agree with her contention that I intentionally held on to her funds to collect the interest. My escrow account is a MAHT account and therefore neither Lakeforest Title nor I receive any interest on funds held in escrow, All of the interest earned goes to the State of Maryland. I do not fee! the need to respond to her contention about my ethics or business practices. I have been practicing real estate law for 28 years and rarely have any issues with buyers or sellers. I try my best to serve both buyers and sellers to make the settlement experience a positive one. I was not aware that **. [redacted] was unhappy until I received your letter yesterday. I am sorry for any inconvenience I may have caused her. However, please be aware that even with the delay, **. [redacted]’s funds were release to her in 3 business days, which in my opinion is reasonable.Please feel free contact me at anytime if you need any further information regarding this matter.

Consumer

Response:

Good Afternoon,

This lawyer is not being thrutful since in the email from June 11 he in fact responded only 2 minutes later to the buyer and wrote "understood" when the buyer authorized the deposit release. In his response on June 16 he claims he was not aware, this is the part in which he lies. The document attached proves that he responded and just was not honest about this and not honest enough to recognized that he did received it on the 11 of June. Is this a trick to keep deposits longer to obtain more interests?

After I sent his own email back to him on June 16 he still denied having received anything, however two days later he did send the deposit back to me. The point to make here is that lawyers like him take advantage of people and keep their deposits in order to continue making moneys with the interests that these deposits provide. I am certain that many people do not even complain to avoid the grief of complaining itself.

Besides this, he also ignored my email on June 7 when I first asked for my deposit.

It is not fair to do what he does and the system needs to keep an eye on people like this, so no abuse is done to anyone.

I feel sorry for his future clients.

[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved] Review: 10133309I am rejecting this response because:Regards,[redacted]

Business

Response:

July 22,2014Dear [redacted]:Enclosed you will find a copy of a letter dated July 11,2014 from [redacted]. This letter responds to our inquiry concerning your complaint.The jurisdiction of this office is generally limited to reviewing conduct that may be in violation of the Maryland Rules of Professional Conduct, established for lawyers who practice in Maryland. I have considered your complaint and the attorney's response. I do not find a sufficient basis for this office to take further action. I am therefore constrained to close the file at this time.Very truly yours.