Richard Ashford

Findings — machine-extracted (anthropic-batch:claude-opus-4-8); verify against the decision

Richard Ashford, an unadmitted conveyancing clerk (Associate Director) at Fox Hayes LLP, conducted purchases for buyers of MP-associated investment properties and failed to inform lender clients of price discounts/gifted deposits which bore the hallmarks of mortgage fraud. He also failed to notify a lender of price reductions in four AW purchases at Sackville Street. He did not attend or defend the proceedings, indicating a Section 43 Order was not an issue for him. The Tribunal made a Section 43(2) Order (regulatory, not punitive) and ordered him to pay costs of £11,983.14. No express finding of dishonesty was made.

Duties found breached:

• No taking unfair advantage
• No conflict between current clients
• Handle inadvertently received material