Empire

I put down a 55k deposit down on an off plan apartment, which was due for practical completion in Q3 2021. Prior to this date we were informed the build was very behind schedule and kept new dates which subsequently stopped as they don’t have any practical completion date. Only recently after multiple follow ups we received an email that it’s in progress to complete by end of 2023 (2+ years delay). The long stop date was 31 Dec 2022 by when I began the process of rescinding the contract which now stands terminated as on 8th Feb 2023. I also paid our Solicitors fees to proceed with this. We were informed the that the process was well underway and that we would get our refund soon (28days from 8th Feb - which is 8th March). About 2 weeks have now passed beyond the contractual date to return this money and there are still no signs of a refund. We were also informed that the unit has to be resold before we can receive a refund which is not stipulated anywhere in the original contract. They are clearly in "Legal Breach of Contract" but dont seem to be doing much to return my hard earned money. I wish they see this review and enables them to reconsider their approach and return peoples money they are contractually due

Ringway Newcastle development has been a shambles. Q2 2022 original completion date, Q3 2023 and still not completed. Failure to return deposit. Contract states deposit repayment would be made within 28 days. 2 months later I am still chasing. Failed to acknowledge or respond to any emails

I recently purchased a property built by Empire and purchased though Solomon Investment Partners. My overall experience has left much to be desired. Here's a breakdown of the issues I've faced: 1. Prolonged Completion Delay: My property's completion was delayed by a staggering 8 months. 2. Misleading Financing Information: The property was initially marketed as eligible for 75% Loan-to-Value (LTV) financing. However, upon completion, none of the 5 (FIVE!!) mortgage brokers I reached out to could secure any mortgage, and bridging loans less than 12 months term with a 75% LTV were also out of reach. Numerous lenders offering bridging loans rejected my applications, all of them citing property-related issues. 3. Deposit in Peril: The rejection of different loans due to reasons connected to the builder have placed me in a precarious situation, jeopardizing the entire deposit since it seems to be hard to meet the date of completion. I have diligently fulfilled all my obligations throughout this ordeal. 4. Unsubstantiated BMV Claim: The property was marketed as being 10% Below Market Value (BMV). However, no evidence or contact information for the valuer responsible for this assessment can be given. Lenders have rejected loans due to a lack of comparable properties sold at a similar price point.

We were due to purchase a flat in Halifax and was told it was mortgageable. We tried with two separate mortgage companies both with the same outcome. The flat was down valued on both valuations. So we could not proceed.

Stay away from Solomons Investment Partners and Paul Rothwell who owns Empire, do not trust or buy anything from them. I can see from the other reviews, it isn’t just the Linacre House, Bootle development which has major issues. In this case the site is not physically finished and they expected us to completed. Just some of the issues, damp across the whole site, roof leaking, outbuildings in derelict state, car park unfinished, building entrances unfinished, outside rendering incomplete, no landscaping to garden areas, debris throughout the site and etc. Also unable to find a lender, the valuation report valued the units significantly under the market price. It looks like empire ran out of money on this project, because all contractors have already left the unfinished site, and now empire are putting pressure on investors to complete to gain some capital back. It a complete mess! Solomons don’t want to help and Paul Rothwell (Empire) are not trustworthy! Stay away from these type of companies and investments!