Advertising Standards Authority Rules Title Research Adverts To Be Misleading Following Complaint By Finders

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has today published its final adjudication on a complaint made by Finders against Title Research. The ASA ruled in favour of Finders and upheld its complaint that Title Research’s advertisement breached rules on truthfulness and substantiation.

London, UK (PRUnderground) January 21st, 2010

Finders is a professional firm of international probate genealogists and it works mainly with solicitors wishing to trace beneficiaries identified in wills or upon intestacy. Its main business is that of identifying and tracing unknown or missing heirs and beneficiaries worldwide. Finders’ success rate in this field is currently around 97%.

Finders’ complaint against Title Research – also a probate genealogy firm – was that its advertising campaign falsely suggested it was the “first” to deliver results for clients for a fixed fee. The ASA agreed with Finders’ complaint that this assertion is false, given that Finders has offered a fixed fee/money back option on missing heir services since 1997, compared to Title Research’s 2009.

Finders’ also complained that Title Research’s advertisement falsely suggested that they offered a service to repatriate overseas assets from foreign jurisdictions back to the UK on a fixed fee/money back basis while Finders’ did not. The ASA upheld Finders’ complaint, and agreed that Title Research’s assertions were misleading as Finders offers this service while Title Research does not.

The ASA’s decision vindicates Finders’ complaints with the advertising undertaken by Title Research, on the grounds that it made false claims which Title Research cannot substantiate. It highlights how Title Research have been undertaking advertising practices consumers may find misleading.

This is Finders’ second complaint against Title Research which has been upheld by the ASA. Commenting, on the decision, Daniel Curran, Managing Director, Finders, said:

“At a time of growing consumer interest in inheritance and in tracing heirs, it is important that consumers are provided with accurate information which will enable them to make informed choices about the services they use to help them identify and trace heirs, or locate people who may be beneficiaries.

“Title Research’s advertisement only serves to undermine clarity around how the services offered by professional probate genealogists work. I am pleased that the ASA has upheld our complaint against Title Research on the grounds that it is misleading, and I urge consumers to examine consumer evidence when choosing to employ the services of a professional probate genealogy firm.

“Finders’ has an excellent track-record, with ninety-two percent of Finders’ clients rating the service they received as either Very Good or Excellent in a survey of customers between 2006 and 2009. Finders’ also has several independent accreditations including the Association of Professional Genealogists. Together these demonstrate the quality of service we are able to offer our clients – lawyers, trustees, executors or administrators and personal representatives – in providing clear expertise and effectively helping them through the often formidable task of indentifying and tracing heirs and locating missing or unknown beneficiaries, and we strongly advocate the provision of clear, accurate information to consumers about the services available to them.”

1. To find out more about Finders please visit the Finders website at www.findersuk.com
2. Details of the ASA decision can be found at: www.asa.org.uk
3. Please direct any queries to Samina Ansari on 020 7067 0325 or
sansari@webershandwick.com

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