Petition to wind up UKLI Limited
1. The Finchampstead Society28/04/2008 11:21:58
UKLI have become UKLII, see:
http://www.uklii.com/
It is also interesting to read the faint blue small print at the bottom of UKLII's web pages:
"UK Land Investments International is solely for International clients based in the GCC, Middle East, Canada and Asia.
The products of UK Land Investments International are not to be marketed to persons in the UK or the USA and as such does not fall under the jurisdiction of the FSA, OSC or the SEC."
So the FSA appears to have driven them offshore along with various other reincarnations of landbanking companies that used to be based in the UK.
For some time now I have been lobbying for a change in UK planning law which would require planning permission to be obtained by persons or companies seeking to subdivide land in 1 ownership into smaller plots of less than 1 hectare. Does anyone posting on this site have any comments to make on this suggestion or any alternative ideas on how to completely stop unregulated offshore landbanking companies operating in the UK beyond the FSA's jurisdiction?
2. Steve Sharp28/04/2008 11:46:09
This may be difficult to police from the UK, but for those interested, the following are affiliated to UKLI's Mayfair operation. Apologies, this may be common knowledge but its useful.
UKLII : the 'international' UKLI, based in Dubai I believe (look at their contact page on the website)
UKLI.in or UKLI PVT: the 'india' operation, some of the claims on this site are laughable...I hope Indian investors are more sophisticated than UKLI assumes!
UKLII have or had an operation in Malaysia and Hong Kong, as far as Im aware they are still promoting and selling into this arena
Another UKLI affiliate is ST James's Land International, with operations in UK, Kuwait and South Africa, it looks to me from these websites, that some of the sales pitch is similiar to the main UKLI business model....ie, when the land is rezoned your return is 300% etc.
Lets hope that all these companies get closed down before investors losses are too great to recoup!
Regards
Steve
3. Bhavin Morjaria28/04/2008 21:29:45
I guess i MIGHT be lucky as i have paid a deposit of 1500.00 to UKLI LTD by credit card for a plot in buckden that i was going to purchase in March 2008 but changed my mind within the cooling off period(Thank god) for personal reasons.I haven't got my refund though i was assured on 16th April 08 that i would get my refund by 30th April 2008.I just found out this news today so i am not sure what happens now. I would like to know what are my options?Please put me in the right direction. 
4. Kin Hong28/04/2008 21:29:57
Homepage: http://www.uklii.com
UKLI International site www.uklii.com which is owned by UKLI is still operating and this is not good. They are operating in Malaysia, Hong Kong and Singapore. The site should be shutted down as well.
5. PRAVIN BHARAT JOSHI29/04/2008 06:03:56
Inspite of being an ADVOCATE practicing in the property matters for more than 25 years in Pune, Maharashtra, India, I - personally - was engulfed into near-buying situation from New Addington scheme allegedly being promoted by the company !!.
A thin liner promising and alluring point in the entire ball game was a Search Report issued by the company which bears government seal etc. which FALSELY clears any doubts of a person AND OF A PROFESSIONAL ALSO about the title of the property !!!.
This tantamounts to using government published document to allure a person for investment and this practise MUST be curbed.
In India, a person is left at his own peril to search title of a property and take his own decision at his cost and consequces.
An advocate in India - then - is put under obligation by his client to take search and give title opinion to him.
A deceit of highest order thus knows no barriers or borders.
Personally, I was about to hand over the cheque of 10000 GBP and it's my luck that I refrained myself from doing so banking purely on my hunches and NOT PROFESSIONALY !!!.
Aparently, UKLI operations in India are still continued. Last week also, I received a call from the UKLI India Pvt. Ltd. persuing me to book the plot thus hiding the present scenerio in this matter.
God bless those who are coned into this AND Hon'ble Justice takes this point into consideration while disposing of the petition.
6. Steve Sharp29/04/2008 07:36:27
I would point any investor with UKLI to seek urgent legal counsel, you may have to submit to the administrators as soon as possible before the winding up hearing begins. I do feel it unlikely that anyone will see their money again as UKLI apparently do not have funds. Read the auditors resignation letter elsewhere on this site and at companies house....
[This part of the comment redacted]
Regards
Steve
7. Steve Sharp29/04/2008 08:25:58
I note that UKLI.in has undergone some overnight revision and reworking, no doubt in light of the situation with the parent company. Some of their wilder claims about building on your plot have disappeared!
Steve
8. comment posted by [removed]29/04/2008 13:07:44
[comment removed - see PropertySCAM comments policy]
9. Chandra Patel30/04/2008 11:20:00
I was directed to this website by a freind of mine who knew, I'd invested with UKLI, I was horrified to see such comments and so I decided to see what I could do about it, I went to see them, understand their business model, their practice and meet the people to give them a piece of my mind.
But after hearing the other end of the story and researching the facts, I can tell you theygave me peace of mind. I'm very comfortable with the investment as all was explained to me before and the people still treat me with utmost professional courtesy.
There are a number of rogue companies out there but you need to check the following before buying which UKLI pointed out to me:
Does the council have land for housing, if so till when?
What is the housing shortage in the area?
have any such sites been allocated before (see Milton Keynes)
What is the house price?
Do you have upto 7-10 years to invest
Is the amount affordable, since all investments should be done with surplus funds.
How do they calculate the returns?
What is the exit strategy...
I was impressed with their openness, their honesty and professional conduct
I do not think all companies should be tarnished with the same brush.
I even heard their sales pitch recordings at their office, no misselling detected!
Yes the saying is the grass is always greener on the other side, but this site does not comment on the fact that developers like George Wimpey and Barrats have land banked for ages, or that greenfield and greenbelt developments are happening, the end is nie is all I get from this site.
Until they don't have a track record any company is a question mark, DLF in India is only trusted today because they have a track record.
I think people need to be aware of the facts and rogue companies but my experience and understanding leads me to believe not everyone is the same.
I think for investors rather than go down the road of character assasinations, one interested in finding an exit need only call and ask, they helped my brother with a resale when he needed funds, so maybe, just maybe not everyone is out to get you.
If I can help anyone, as a courtesy, I'm happy to guide you in the right direction
Chandra
10. comment posted by [removed]30/04/2008 13:01:20
[comment removed - see PropertySCAM comments policy]
11. UKLI investor30/04/2008 14:30:56
Also, what do you propose to do with your land now? Who will be working on your behalf to gain planning permission NOW? The company is bust, all the 'experts in Land' Brian Smith, Derek Lawrence and co have departed, probably making a small fortune whilst lieing to all the people that invested with UKLI. In essence the whole operation was a sham from start to finish.
12. comment posted by UKLI investor30/04/2008 15:35:29
I am another victem of UKLI, tried to Call UKLI agent i was dealing with and UKLI and the Administrators. Majority of UKLI Investors are unaware of all this story,,,,,,,,not sure what gona heppen to our investment,,,,
13. chandra patel30/04/2008 17:38:32
Its a very one sided view,
I asked them to come onto the forum and respond to the amount of untruths, they covered each point with me in person, but they said they are not after a slanging match. this site is not based on substance but spin by a few who have nothing better to do then create negativity rather than find a solution.
The solution is not to be angry, but be calm and rational, if one has invested they own the freehold title
the site if sold internationally means that there is a stake in it by the international companies, so no doubt they will continue to pay for promotion from offshore, the site is lobbyed by local professionals, who have track records and the clients still own the investment and they still benfit from the returns.
No buisness grows to shut down, or to create enemies, i'm sure from what i've seen efforts are being made to fight it, since if its such a cash cow, i'm sure no one would be sat on a beach.
I've met the people who you talk ill of it seems you haven't, not only are they available to discuss, but also to find solutions, i have friends who i introduced, who later sold their land on through them for profit, if these guys have indeed moved funds offshre then surely as investors we are lucky that they have a back up plan and can still promote the sites, surely we'd be royally f**ked if they kept it here?
There's always two sides to the story, speak to them and understand the truth rather than speculate
and finally they are available for all their clients, how come i can get on the phone everytime, who cant get through? i'll get them to call you.
If you want help to resolve your case dont air your dirty laundry or talk down of people, the pitch was clean from the start and they made no false promises, if people bought who are not avid investors then that's not to say they were swindled.
The regulation has caused the company difficulties agreed, but no one is left lost, rather than waste time posting and confusing investors, why not try to help and point them in the right direction.
Negativity always sells, throw enough mud and something is bound to stick - good game plan, but i'm not convinced.
I'm not pro anyone, just want a fair opinion which I don't see here 
14. The Finchampstead Society30/04/2008 20:49:24
13. Chandra - may I ask if you are a UK investor in UKLI, an overseas UKLI investor in UKLI or an employee of an overseas UKLI associated company?
15. comment posted by [removed]01/05/2008 06:58:50
[comment removed - see PropertySCAM comments policy]
16. UKLI investor01/05/2008 09:19:28
Chandra,
can you please tell what will happen to the Investment, and the plots people bought in UKLI sites, if you are free hold owner of plot of Land, then leagaly you are owner??????
17. chandra patel01/05/2008 17:08:43
Finally a good question,
If like me you are an investor, then your main concern should be, is my investment safe, is my money lost and the answer is no.
You own the freehold title irrespective of the company remaining or not, had one bought a share certificate in a company then you'd own something worthless.
Yes your investment will only mature if it acheives a change of land use, the idea this will happen automatically or through some type of plot owners association is wishful thinking since theres no coordinated effort, no one will give up their land and no one wants to spend more
It wont happen automatically with time, since the coucil does not come to you, unless they give approval to a site further than yours and you by chance fall within that site and the LDF.
how can the site be promoted and provide us the returns needed?
1) every owner spends say 1,000 and puts it with a regulated person (fund manager) who then pays say a planning consultancy to take it forward - this applies to companies that have dissapeared completely and where clients have no other option - it depends on the site potential, but there is a chance.
2) As for UKLI, they have given large sections of the sites to companies internationally with whom they have MOU's or agreements, who buy and sell on, such companies have funds and stakes in the site and can promote or pay for the promotion without being under the fsa CIS legislation.
These people haven't built up an empire to have it shut down so easily.
I'm not a Malaysian Director, but to Recky, I would say if you haven't bought then fine this is not for you, you obviously dont beleive in the concept that developers have used for ages, and the facts that greenfield sites or greenbelt is being built on has obviously surpassed you, whether the sites sold have the potential or not only time will tell, i will eitehr join your camp or happily remain on this side of the fence, with returns and pitying those who took to your subjective opinion.
I am a UK investor to the Finchampstead society who wish to know my origin, not an employee, but someone who did my homework before buying.
The finchampstead site was a good one, i missed out on it, unfortunately, it was put forward before UKLI bought it and scored quite highly with the planning officer. Locally I appreciate no one wants development on their doorstep but reality is they need to build houses somewhere, wokingham has a need of 450 houses a year, you can build maybe a 150 at most on that site so it has a good a chance as any, specially since it falls out of the special area designated for nesting birds. all of England has pipes and services running under it, the developer would make that part of the site a road or open space, and not build houses on it, but it would not affect the planning app.
I only know so much because they were so detailed in their explanations and understanding of the planning laws. Why have open seminars if they were fooling people?
For those making wild claims, there is one shareholder who could have made all the money namely Bally Chohan, any others mentioned just do a job, yes some have been there for longer. I met him too, charming, young, ambitious, maybe overly confident but I feel he can make my money grow and I have had no one dodge my calls or hide away, surely if they were crooks or conmen, then now would be the best time to blame the fsa or administrators and dissapear? but to take on the promotion or assets and answer calls suggests that there is a ethical stance here and not a personal agenda.
Sorry for the length of the note, but maybe all this research has made me a bit of an expert in land 
18. comment posted by [removed]02/05/2008 00:09:12
[comment removed - see PropertySCAM comments policy]
Articles
-