The Truth About Holborn Assets & Holborn Property Investments

The Managing Partner in Hong Kong wants to discuss problems… I ain’t doing it!

In PT1 we looked at a number of issues surrounding the Managing Director including underhand tactics, vindictive lies, racist behaviour etc, in this chapter we will look specifically at the lies told, the effect it had on, not only myself but the company and clients. Due to legal threats of data protection breaches amongst many other things, I can’t name specific individuals in my posts, rather than keep referring to, the “managing director of Holborn Assets Property”, for the purpose of my post we’ll just refer to this individual as PeeWee as its shorter.

This is going to be an extremely longwinded chapter as there are many many lies, so I will split this into several parts. I will detail my first hand experience of PeeWee and we will also have a guest with a comprehensive industry knowledge shed some interesting light on PeeWee’s CV in a further chapter.

Eventually through the Employment Tribunal, I have finally been provided with the excuses used to dismiss me from my role. It has taken Holborn Assets from 27th September 2022 to 17th April 2023 to create and finally provide a reason beyond, “its not working out”, and dumping me like a cheap tinder date!

The excuses that were fabricated for my dismissal were;

• persistent failure to comply with reasonable management requirements/instructions.
• Failure to discharge his duties
• That his activity contributed to a high level of complaints from both clients and consultants
• Failure to engage and communicate with interested parties about these complaints.

Ironically, I’ve been dismissed for essentially not doing my job according to PeeWee. A serious case of “people in glass houses”.

Below I am going to transcribe an actual voicemail, word for word, left on my phone by PeeWee. This voicemail was left for me after the Managing Partner of Hong Kong approached PeeWee to discuss issues with a development in Birmingham. The developer of this project had gone into administration and PeeWee had promised personal “independent reports” on all historic projects (which never materialised), and there was a request to discuss the problems in further detail. A zoom call was requested by the Managing Partner of Hong Kong with PeeWee as their was a high number of clients invested in this project from this region. PeeWee declined this request and advised it had to be me who did this meeting. His voicemail was left 12th September 2022 as follows;

“Hi there (my name) its err PeeWee, you’ll see there is an email to you from (Managing Partner from HK) regarding Westminster Works, I’ve already been on the phone with (Sales & Training manager name) this morning, obviously trying to trace and get some sort of understanding of what the bloody hell is going on with it. Errr he wants someone to be on a call tomorrow at 4.30 HK time that is, I’ not going to be able to do that because I’m heading down west to look at a site. Can you please jump on that call and you just got to be honest and say, look we really are trying to get the detail, I can remember the name of the guy that you’ve been trying, I dont know if its a guy or a woman even with the name that they’ve got, (name) or whatever it is. Erm but erm jump on the call and just say, look we really are trying our best to get some communication but the biggest problem is that obviously the company is underwater, so erm, we’re very much having to deal third hand, there is nobody that has a sense of urgency about it, erm and the other thing is, I need to try and keep arms length on it ‘coz I’ve got a horrible feeling thats delivering some bad news…. Can you respond to (Managing Partner Hong Kong) to say you’re jumping on the call… Alright, leave it with you”.

So ironically, PeeWee falsely accused me of not engaging and communicating with complaints, but refused to engage in complaints and went to visit his friend in Devon instead. Talk about priorities 6 weeks into the job!

The rest of this chapter will follow in the same manner. I’ve been extremely fortunate that despite his efforts to lie and manipulate situations, he has been clever enough to put everything in writing!

Outsourcing of job

On 20th August 2022 PeeWee announced on WhatsApp companywide that “EVERY project will be reviewed by ‘walking the bricks’ by me personally, DD carried out by (name of PeeWee associate) my colleague who is extremely professional and experienced.”

So the CEO announced his friend of 20 years as a “seasoned property executive” (despite his actual background being conservatory sales for Everest Windows & Doors) and his number 2 being enrolled to complete project due diligence who is extremely experienced.

Yet.. as per a press release announcing a new partnership with Centrick, it would appear PeeWee has managed to outsource his job as Centrick will now, “work with them to identify developments, and developers, that present strong investment opportunities for Holborn’s new and existing clients and ensure that comprehensive due diligence is done to create the best investments for Holborn’s global clients.

“In addition to sourcing and due diligence for potential developments and developers Centrick will also provide property and lettings management for Holborn clients and investors post acquisition.“

In summary, sourcing, finding new developers, presenting opportunities, Due diligence, lettings and management post acquisition have ALL BEEN OUTSOURCED TO AN EXTERNAL PROVIDER.

Quite a contradiction in comparison to the promises made by PeeWee.

The theme of people “failing to discharge their duties” will continue throughout this chapter… but I’m not the subject as people have been lead to believe!

PeeWee and the boys club.

As we were informed and recorded in our only team meeting, Holborn Assets would now be selling commercial property in Plymouth and Salt Ash from “an amazing guy”.

The guy who’s stock that was being sold through Holborn was a friend and business partner of PeeWee.

Coincidentally, its not just developers who have a close & personal connection with PeeWee. It transpires that PeeWee has a good friend and a personal relationship with a solicitor. Said firm of solicitors, based in PeeWee’s home town, has now been instructed to act on behalf of all clients purchasing property from Holborn Assets. They are the nominated solicitor to act on hundreds of property purchases every year.

Furthermore…. They’re the same firm, in PeeWee’s home town, that are representing Holborn Assets in their defence of my employment claim. A close personal friend who’s firm have threatened me a multitude of legal action and regulatory breaches.

So in summary….

CEO = Friend of 20 years

62 club = Close friends “because we’re all 62”

Solicitors = Friends

Commercial Property being sold = Friend & “amazing guy”.

Bias? Conflict of interest? Pockets being lined?

This boys club doesn’t appear very “independent”!

Part 2 to follow.