A lawyer struck off for overcharging a client almost $500,000 has a long history of complaints against him.
Eoin Castles was found guilty of five charges, including misconduct and incompetence, and was struck off in February this year.
The Lawyers and Conveyances Disciplinary Tribunal says Castles has a history of over-charging with 18 complaints over 25 years. In half the cases, his fees were reduced.
In its latest decision, the tribunal found that Castles charged $1,030,000 for legal work on a Remuera leaky home when the work should have cost $460,000.
The clients had to sell their home to pay their legal bills.
The tribunal ordered Castles to pay pack $482,000.
However, the clients are unlikely to see the money as Castles turned in his practising certificate and filed for bankruptcy shortly before the penalty hearing in February.
