Peter Bevis Of Highland Titles Linkedin Profile Jiggery-Pokery

In the last post we saw how Stewart Borland of Highland Titles changed his Linkedin profile to portray a different take on his position shortly after the post went up. Peter Bevis of Highland Titles has also recently changed his Linkedin profile  to tell a different story to the previous one.

In March this year Mr Bevis claimed his current position was "Trustee at The Highland Titles Charitable Trust for Scotland".

And the summary read, "Retired from normal business, I am now devoting my time to running a small charity the Highland Titles Charitable Trust for Scotland ...."

Now (April) the claim is "Managing Director at Highland Titles Limited"

And the summary reads "Retired from normal business life, I am now devoting my time to running a small business Highland Titles ..... "

It seems Mr Bevis might no longer involved with the Highland Titles Charitable Trust for Scotland, or perhaps he'd rather not be associated with it any more?

The logical conclusion would seem to be, that nothing on either profile should be taken at face value. They seem to change at a whim to reflect  more what they want the reader to believe than anything approaching reality. Should people who can't even tell a consistent story on their own public profiles by trusted to be involved in the running of a charity?

Linkedin Profile Extract For Peter Bevis on March 22nd 2014

 

Linkedin Profile Extract For Peter Bevis on April 19th 2014

 

Stewart Borland Of Highland Titles Nature Reserve Review

Update

My thanks to the sender of a note to point out that Mr Borland posted his Tripadvisor review before he actually worked for Highland Titles. The review was posted on 2nd August, I understand Mr Borland took up his position with Highland Titles later that same month. This report should therefore not be taken as a deliberate deception, but more perhaps forgetfulness in not contacting Tripadvisor to let them know of the position. As always I'm happy for it to be pointed out if it looks like I have made an error, and am quite happy to correct any issues. My sincere apologies to Mt Borland if I have suggested any deliberate deception on his part if this was not so.

Remember in this post we found that William Melnyk, a Highland Titles distributor in the USA, had a review published of the Highland Titles nature reserve on Tripadvisor against Tripadvisor rules? .... I can report that Highland Titles employee Stewart Borland also had a review of the nature reserve posted.

Stewart Borland from Ballachullish, of the HIghland Titles sales and marketing department, better known as their "meet & greet" man for their nature reserve, has also had his Tripadvisir review removed for violating Tripadvisor rules by having a review of the property of his employers.

The reviewers user name was CraigavonCottage, and guess what? ... yes ... Highland Titles employee Stewart, runs Craigavon Cottage as a self-catering holiday home.

Stewart Borland's "Craigavon Cottage" Highland Titles Nature Reserve Review

 

 

Further Update

Well well ... Stewart seems to have changed his Linkedin profile shortly after this post was published, apparently he's now a volunteer. Errrr Stewart, were you being a bit short on the truth before, or are you being a bit short of the truth now?

Stewart's Profile Before This Article

 Stewart's Profile After This Article

Highland Titles Charitable Trust For Scotland Misleading Says Scottish Charity Regulator

Fresh from the revelations by the Advertising Standards Authority that advertising about Scottish titles by Highland Titles is misleading, now the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator has found the Highland Titles Charitable Trust For Scotland to be misleading. Not only that, but the judgement also claims that Highland Titles Ltd was thought to be falsely presenting themselves as a charity in December 2012.

“On 3rd April 2014, OSCR issued a direction under Section 31(5) of the 2005 Act requiring Mr Peter Bevis to stop representing the ‘The Highland Titles Charitable Trust for Scotland’ as a charity registered in Scotland."

The story starts here:

http://www.oscr.org.uk/news-and-events/latest-news/highland-titles-charitable-trust-for-scotland/

The full judgement can be seen in pdf format here:

http://www.oscr.org.uk/media/472678/2014-04-03_s33_report_the_highland_titles_charitable_trust_for_scotland.pdf

"As a result of inquiries made under section 28 of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 (the 2005 Act) it appears to OSCR that a body known as The Highland Titles Charitable Trust for Scotland has been misrepresenting itself as a charity in Scotland."

We can see from the judgement that Highland Titles were thought in the past by OSCR, to be misrepresenting Highland Titles Ltd (a full for profit limited company) as a charity.

"OSCR initially received a complaint in December 2012 alleging that a body known as Highland Titles was misrepresenting itself as a Scottish charity. On receipt OSCR took action to warn Mr Peter Bevis that this was misrepresentation and should be amended."

 Some quotations from the judgement:

"In Addition, although the organisation is registered in another jurisdiction OSCR takes the view that where a body carries out activities in any office, shop or similar premises in Scotland, the 2005 Act provides that it may not represent itself as a charity even where it is registered as such under the law of another country.

It is not therefore entitled to refer to itself as a "charity" or "Scottish charity" or to use in its name words which imply such a status."

The Highland Titles Charitable Trust for Scotland is registered in Guernsey, and as such is completely and utterly unaccountable, not required to reveal anything about its activities other than the name and address. They should not be representing themselves in any way as a Scottish charity.

"A person, who without reasonable excuse refuses or fails to comply with a direction under section 31(5) of the 2005 Act is guilty of an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale (currently £5000) or imprisonment for a period not exceeding 6 months or to both."

Feel free to report anywhere you seen this charity representing itself as a Scottish charity, to the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator. info@oscr.org.uk