No win, no fee terms

If your landlord has failed to deal with problems in your home, you may be entitled to bring a housing disrepair claim without having to pay legal fees upfront.

We offer eligible tenants a No Win, No Fee arrangement, meaning you can pursue a claim without paying our legal fees as the case progresses. If your claim is unsuccessful, you will not normally have to pay our legal fees, provided you have complied with the terms of your agreement.

If your claim succeeds, most of your legal costs will usually be recovered from your landlord. Depending on the outcome, certain deductions may be made from your compensation. We explain these to you before you agree to proceed, so you understand the financial implications from the outset.

Below, we explain how our funding arrangements work, what you may pay if your claim is successful and the protection available if your case is unsuccessful.

How the agreement works

A No Win, No Fee agreement allows you to pursue a housing disrepair claim without having to fund your solicitor’s work yourself at the beginning of the case.

The formal name for this arrangement is a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). It sets out the circumstances in which legal fees become payable and explains your responsibilities throughout the claim.

Under our arrangements:

  • No upfront legal fees: You do not pay for our legal services as your claim progresses.

  • Protection if your claim fails: If your claim is unsuccessful and you have complied with the terms of your CFA, you will not be liable for our legal fees.

  • Recovery of legal costs: If you win, we will seek to recover your legal costs from your landlord, where recoverable.

  • Clear information about deductions: If any amount is payable from your compensation, we explain the relevant charges and deductions to you.

A success fee may apply if your claim is successfully resolved, and would be applied on any compensation awarded to you for your pain, suffering and loss of amenity and past financial losses. The precise amount and applicable limits will be explained in your funding agreement.

For independent information about these arrangements, you can consult the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s guidance for consumers on No Win, No Fee agreements.

If your claim is unsuccessful↑ Back to top

We understand that tenants may be concerned about the financial consequences of pursuing a claim against their landlord.

Under our No Win, No Fee arrangement, if your claim is unsuccessful and you have complied with the terms of your CFA, you will not have to pay our legal fees for the work undertaken on your case.

There are ATE insurance policies available, where appropriate, which are designed to cover specified adverse costs and insured disbursements, subject to the policy terms, conditions, exclusions and limits.

This means you can explore your legal options without having to pay our legal fees upfront. Before proceeding, we will explain how the agreement and insurance work together and identify any relevant conditions or exclusions.

After the Event insurance↑ Back to top

Where appropriate, After the Event (ATE) insurance may be available to protect you against certain legal costs should your claim be unsuccessful, including at trial. The availability and extent of cover will depend on the terms of the policy. We can discuss the suitability of ATE insurance with you in detail, explaining how it works, the protection it may provide and any applicable costs, conditions or limitations before you decide whether to proceed.