At Pidham Solicitors we believe Access to Legal Advice and Assistance is a right that every individual should enjoy. Our Professional Fees are affordable and tailored to our clients’ particular needs.

We have a Legal Aid contract and we are able to offer Legal Aid to eligible individuals in relation to certain housing matters.

Legal aid can help meet the costs of legal advice and representation in a court or tribunal. You will need to show that:

• your case is eligible for legal aid
• the problem is serious
• you cannot afford to pay for legal costs

You could for example get legal aid if:

• you or your family are at risk of losing your home, for example there is order for sale of your home
• you are at risk of homelessness or losing your home

To check if you qualify for Legal Aid please visit the gov.uk eligibility calculator: https://civil-eligibility-calculator.justice.gov.uk/

If you are not eligible for legal aid, we charge an initial fixed consultation fee of £100 (+ 20% VAT) during which we can provide you with an initial assessment of your circumstances and prospects of success and likely damages if successful. We will advise you on the law and the way forward in relation to your matter. Thereafter we try to undertake work on a fixed fee basis where ever we can so that you are able to budget and make informed decisions.

Our charges do not include costs of instructing experts, i.e. surveyors, accountants, medical experts or interpreters. You will be advised about any additional disbursements when necessary.

At Pidham Solicitors we offer fixed fee arrangements where appropriate and this could be in the form of a single fixed fee, stage by stage fixed fee or an instalment basis fixed fee. For fixed fee arrangements, payment must be made fully at the outset, unless a separate arrangement for the payment has been agreed. If you cannot afford to pay our fee in full at the time of instructing us in relation to your matter, you may be able to pay part of the fee at the time of instructing us and the rest of the fee should be paid within 30 days.

For further advice and information on our fees in housing law matters, contact us on 0208 534 6287 or email address info@pidhamsolicitors.co.uk

Disbursements

You will be required to pay any expenses paid or to be paid to a third party in the conduct of your matter (including any VAT element), except office expenses such as postage and courier fees.

Such expenses are usually called disbursements and you will be required to pay them directly to the relevant third party (other person or body) directly.

Barrister Fees: We expect the barrister’s fee to come in between £800-£2,500 per day (plus 20% VAT), however, we have little control over this fee and the cost can vary quite widely depending on the complexity and stage of your case. It also depends on the chambers from which your barrister is selected and their seniority or experience. We will advise you of the name and status of the barrister(s) that we will be recommending and so you will have a say in who represents you and the costs you incur.

Experts: Costs for medical experts are variable depending on the complexity of your case. The likely costs for an expert range from £250 – £1,200 per hour (plus 20% VAT).

For further advice and information on our fees in family law matters, contact us on 0208 534 6287 or email us at info@pidhamsolicitors.com.