Services Lawyers: Find a Solicitor

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I have been given a poor service

Steps to follow Have you received poor service from a plumber, builder or other provider of services? If so, is your complaint about the quality of work, the time it took to... more

I need advice with a mental health issue

Steps to follow  If you feel you have a mental health problem, your first stop should be your GP. They can provide advice or refer you for specialist services. Professionals who... more

I have a problem with my bank

Steps to follow If you think your bank is treating you unfairly – eg overcharging you for a service or selling you a product without explaining the risks – your first move... more

I have a dispute (customers and suppliers)

Steps to follow Are you in dispute with a customer over goods or services that you supplied, or are you a customer who is dissatisfied with your supplier? The best solution is to try to... more

Rights of carers

If you are a carer who looks after a relative, friend or neighbour who needs support because of their sickness, age or disability, you have a number of rights at work and you may be... more

I need help with a contract

Steps to follow A contract is an agreement between two or more persons, which gives rise to obligations that are enforceable by law. Has an offer been made? In legal parlance, an... more

Dealing with consumers

Relevant legislation If you’re a trader who sells to consumers, under the Sale of Goods Act 1979 (SOGA) you must ensure the goods you sell are: as described; fit for the purpose... more

I need help with an elderly relative

Steps to follow If you have an elderly relative who increasingly needs looking after and you’re responsible for sorting out their care, you must first decide where they are going to... more

Do I need a lawyer? (personal)

There are many ways to resolve legal problems, the overwhelming majority of which do not involve going to court and some of which do not require the attention of a solicitor. Having... more

I have a dispute with a builder

Steps to follow If you feel your building work has been botched or isn’t finished, first work out who your contract is with. This could be the builder, architect/ structural... more

I have a pension issue

Steps to follow What kind of pension do you have? Is it an occupational pension, a personal pension, a state pension or a stakeholder pension? The type of help you can receive depends on... more

Problems with goods and services

Goods  All consumers have rights when they buy faulty goods from someone acting in the course of trade, although the type of rights you have may depend on what you bought and how... more

I am having problems with my local council

Steps to follow Call the council and tell them you want to make a complaint. They will be able to tell you which department you need to complain to and who in that department you should... more

I am bankrupt

Steps to follow Do you have debts which you are totally unable to repay? You can declare yourself bankrupt which is a means of clearing debts you can’t pay. If you owe... more

I have a problem with my pension

Steps to follow If you have a problem with your state pension, first contact your pension centre and explain what you think is wrong. They will aim to investigate your complaint within... more

Questions to ask when meeting a lawyer

Sometimes you will have no choice but to seek advice from a lawyer about a legal problem. If you meet a lawyer and decide that you want to engage their services, you will want to get the... more

Overview of identity theft

You are a victim of identity theft if someone pretends to be you in order to steal money or gain some other sort of benefit. Offences It is an offence to possess, control and intend... more

I am interested in a franchise

Steps to follow Do you want to run a business, but feel uncomfortable about the risks involved? Franchising may be the answer. It allows you to learn the ropes but minimise the risk and... more

I want a divorce

Steps to follow Do you wish to petition for divorce/civil partnership dissolution on the basis of adultery, unreasonable behaviour, separation or desertion? If separation, have you... more

Overview of commercial agreements

Joining commercial ventures with other businesses may be an attractive proposition, especially, for example, if you or the other party want to sell your products in unfamiliar... more

I want to trade internationally

Steps to follow Where do you want to trade? Is it within the EU or outside? You will need to do thorough research to ensure you are complying with all relevant laws and... more

I want to start a company

Steps to follow Start small, think big. Keep your expenses as low as possible, but leave yourself scope to expand. On the other hand, don’t choke off possible growth by scrimping on... more

Overview of personal tax

The government collects taxes from individuals through HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) under a variety of different headings including: Income Tax, Capital Gains Tax (CGT), Inheritance Tax... more

Defending copyright and trademarks

Copyright and trademarks fall into the field of intellectual property. Copyright protects written, theatrical, musical and artistic works. It exists automatically, but in order to... more

I need help with immigration

Steps to follow If you’re from Switzerland or the European Economic Area, you and your family will usually have the right to freely enter the UK and work there. However, the rules are... more

What documents do I need when meeting a lawyer?

You want to ensure that your first meeting with your solicitor is as useful as possible. To ensure your solicitor thoroughly understands your problem and can provide you with proper legal... more

I have a motoring injury

Steps to follow As soon as the accident has taken place, obtain and exchange information with all other drivers involved including full names, registration numbers, insurance company... more

I have debts

Steps to follow Is your bank account continually in the red? Are you falling further and further behind with you bill or mortgage payments? Are you being turned down for credit with high... more

I have injured myself at work

Steps to follow If you’ve been injured at work, you should (if you are capable of doing so) record the details of the incident in your employer's accident book. (All employers,... more

I need to borrow money

Steps to follow How much do you need to borrow? How soon can you pay it back? How quickly do you need it? What assets do you have? These questions need to be answered before you can... more

Special needs education

Steps to follow If your child has learning difficulties or disabilities which affects their behaviour and makes it harder for them to learn or communicate than most children of the same... more

Company filing requirements

Every company has a duty to prepare a set of accounts which report on the company’s performance and activities during the financial year. A copy of these accounts must be sent to... more

My child has been excluded/expelled

Steps to follow If your child has learning difficulties or disabilities which affects their behaviour and makes it harder for them to learn or communicate than most children of the same... more

I have a medical injury

Steps to follow If you have a medical injury caused by the negligence of someone in the NHS and feel you’re entitled to compensation, take legal advice as soon as possible. A... more

Advice on employment rights

Steps to follow If you have a contract of employment you’ll usually be classed as an employee and are therefore entitled to a number of employment rights. These include statutory... more

I want to buy or sell a property

Steps to follow Seller issues the contract package which consists of a draft contract, Official Copies of the legal title, copies of any deed/documents which affect the title, a Sellers... more

How do solicitors charge?

Cost is always going to be a concern when using legal services, and you may be wondering how lawyers charge? First of all, solicitors have a professional duty to follow rules set down... more

Overview of copyrights, trademarks and intellectual property

  Scientific inventions, commercial designs, songs, sculptures, novels and dramatic performances all share one thing in common—they are protected by Intellectual Property... more

I have an environmental issue

Steps to follow Are you an individual? You may be worried about air or noise pollution, or concerned about the impact of a major road or property development in your area. You may be able... more

I have a tax issue (corporate tax)

Steps to follow If you are a limited company, you will have to pay corporation tax on any profits at the end of the financial year. Partnerships have to pay income tax. Then there are... more

I have been accused of a crime

Steps to follow If you’ve been accused of a crime the police will no doubt want to talk to you about it. If the offence you’ve been accused of carries a power of arrest (eg... more

I want to make an insurance claim

Steps to follow Have you suffered some sort of loss which is covered by an insurance policy? If so, first check your policy to ensure it’s worth making a claim – most... more

I want a pension

Steps to follow The state pension is worth less than £5,000 per annum for a single person, and about £7,500 for couples. You can draw it, if you have paid enough national... more

Overview of race discrimination

The Race Relations Act 1976 outlaws race discrimination in the workplace (as well as in education, transport and the provision of goods and services). This means all employees and job... more

Overview of employment rights (personal)

Employees and workers in the UK enjoy a number of employment rights by law. You are classed as an employee if you are a working under a contract of employment. Employment... more

Overview of overtime

Introduction There are times in the life of a business when staff are going to be required to work extra hours – if you have a rush of demand for your goods or services or during... more

Who works in law firms?

Law firms are busy places. They come in various shapes and sizes, from sprawling multinational operations to just one solicitor working as a sole practitioner from a high street... more

Is liquidation right for you?

If you are company is struggling to trade and pay its debts when they become due, and you discover that your assets are worth less than your debts, then your company is insolvent. If this... more

I want to buy premises, I want to sell premises

Steps to follow Do you want to change business premises? Whether buying, selling or renting premises, it is a good idea to use a specialist commercial property solicitor who will be able... more

Managing debtors

Late payment of invoices can make or break a company – especially a small one. Many businesses are often not keen to chase debtors too hard for fear of damaging their relationship... more

I need help with power of attorney

Steps to follow If you feel there may be a time in the future when you don’t want to make decisions about your property and financial affairs or your health welfare, or you feel you... more

I want a pre-nuptial agreement

Steps to follow Are you planning to get married or to enter into a civil partnership but want to protect some of your assets if everything should go wrong? Or is there a significant... more

I am having a baby, I need flexible working hours, I am owed money

Steps to follow If you are pregnant, you are allowed time off work for antenatal care. This can include relaxation classes and parent-craft classes. You may have to show your employer... more

I want to sell my company, I want to buy a company

Steps to follow Whether you are buying or selling a business, the first step is to put a value on it. This is a negotiable matter. Valuing a business is a complex process, so consider... more

I need a will

Steps to follow There are a number of good reasons for making a will: not least that you can arrange your affairs so your loved ones pay less tax after you’ve gone; and you can... more

Do I need a lawyer? (business)

Legal problems arise in business all the time and the temptation might be to run to a lawyer every time to get them to sort the problem out for you. There is no doubt that in some... more

I have a dispute

Steps to follow Do you feel you are owed money by someone and all attempts to resolve the dispute without resorting to court action have failed? If you decide to take the matter to... more

Crown Prosecution Service

Once the police have arrested a suspect and gathered evidence on a crime, the case is then handed over to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS - www.cps.gov.uk) so that a prosecution can be... more

An employee has committed a criminal offence

Steps to follow Do you genuinely believe on reasonable grounds that the employee committed the offence? This is the test that a tribunal will apply if you dismiss the employee and the... more

I am being investigated for fraud

Steps to follow Have you failed to report a change in your personal circumstances to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) or council or deliberately provided incorrect information... more

I have a health and safety issue

Steps to follow Employers have a duty of care to their workers and to visitors to their premises. Their duty extends to providing a safe place to work, preventing risks to health,... more

I am being bullied

Steps to follow If you’re being bullied, your first move – if you feel able to - should be to talk to the bully and tell them, in a calm and controlled a manner, that you find... more

What to do if you believe your lawyer is negligent

If your solicitor has not returned your calls and letters, presented you with an unexpectedly large bill, or not done what you asked them to do, then you may have a legitimate... more

Renting a business property - obligations on a commercial tenant

A lease or tenancy is an "estate in land" and is a legal agreement between you and the landlord allowing you to use the premises, subject to pre-agreed conditions. It can be... more

I have a benefits issue

Steps to follow Do you think the Benefits Office or another body (eg, CSA, HMRC, local council) has made a mistake in calculating your benefits which has resulted in you not receiving the... more

Overview of starting a new job

Pre-employment checks You’ve made it through the interview and you’ve been offered a new job – all good news, but it’s a wise idea to get the job offer in... more

Overview of insurance for business

There are numerous types of insurance cover available for businesses. Some must be taken out by law, others aren’t mandatory but are highly advisable for all businesses, while still... more

I want to adopt

Steps to follow If you are over 21 (over 18 if part of a couple and one of you is the birth parent) and healthy enough to provide a long-term stable environment for a child you may be... more

Overview of immigration to the UK

Various different rules and criteria apply depending on whether you want to visit, work/ study in or permanently settle in the UK.  Visiting the UK Most foreign visitors to the... more

I have a tax issue

Steps to follow If you’re unhappy with HMRC’s service – eg unreasonable delay, an avoidable mistake, or how you’ve been treated – first talk to the person or... more

Fostering a child

What is fostering? Fostering places a child into the care of a family when it cannot live with its own parents. This may be because its parents have problems, cannot cope and need a... more

I am in debt, I have debtors

Steps to follow Are you owed money and beginning to get fed up of excuse after excuse? Or, do you have debts that you can’t pay? Either way, take action and sort the problem... more

A relative has died

Steps to follow If a relative has died and you’re in charge of sorting out their affairs there are a number of people and organisations you need to inform starting with the family... more

I am being bullied, I am a victim of discrimination (employees)

Steps to follow Bullying in the workplace is where someone tries to intimidate another worker. It is defined by Acas as “Offensive, intimidating, malicious or insulting behaviour,... more

I want to rent or let a property

Steps to follow Renting The easiest way of finding a private residence to rent is through a letting agency. The agency may also manage the property on the landlord’s... more

I want to hire an employee, I want to fire an employee, I am being made redundant, I have been fired

Steps to follow Have you been fired following a certain number of warnings? Or fired on the spot? You can only be fired for a first offence if there has been gross misconduct. This... more

I have a planning issue

Steps to follow Some building work to your home is allowed under permitted development and therefore won’t require planning permission, but before you start to make alterations to... more

Overview of fraud in businesses

Definition of fraud  In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the fraud laws were overhauled by the Fraud Act 2006 which came into force in 2007. It introduced a statutory... more

I am a victim of discrimination

Steps to follow It is illegal for your employer to treat you less favourably (ie discriminate against you) because of your: gender; marital status; gender reassignment; pregnancy and... more

I have an employment issue

Steps to follow Are you an employee? Your employment status determines what rights you have. If you are paid a salary, do the work personally rather than sub-contract it out, if your... more

I want a mortgage

Steps to follow Make sure your credit rating is in good shape – some companies do free credit checks. You can improve your credit rating by: registering on the electoral roll at... more

Overview of employment rights (business)

As an employer in a UK company you have a number of duties and obligations to the people working for you under employment legislation. The duties you have depend largely on what category... more

I have a housing dispute

Steps to follow Landlords and tenants have various rights and obligations: as a tenant, for example, you have the right to have your accommodation kept in a reasonable state of repair,... more

Overview of medical injuries

What is a medical injury? If the treatment you received from a doctor, hospital, dentist, nurse, midwife or other healthcare worker/ organisation falls below what is accepted as being... more

Disability discrimination (business)

All employers, bar the armed forces, have a legal duty not to discriminate against employees or job applicants on the grounds of disability. This has been the case since October 2004 (prior... more

I am a victim of crime

Steps to follow Report the matter to the police as soon as possible. Dial 999 if it’s an emergency, otherwise, report it to your local police station either in person, via phone or... more

I have a health and safety issue

Steps to follow If you’re worried that conditions at your workplace are a potential threat to your health and/ or safety, first of all explain your concerns to your employer, or... more

Commercial leases

Renting a commercial property for your business requires less financial outlay than buying, freeing up your capital to plough into your business and, unless you plan to sell the remaining... more

I have committed a traffic offence

Steps to follow Police have the legal right to stop any motorist at any time. They don’t have to give you a reason and it’s a criminal offence if you fail to stop. When... more

Overview of pay (pay rises, pay cuts, notice pay, etc.)

  Your employer should tell you when you start work how much you will be paid, how it will be paid to you and when. This must be put in writing within two months of you starting... more