Fixed Fee Agreements:
In privately funded cases, we can offer fixed fee agreements for a range of legal matters from the outset of your case that is tailored to your personal requirements. A fixed fee is payable on the perusal and consideration of your documents and conducting your representation. This also covers the cost of any correspondence, telephone calls etc that are made on your behalf. However, if the matter requires further oral representations to the Superior Courts / Tribunals and becomes more complex, then further costs will be discussed.
If at any time before the completion of the matter you wish to withdraw your instructions then we will calculate our cost on non-fixed fee basis (our hourly rates will apply).
No Win no Fee
We provide legal services in some areas of law, if you would like to have your situation assessed call us on 01613026976, our advisers will find out a little more about your claim before passing this on to our specialist solicitors who will confirm whether or not we can assist you on a no win no fee basis.
If we can assist you on a no win no fee basis, we will guide you through the ACAS Early Conciliation, tribunal and court process to help you achieve the best resolution of your claim.
For cases run on this funding basis, there is a maximum deduction of 35% in employment matter and 25% in personal injury matters payable to Helan Law Associates Limited which is governed in accordance with the Damages Based Agreement Regulations 2013.
Clients are only liable for our fees in these circumstances:
Where we have acted for you under the agreement and you end the agreement where:
• You have secured a settlement or obtained a successful judgment;
• Your opponent admits liability;
• It is within a week of trial and you end the agreement; or
• It is deemed that as the client you behaved unreasonably (i.e., rejecting a reasonable offer of settlement or failing to co-operate regarding orders of the tribunal or court).
Insurance policy
Everyone who owns a house will have taken out buildings insurance, and as part of this type of cover you may also have the benefit of a legal expenses insurance policy which can sometimes cover legal assistance in the Employment Tribunal or County Court. You can check this by looking at your policy terms, or contacting your insurer directly.
You do have freedom of choice to select the solicitor you would like to instruct, and we have extensive experience of acting for clients with this type of policy. Upon becoming aware of a claim, you should contact your insurance company as soon as you can and advise that you wish to instruct your own solicitor to assist with the claim. We are able to liaise with insurers on your behalf to quickly secure cover.
If you believe you have the benefit of a legal expenses insurance policy, please contact us on 01613026976 and we will deal directly with your insurer to arrange cover so that your claim can be dealt with as soon as possible.
Civil legal advice - legal aid
Estimates
We can provide a matter-specific estimate of our legal fees before commencing any instruction, based on the expected amount of work and our hourly rates.
The quotation will take into account the particular circumstances of the work to be undertaken, whether it is an initial or extension application, the estimated complexity of the matter, the type of matter, the number of applicants involved, and other relevant factors.
Employment law
fixed price employment law advice
If you are experiencing difficulties at work, we can provide you with practical advice on the options available to you as well as advice on potential claims. For a fee of £250 plus VAT we can provide an initial face to face meeting to discuss your concerns and identify the steps you can take to resolve these. For that fee we can consider documentation you have received from your employer and following the meeting provide you with a written advice outlining the options available to you. We often continue to advise clients following the meeting by looking to resolve the issue on their behalf.
Family law
Our fixed price in family law matters
We believe that fixed fee solutions should be the norm rather than the exception, that’s why our family and divorce law solicitors make sure this is the case wherever possible. Our friendly and experienced team are pleased to offer an up to one hour appointment either in person or over the telephone for a fixed fee of £250, after which our expert solicitor will draw up a detailed letter confirming the specific tailored advice given.
At HLA Solicitors, we endeavour to take any anxiety out of the process of purchasing legal services, that’s why we are leaders in providing expert and friendly family and divorce law advice.
For more information on the fixed fee services available from our family and divorce law team, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. Call on 01613026876 or complete our online enquiry form and a member of our friendly team will be in touch to discuss your situation.
Fixed price guide
| Service | Our fee | VAT | Court Fees | Total | |
| First consultation and case assessment (up to one hour) with letter of advice | £250 | £00 | NIL | £250 | |
| First consultation and case assessment (up to one hour) with letter to ex-partner | £300 | £00 | NIL | £300 | |
| First consultation and case assessment (up to one hour) on cohabitation cases | £250 | £00 | NIL | £250 | |
| Separating | |||||
| Divorce/dissolution of civil partnership (petitioner – uncontested) | £600 | £00 | £593 | £1193 | |
| Divorce/dissolution of civil partnership (respondent – uncontested) | £400 | £00 | NIL | £400 | |
| Unbundled services | |||||
| Financial consent order *Total includes £3 Land Registry charge | £785 | £00 | £50 | £835* | |
| Separation agreement (agreed terms – no advice, valued at less than £350,000) | £1,000 | £00 | NIL | £1,000 | |
| Representation at court | Costs to be agreed |
Children
| Protection from domestic abuse | |||||
| Initial consultation and warning letter | £250 | £00 | NIL | £250 | |
| Representation at court | Costs to be agreed |
Family agreements
Living together and living apart |
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Pre-nuptial agreement (terms agreed) |
| £1000 | £00 | NIL | £1,000 |
Post-nuptial agreement (terms agreed) Cohabitation agreement |
| £1200 £750 | £00 £00 | NIL NIL | £1200 £750 |
Separation agreement (terms agreed) |
| £750 | £00 | NIL | £750 |
All prices subject to full terms and conditions.
If you would like more information about our fixed fee family law services contact on 01613026976 or get in touch with us through our online enquiry form.
Motoring Law
How much does motoring offence legal representation cost?
Our charges are based on both fixed fees and hourly rates depending on the complexity of the matter. The range of fees for defence against motoring offences are:
Penalty points speeding (guilty plea)
Between £500 and £700 for written representations by post
Totalling up 12 penalty points (guilty plea, exceptional hardship)
Between £750 and £1000
Speeding offences where there is a risk of disqualification (guilty plea)
Between £1,000 and £1,500
Drink and drug driving (guilty plea)
Between £1,000 and £1,500
Failing to provide a specimen (guilty plea)
Between £1,200 and £1,500
Drink driving/drug driving (not guilty)
Between £3,000 and £4,000
Failure to provide a specimen (not guilty)
Between £3500 and £5000
All not guilty plea estimates are based on the matter concluding after representation at court where the hearing has been designated for a trial listed for one day. We offer fixed fees wherever possible but from time to time we may have to operate on the basis of an hourly rate ranging from £218 per hour to £255 per hour – the vast majority of cases can be dealt with on the basis of a fixed fee. A particularly complex matter or a matter that will need to be dealt with in the Crown Court would be dealt with by way of an hourly rate. Fixed fees include taking statements from, and examination of witnesses.
Each case falls on its own facts and additional third-party costs may be necessary dependant on the issues/length of proceedings. Where an expert witness is required, the costs associated with this are dependent on the issues in the case and may need to be added to any of the above estimates of fees – expert fees can be variable, from £300 plus VAT and in very rare cases around or in excess of £1,000 plus VAT. It may also be necessary to obtain more than one expert report depending on how the case progresses.
How long will it take?
For guilty plea cases, this will be depending on the court date for the final hearing. For not guilty pleas the average time span is 3- 6 months.
Key stages when entering a guilty plea:
These are the key stages and they are included within our prices:
- Initial meeting to take detailed instructions to assist with drafting full statement
- Unlimited contact with your case handler throughout the case
- Corresponding with and reviewing information and evidence received from prosecution and courts where necessary
- Advice regarding the court process, what to expect and the sentencing options available to the court
- Taking statements from, and examination of witnesses if necessary
- We will conduct any further preparatory work, obtain further instructions from you if necessary and answer any follow up queries you have
- Detailed guidance on what character references should address
- Representation at court
- Advice and assistance regarding result and what happens after the hearing/conclusion of the case
Useful links
- DVLA
- Her Majesty’s Court Service
- Road Traffic Act 1988
- Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988
- British & Irish Legal Information Institute
- Foreign licence information
For consultation, please call our specialist motoring offence solicitors on 01613026976.
Will Writing Services
Our Wills and Probate Solicitors are experts in their field, it’s no secret that our solicitors are amongst the industry leaders in providing expert advice and representation in all legal matters, including issues regarding Will writing. We are delighted to offer a range of fixed price services in this area.
Please note that our fixed or estimated fees for Wills are based upon a matter having standard features. They give an indication of the likely range of prices in most instances. However, if your matter has non-standard features such as complex property, family relationships, dispositions or risks, then we may not be able to assist you for the fees shown on our website. In that instance we may give you an alternative fee quote based on hourly rates or further fixed or estimated fees.
If you would like further information on how we can help you, please call us on 01613026976.
Level 1 Wills
£120 Single Will – £150 Mirror Wills
Instruction options available
- We send out a link to our Wills Instruction Form for you to complete as thoroughly as possible and return it to us in advance. This will enable us to get your Will done in one visit.
- If you do not have an email then we can send a Will pre-appointment questionnaire in the post so that we can get the Will done for you in one visit if you return the questionnaire beforehand.
- If you would like to attend to provide instructions, we can then draft the Will and review it with you before signing, all in one visit. (Please note that you do not need to pre-complete a questionnaire either through our online system or by bringing in a pre-appointment questionnaire that we send to you by post.)
Level 2 Wills – Multiple Legacies
£175 Single Will – £250 Mirror Wills
Suitable if the Will is more complicated, requires multiple legacies or you would like a draft to be sent to you to consider further. This option is also suitable if you would like to attend to provide instructions, we will then draft the Will and review it with you before signing, all in a single meeting.
Should you need to leave someone out of your Will an additional £60 including VAT will be payable to cover the cost of the advice we need to give you on the implications of this.
Level 3 Wills
£250 Single Will – £400 Mirror Wills
Wills to include a trust to protect against factors which could affect the surviving spouse/civil partner together with the relevant deed to ensure that the jointly owned property is owned in such a way to allow a half share to pass into a trust on the first death.
Immigration & Nationality Law
| Matter Type | Costs Estimate |
| Entry Clearance (Visa) Applications | £500 to £1500 ** No VAT Chargeable |
| In-Country Applications | £750 to £1500 |
| Points Based Applications | £1000 to £2000 ** VAT chargeable if client in UK |
| Sponsor Licence Applications | £1500 to £3000 |
| Civil Penalty Notice | £1250 to £5000 |
| Nationality Applications | £600 to £1,000 |
| Appeal Representation | £1200 to £2500 ** VAT chargeable if client in UK |
| EEA Pre-settled Status Application | £500 to £2000 |
| EEA Pre-settled Status Application | £500 to £2000 |
| EEA Settled Status Application | £750 to £1250 |
| EEA Permanent Residence Application | £750 to £1500 |
| EEA Family Permit Visa Application | £2000 to £3000 |
| Administrative Review | £2000 to £3000 |
| Asylum application | £1500 to £3000 |
| Human Rights application | £1500 to £3000 |
| Bail applications | £1200 to £2500 |
| Document checking | £1200 to £2500 |
| General Advice in person/phone | £100.00 |
| Advice in writing | £250.00 |
- Obtaining your initial instructions, discussing your circumstances in detail and confirming what is the most appropriate application for you to make and what other options may be available to you;
- Providing you with detailed advice about the requirements of the Immigration Rules and whether you meet the criteria. If you do not fulfil certain criteria, we will discuss whether this can be overcome and how it can be overcome;
- Considering the supporting evidence, you have provided;
- Where necessary, helping you obtain further evidence (such as medical records and bank statements), including taking statements of any witnesses;
- Preparing your application and submitting it on your behalf along with drafting a detailed letter of representation;
- Providing you with advice about the outcome of the application and any further steps you need to take;
- Providing advice about complying with your immigration conditions.
Debt Recovery
We understand that chasing payments for outstanding invoices can be a difficult and time-consuming process. We are able to offer a fixed fee service in certain circumstances.
Fix fee
| Stage | Fee | |
| To review initial documents, draft and issue our letter of claim | £250 | |
| Preparation and issue of court proceedings | £300 | |
| Application to court for default Judgement | £100 | |
| The above prices are excluding VAT |
Likely Fees
Disputed claims are charged on an hourly rate basis and very depending on the complexity of the legal and factual issues as well as the number of documents involved. As a guideline, our fee for reviewing your initial documents and preparing letter of claim would be in the region of £500 to £900 plus VAT but this may vary depending on the afore-mentioned.
Once we have undertaken our initial review of your paperwork, we will be able to provide you an estimate of future cost and any expenses which we pay on your behalf to others which may include court fees, Expert witness fee and barrister’s fees, these will be agreed in advance.
The hourly rates are mentioned above.
Landlord and tenant disputes
We understand that friction between tenant and landlord’s common and most issues can be resolved amicably. However, in some case you need advice and support of a legal professional. We offer a fixed fee service in certain circumstances.
Fixed fee
We can offer a fixed fee service in relation to the service of eviction notice or for the payment of the unpaid rent.
Stage | Fee | |
To review initial documents, draft and issue Notice for eviction or payment. | £200 |
|
Preparation and issue of court proceedings | £350 | |
Application to court for bailiffs | £100 | |
The above prices are excluding VAT |
Likely Fees
Disputed claims are charged on an hourly rate basis and very depending on the complexity of the legal and factual issues as well as the number of documents involved. As a guideline, our fee for reviewing your initial documents and preparing the notice and issuing the proceedings would be in the region of £500 to £600 plus VAT but this may vary depending on the afore-mentioned.
Once we have undertaken our initial review of your paperwork, we will be able to provide you an estimate of future cost and any expenses which we pay on your behalf to others which may include court fees, Expert witness fee and barrister’s fees, these will be agreed in advance.
The hourly rates are mentioned above.
All prices quoted relating to HLA Solicitors legal fees are not inclusive of VAT
Complaint Procedure
Our Complaints Policy
HLA Solicitors are committed to providing a high-quality legal service to all our clients. When something goes wrong, we need you to tell us about it. This will help us to improve our standards.
Our Complaints Procedure
Our Complaints Procedure
If you have a concern or a complaint in respect of our service, our bill or any other matter, please contact us as soon as you are aware of the problem so this can be addressed. The firm’s complaints director is Mr Saleem Shah, the address to write to is HLA Solicitors, 2ND Floor, 315 Dickenson Road, Manchester, M13 0NR. The telephone number is 0161 3026976. The email address is hlasolicitors@gmail.com.
What will happen next?
- We will send you a letter acknowledging receipt of your complaint within 2 working days of our receiving the complaint, enclosing a copy of this procedure. If you require a specific format then please contact Saleem Shah and advise him of your specific requirements.
- We will then investigate your complaint. This will normally involve passing your complaint to our client care director, Saleem Shah, who will review your matter file and speak to the member of staff who acted for you.
- Saleem Shah will then contact you to discuss the matter and, it is hoped, resolve your complaint. He will do this within 14 days of sending you the acknowledgement letter.
- Within three days of the contact or meeting, Saleem Shah will write to you to confirm what took place and any solutions he has agreed with you.
- If you do not want a meeting or it is not possible, Saleem Shah will send you a detailed written reply to your complaint, including his suggestions for resolving the matter, within 21 days of sending you the acknowledgement letter.
- At this stage, if you are still not satisfied, you should contact us again to explain why you remain unhappy with our response and we will review your comments. Depending on the matter we may at this stage arrange for another meeting to review the decision.
- We will write to you within 14 days of receiving your request for a review, confirming our final position on your complaint and explaining our reasons.
- In the event we are unable to address your concern’s here at the firm you may complain to the Legal Ombudsman directly. Ordinarily, you can ask the Legal Ombudsman to look at your complaint if it meets all three of the conditions below:
- The problem or when you found out about it, happened after 5 October 2010; and
- You are referring your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman within either of the following:
- Six years of the problem happening
- Three years from when you found out about it
- You are referring your complaint to us within six months of your service provider’s final response.
- Anyone making a complaint to the Legal Ombudsman must be:
- An individual
- An enterprise with less than ten staff or with a balance sheet of less than 2 million Euros as defined by the European Recommendation 2003/361/EC of 6 May 2003
- A club, association or society with an annual income of less than £1 million;
- A charity with an annual income less than £1 million;
- A trustee of a trust with a net asset value of less than £1 million;
- A personal representative or the residuary beneficiaries of an estate where a person with a complaint died before referring their compliant to the Legal Ombudsman.;
- If you do not fall into the list of above complainants then the only option open to you is to seek redress through the firm’s Complaints Handling Procedure or by mediation, arbitration or by action through the Courts.
- Contact details for the Legal Ombudsman are:
Address: PO Box 6806, Wolverhampton, WV1 9WJ.
Telephone: 0300 555 0333
Email: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk
Website: legalombudsman.co.uk - If you need information in another language, large print, Braille or on audio CD please call the Legal Ombudsman on 0121 245 3071 or email publications@legalombudsman.org.uk.You can find out more about their accessibility
- The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has confirmed that the following Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) entities are currently available to deal with disputes in the legal services sector: Ombudsman Services , ProMediate and Small Claims Mediation in the event you wish to engage in mediation concerning your complaint. However, we are not agreeable to enter into ADR mediation until the Legal Ombudsman have been approved as an ADR provider.
Complaints about your bill
The above complaints procedure also applies to complaints arising concerning our bill. There may also be a right to object to the bill by applying to the court for an assessment of the bill under Part III of the Solicitors Act 1974; and that if all, or part, of a bill remains unpaid, the firm may be entitled to charge interest.
Raising concerns with our regulator
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) can help you if you are concerned about our behaviour. This could be for things like dishonesty, taking or losing your money or treating you unfairly because of your age, a disability or other characteristic. You can find information about raising your concerns with the SRA at www.sra.org.uk in the ‘For the public’ section.
