Fee Disputes and Complaints
If a deduction from your compensation looks wrong, ask for a written breakdown against your agreement first, then complain to the firm in writing. If that does not resolve it, or you get no response within eight weeks, the Legal Ombudsman handles service complaints — including bills you consider excessive.
Disclosure. This page is published by Edward & Amaury Solicitors, itself a firm of solicitors regulated by the SRA. We are describing the complaints routes that apply to firms like ours. Everything below points to the independent bodies — the Legal Ombudsman and the SRA — rather than to us, and we have no role in and no influence over either.
Step 1 — Get the breakdown
Direct Answer: Before complaining, ask in writing for an itemised statement showing the gross damages, each deduction, and the clause in your agreement that authorises it. Most fee disputes turn out to be either a genuine error or a term that was never clearly explained — and both are easier to resolve with the figures on one page.
Check the breakdown against what your agreement actually says. In a personal injury CFA the success fee taken from damages is capped, and disbursements and any ATE premium are separate items. Our costs and deductions guide sets out what each element should be.
Step 2 — Complain to the firm
Every regulated firm must operate a complaints procedure and tell clients how to use it. Put your complaint in writing, state plainly what you say is wrong and what outcome you are seeking, and keep a copy. Ask for their final response — that phrase matters, because it starts the clock for escalation.
Step 3 — Escalate to the right body
| Body | Handles |
|---|---|
| Legal Ombudsman | Service: poor communication, delay, unclear costs information, bills you consider excessive |
| SRA | Conduct: dishonesty, misuse of client money, serious regulatory breaches |
| The court | Detailed assessment of a solicitor’s bill, in defined circumstances and within strict time limits |
| Financial Ombudsman Service | Complaints about FCA-regulated claims management companies, not solicitors |
Time limits apply at every stage and are the most common reason a valid complaint fails. Check the current limits on the Ombudsman’s own site rather than relying on a general guide, and act promptly after a final response.
Court assessment of a bill
In some circumstances a solicitor’s bill can be assessed by the court. It is a formal process with strict deadlines, and there can be costs consequences if the assessment does not reduce the bill by enough. Take independent advice from a costs specialist before starting — this is not a step to take on general information.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
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Where this applies: This page covers England and Wales. The rules in Scotland and Northern Ireland are different.
Sources for this page
Every rule stated above is based on the primary sources below. Each link goes to the legislation, court rule or regulator itself so you can check it. Last verified 5 August 2026.
- SRA Standards and Regulations
Conduct rules for solicitors in England and Wales, including costs transparency.
- Legal Ombudsman — complaints about legal fees
- Conditional Fee Agreements Order 2013, arts. 4–5 · in force from 1 April 2013
Art. 4 caps the success fee at 100% of base costs. Art. 5 caps what may be taken from damages in personal injury at 25% of PSLA plus past pecuniary loss, net of CRU, at first instance.
- Civil Procedure Rules, Part 44 (incl. rr.44.13–44.17, QOCS)
Qualified one-way costs shifting and its exceptions. Rule 44.14 was amended with effect from 6 April 2023.
Who wrote and checked this page
- Written and published by
- Edward & Amaury Solicitors (Edward & Amaury Ltd, company no. 12195443), regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority under no. 800525.
- Legal review
- Checked for England & Wales by Edward & Amaury Solicitors — Solicitors regulated by the SRA (no. 800525) (verify on the regulator’s register).Review is recorded against the firm. The individual reviewer is not named on this page.
- Review dates
- Last reviewed 5 August 2026. Next review due 5 February 2027.
Fee rules change. California’s medical malpractice fee limits changed on 1 January 2023, and the QOCS rules in England and Wales changed on 6 April 2023. If you spot something out of date, tell us — we publish corrections.