Terms of Business

Introduction

These Terms of Business set out the basis on which PDA Law Solicitors Limited ("we", "us", "our", or "the firm") acts for clients ("you" or "the client"). These terms apply to all instructions we accept and form part of our client care documentation.

These Terms of Business are provided to you at the outset of a matter. By instructing us, you agree to be bound by these terms.

1. Our Status and Regulation

PDA Law Solicitors Limited is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). Our SRA authorisation number is 622755. You can verify our status on the SRA website.

For more information about our regulatory status and legal entity, please see our Regulatory Information.

2. Scope of Our Services

We will provide you with legal advice and services as agreed between us. The scope of our services will be confirmed in writing in our engagement letter or initial correspondence.

We will only act on your instructions and within the scope of work agreed. If you require services outside this scope, we will discuss this with you and provide a separate quotation.

3. Our Fees and Charges

Our fees are calculated on the basis of:

• Time spent by our solicitors and support staff at hourly rates
• Fixed fees for certain services (as agreed in advance)
• A combination of the above

Our current hourly rates are available on request. We will provide you with a written estimate or quotation before commencing work, unless you have agreed otherwise.

All fees quoted are exclusive of VAT unless otherwise stated. For information about our fees across different practice areas, please see our Fees page.

4. Disbursements

In addition to our fees, we will charge you for disbursements (also known as "costs" or "expenses"). These are costs incurred on your behalf by us or third parties in the course of your matter, such as:

• Court fees
• Land Registry fees
• Search fees
• Postage and courier costs
• Expert fees (e.g., surveyors, valuers)
• Third-party professional fees

We will inform you of significant disbursements in advance where possible. All disbursements are charged at cost plus VAT where applicable.

5. Payment Terms

Unless otherwise agreed, payment of our fees and disbursements is due within 30 days of our invoice. We accept payment by:

• Bank transfer
• Cheque
• Credit or debit card
• Other methods as agreed

If payment is not received by the due date, we may:

• Suspend work on your matter
• Cease to act for you
• Charge interest on overdue amounts at 8% per annum above the Bank of England base rate
• Recover our costs of pursuing payment

6. Client Money

Any money you pay to us on account of fees or disbursements will be held in our client account in accordance with the SRA Accounts Rules. We will provide you with a detailed breakdown of how your money has been used.

7. Confidentiality and Privilege

All communications between you and us are confidential and protected by legal professional privilege. We will not disclose any information about your matter to third parties without your consent, except where required by law or professional obligations.

For more information about how we handle your personal data, please see our Privacy Policy.

8. Conflicts of Interest

We have procedures in place to identify and manage conflicts of interest. If we identify a conflict, we will inform you immediately and discuss how to proceed.

We cannot act for you if there is an irreconcilable conflict with another client or if acting for you would breach our professional obligations.

9. Limitation of Liability

Our liability to you is limited to the extent permitted by law. We will not be liable for:

• Loss of profits or business
• Loss of opportunity
• Indirect or consequential losses
• Losses arising from your failure to follow our advice

Our total liability to you shall not exceed the fees paid or payable by you in the 12 months preceding the claim.

10. Professional Indemnity Insurance

We maintain professional indemnity insurance in accordance with the SRA Accounts Rules. Details of our insurance are available on request.

11. Termination of Instructions

You may terminate our instructions at any time by providing written notice. We may terminate our instructions if:

• You fail to pay our fees or disbursements
• You fail to provide instructions or information necessary to progress your matter
• A conflict of interest arises
• You behave in an abusive or threatening manner
• Continuing to act would breach our professional obligations

Upon termination, you will be responsible for paying our fees and disbursements up to the date of termination.

12. Complaints

We are committed to providing a high-quality legal service. If you are unhappy with any aspect of our service, please let us know. For information about how to make a complaint, please see our Complaints Procedure.

You can also refer a complaint to the Legal Ombudsman if you are not satisfied with our response. For more information, see our Complaints Policy.

13. Data Protection

We process your personal data in accordance with UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. For information about how we collect, use, and protect your personal data, please see our Privacy Policy.

14. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms of Business are governed by the law of England and Wales. Both you and we agree to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

15. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms of Business from time to time. Any changes will be notified to you in writing. Your continued instructions to us following notification of changes will constitute your acceptance of the updated terms.

Contact Us

If you have any questions about these Terms of Business, please contact us:

• Telephone: 01244 757352
• Email: enquiries@pdalaw.co.uk
• Post: Crown Buildings, 121A Saughall Road, Chester, Cheshire, CH1 5ET