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FAQs for consumers of legal services

As a consumer of legal services or a member of public, you may have questions about using a solicitor. We hope these frequently asked questions help. To begin, select a topic below.

  • Finding a solicitor
    • A member of my family was a solicitor. How can I find out more information about them?

      • We can conduct historical searches of our records. There is a fee of £100.00 per hour plus VAT (£17.50), and most searches take no longer than one hour.

        We aim to complete historical searches within 20 working days of receiving your request.

        The information we hold about the period prior to 1907 is limited.

        If you want us to conduct a historical search, please use our online form to contact us. If you are already using the form, click Continue to Step 3 of 3 below.

        • In your message, please include information about the individual you want us to search for and supply a daytime telephone number that we can reach you on.
        • If you want us to spend no more than one hour on the search, please tell us in your message.
        • We will contact you to advise how to make your payment and if the search is likely to take more than one hour.
    • Can you find a solicitor in my area who can help me?

      • To search for solicitors in your area, use the Law Society's online directory, Find a solicitor.

        The Solicitors Regulation Authority is unable to make recommendations.

        You may find the following publications useful:

        • The Law Society's Directory of Solicitors and Barristers
        • A Client's Guide to the UK Legal Profession, published by Chambers & Partners (or visit www.chambersandpartners.com)
        • The Legal 500: United Kingdom, published by Legalease (or visit www.legal500.com)

        Copies are held in the reference sections of many local libraries and some Citizens Advice Bureaux.

        To search for published regulatory decisions resulting from investigations we started on or after 1 January 2008, visit Check a solicitor's record.

    • Can you find me a legal aid solicitor?
    • I am looking for a "no win, no fee" solicitor. Can you help?

      • To find solicitors in your area who might be able to assist, use the Law Society's online directory, Find a solicitor.

        You will need to contact each firm of solicitors directly to find out if they are willing to review your case on a "no win, no fee" basis.

    • I've never used a solicitor before, but I need to find one. What's the best way to go about this?
    • What is an alternative business structure and what does it mean?
      • Alternative business structures (ABS) are a new type of law firm structure allowing non-lawyers and external investors to share management and control of law firms. This means that new types of law firm can be created, and businesses that couldn't previously offer reserved legal services will now be able to invest in law firms, and offer legal services in new, flexible ways.
  • Checking a solicitor's records
    • Can I check a solicitor's record with the SRA?

      • You can search for published regulatory decisions resulting from investigations we started on or after 1 January 2008. Visit Check a solicitor's record.

        For information about the period before 1 January 2008, or to check a firm's record, call us on 0870 606 2555. Our lines are open 09.00 to 17.00, Monday to Friday. International callers, please use +44 (0) 1527 504450. Calls may be monitored or recorded for training purposes.

    • Can I find out whether a firm or person is regulated by the SRA?

      • Please visit the Law Society's online directory, Find a solicitor.

        • To find out whether a firm is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), enter the firm's name (and other details, if you have them) under the heading Search for a firm of solicitors (please do not use "Organisation search"). If the firm appears in your search results, it is regulated by the SRA.
        • To check whether a person is regulated by the SRA, enter his or her name (and other details, if you have them) under the heading Solicitor search. If the person appears in your search results, he or she is regulated by the SRA.

        You can also contact us directly to find out whether we regulate a firm or person. Call 0870 606 2555, 09.00 to 17.00, Monday to Friday. International callers, please use +44 (0) 1527 504450. Calls may be monitored or recorded for training purposes.

    • I checked the record of my solicitor, but couldn't find them on your solicitor check. Does this mean they're not a real solicitor?

      • No, this simply means that they do not have a published regulatory record at present. Our solicitor check facility only contains published regulatory decisions for the past three years; not all solicitors have regulatory decisions against them, and not all regulatory decisions are published.

        To find out if a lawyer is genuine, the best way is to ask them who they are regulated by, and check with their regulator that they are genuine. If the lawyer is a solicitor, they will be regulated by us. Most solicitors are on the Law Society's find a solicitor search engine, but not all. We will be able to tell you if an individual is regulated by us if you contact us.

    • I used a solicitor several years ago. Now, I need my files but cannot find the solicitor. Can you help me?

      • For help finding your files, please contact us.

        Call 0870 606 2555, 09.00 to 17.00, Monday to Friday. International callers, please use +44 (0) 1527 504450. Calls may be monitored or recorded for training purposes. Alternatively, use our online form to contact us. If you are already using the form, click Continue to Step 3 of 3 below.

        Please provide us with as much information as possible to help us complete a search, including

        • the name and address of the firm of solicitors you used,
        • the name of any solicitor with whom you had dealings, and
        • the date on which you last had dealings with the firm. (Even an approximate year will help us with the search.)
  • Problems with a solicitor
    • How do I make a complaint about my solicitor?

      • You should first complain directly to your solicitor by writing to the designated complaints handler at the firm.

        If you have already done so and are not satisfied with their response you need to contact the Legal Ombudsman. Their contact details are:

        Telephone: 0300 555 0333 (09.00–17.00)

        Email: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk

        Web: www.legalombudsman.org.uk

        Write to:

        Legal Ombudsman
        PO Box 15870
        Tamworth
        B77 9LE

        The Legal Ombudsman is the independent ombudsman for all legal services and complaints about your solicitor need to be made directly to them.

        If they are not your solicitor you need to report them to us, the Solicitors Regulation Authority. To do this, please complete a proforma (DOC 4 pages, 122K).

    • I tried to contact my solicitor, but the firm has closed suddenly for no apparent reason. What do I do now?
      • If a firm or sole practitioner's office has been abandoned, you need to contact us immediately. Client money and papers may be at risk and we may need to appoint intervention agents to return them to the clients. We may have already done this, in which case you should contact us to find out the details of the intervention agents. If the closure was some time ago and you believe that the firm was holding money or papers that belong to you, you should make an application to us. Read more advice to clients of firms that we have closed.
    • My relative wrote a will through a non-lawyer will-writing service, but it turned out not to be legally binding. Can you help?
      • Unfortunately not. We can help those who have lost out as a result of someone that we regulate acting in breach of our Principles. Will-writing is not a reserved legal activity. This means that non-lawyers can offer will-writing services which makes it a largely unregulated activity. You should seek independent legal advice—read more about how to go about this in our information on finding and using a solicitor.
    • My solicitor has charged me too much. Can you get me my money back?

      • Unfortunately, no, we cannot. However, there are other ways to try and get a reduction or a refund on your legal fees.

        If you want to query your fees, you should first ask your solicitor how the fees were calculated and why they have charged you that amount. If you still feel you have been charged incorrectly, or misled about the costs, the first thing you must do is complain to the lawyer or firm you were using. You should have been given details of the complaints procedure when you first started using the lawyer or firm, and at any time on request.

        If you do not get a satisfactory answer from your lawyer or firm, you can take your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman, an independent organisation dealing with complaints about poor service from lawyers and legal services. If they agree that you have been overcharged, they may decide to make the lawyer or firm refund or reduce your legal fees. If you have lost out due to other aspects of poor service, they may award compensation. Visit the Legal Ombudsman website for more information.

        You can also ask a court to examine your bill, however this may incur further costs and you should get independent legal advice before doing this, to make sure it's worth your while. Read our information about costs for more advice on legal fees.

    • My solicitor has promised to ring me back three times now but hasn't. Can you help?

      • Is the firm still open? If so, it would appear that you may not be receiving the type of service you might expect from your solicitor. You can complain to the firm in the first instance. You may wish to try this informally at first, but if this does not work, then you should make a formal complaint to the firm's designated complaints handler—you should be given details of the complaints procedure at any time on request. For more tips on making complaints and how to make a complaint about poor service to the Legal Ombudsman, see our information on reporting a solicitor. We are unable to help you resolve issues of poor service.

        If the solicitor has not phoned you back because the firm has closed down, then we may be able to help. You will need to contact us for further help if the firm has been abandoned or if we have closed the firm.

    • You have closed a solicitor down, but they owe my company money. Who is liable?
      • All trade debts are the liability of the owners of the firm or sole practitioner in question. We do not take any responsibility for the trade debts of those we regulate. We recommend seeking independent legal advice on this matter.
    • You have closed my solicitor down but they had my money and papers. What do I do now?
  • Using a solicitor
    • How can I find out how much it will cost to use a solicitor?
      • You need to talk to the solicitor or firm to find out how the costs will be calculated. As fees vary widely, depending on the type of work and how long it will take, this is a discussion that you will need to have with each different lawyer or firm that you use, to make sure you fully understand the costs involved with the work you are doing. Read more about costs and what to expect from a solicitor.
    • I have my first meeting with a solicitor but I'm not sure what to expect, what to ask or what to take along. What can I do to get the most out of our meeting?
      • Preparation is essential, and you should get as much relevant information together as possible, including relevant paperwork. For more about what you may need to consider for your first meeting with a solicitor, including the sort of information you can expect to receive, read our information on finding a solicitor and what to expect from a solicitor.
  • Accessibility
    • I am blind and would like a Braille copy of some information on your website. Do you provide this and, if so, how can I get it?
      • We have taken care to make sure that the content on our website is as accessible as reasonably possible and compatible with assistive technology such as screen readers—for more, see our accessibility information. However, if you do need information in other formats, please phone us or email contactcentre@sra.org.uk with details of your request.