UK Professional Negligence Solicitors

We Recovered Millions In Compensation For Clients Affected By Professional Negligence Across Legal, Financial, Property And Construction Sectors. No Win No Fee. Free Consultation Available.

Professional negligence happens when a trusted expert — like a solicitor, accountant, or architect — fails to meet the expected standards of their profession, causing you financial loss. Whether you’re an individual or a business, if a professional’s careless mistake has cost you money, you may be entitled to compensation.

At various times, people rely on professionals such as Solicitors, Accountants, Financial Advisers, Architects, Surveyors, Insurance Brokers, and Insolvency Practitioners. These services are often high-value and high-stakes — so when things go wrong, the consequences can be serious. Unlike faulty goods, professional negligence isn’t always visible, but the financial impact can be significant.

Professionals are required by law or regulation to carry indemnity insurance, which exists to protect clients when negligent advice or actions lead to financial harm.
We act for individuals, investors, businesses and property buyers across a wide range of negligence claims.

We’ve dealt with a wide range of claims — particularly involving solicitor negligence in property transactions. For example, we frequently act for clients who, after buying a home, discover it’s affected by a right of way (known as an easement), planning restriction or environmental issues such as outdated septic tank drainage. These issues are often costly to resolve and should have been flagged before purchase.

Other common examples of professional negligence that we experience, include:

• Solicitors – especially in conveyancing, where errors like missing easements or failing to check planning restrictions can make a property hard to sell or worth less than paid.
• Accountants – giving incorrect tax advice, missing out on allowances, or causing penalties.
• Architects – providing defective designs, breaching building regulations, or mismanaging projects.
• Financial Advisers – recommending high-risk or unsuitable investments.
• Surveyors – failing to spot structural issues or overvaluing properties.
• Insurance Brokers – not arranging suitable or sufficient cover.
• Insolvency Practitioners – recommending inappropriate debt solutions like IVAs or bankruptcy.

We’ll explore these in more detail in the next section: Professional Services We Handle Negligence Claims Against.

To make a successful professional negligence claim, three key legal elements must be present:

• Duty of Care: The professional must have owed you a duty of care — typically established when a paid service relationship exists.
• Breach of Duty: There must be a failure to meet the reasonable standard expected of a competent professional.
• Financial Loss Caused by the Breach: The breach must have directly caused you to lose money. The professional may try to argue the mistake didn’t actually lead to the loss, so proving causation is crucial.

Professionals may admit a mistake but deny liability by arguing their error didn’t actually cause a loss — for example, claiming the client would have made the same decision even if properly advised.

There are two types of losses you can claim:

• Direct Financial Loss – These are losses that directly arise from the negligence of the professional, e.g. repair costs from a surveyor missing defects.
• Consequential Loss – These are indirect losses that may arise in the future because of the negligent act, e.g. missed development opportunity due to a solicitor failing to flag planning restrictions, if such a loss was foreseeable.

Strict time limits do apply for bringing professional negligence claims, set down by the Limitation Act 1977. In most cases, you have six years from the date the negligent act occurred to bring a claim. However, if the negligence wasn’t immediately apparent, you may have up to three years from the date you became aware of the issue.

For example, an architect’s planning error might not become obvious until years later — and the law allows for this.

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• Accountant Negligence: Accountants are trusted to provide accurate financial guidance. Mistakes such as giving incorrect tax advice, submitting faulty returns, or failing to detect financial irregularities can result in penalties or substantial losses. If your accountant’s errors have cost you money, you may be entitled to compensation.
• Conveyancing Solicitor Negligence: Property transactions rely on thorough legal checks. If your solicitor failed to carry out proper searches, missed restrictions on title, or didn’t disclose key issues before completion, you could be entitled to claim for any resulting financial loss.
• Septic Tank Negligence: If your solicitor failed to advise you on updated septic tank regulations, you may now be facing expensive compliance costs. We specialise in claims where outdated or incorrect advice on drainage systems has left buyers out of pocket.
• Solicitor Negligence: From missed legal deadlines to poor litigation strategy or incorrect advice, solicitor errors can have serious financial consequences. If your solicitor let you down and caused you loss, we can help you pursue a no win, no fee compensation claim.
• Financial Advisor Negligence: Bad financial advice can have a long-lasting impact. If you were mis-sold an investment, advised to transfer a pension unnecessarily, or your risk profile wasn’t considered, you could claim back your losses with our support.
• Insurance Broker Negligence: If an insurance broker arranged the wrong cover, failed to explain policy exclusions, or caused your claim to be refused or underpaid, we can help. You may be able to recover your financial losses through a negligence claim.
• Architect Negligence: Whether designing a home extension or a major development, architects must adhere to strict professional standards. If flawed designs, planning oversights, or misjudged specifications have caused construction delays, cost overruns, or long-term property defects, you may have a valid reason to seek compensation.

If you’ve suffered losses due to any professional’s error or misconduct – even if not mentioned here – contact us for a free, no-obligation consultation.

We combine deep legal knowledge with a track record of results to help you recover what you’ve lost – and hold professionals accountable. Start Your No Win, No Fee Claim Today.

• Step 1: FREE ELIGIBILITY ASSESSMENT (DAY 1)
  We will take your initial instructions, and the information will be passed to one of our partners. We will read and consider your paperwork, carefully check the law and facts relating to your claim and assess the merits of your case. If your case passes this initial eligibility assessment, then we will pass your case to one of our senior solicitors who will have years of experience with similar cases to yours.
• Step 2: FREE INITIAL CONSULTATION (WEEK 1)
  Free, no-obligation consultation with a specialist solicitor. Our solicitor will discuss your case with you and seek further instructions to give you a realistic view of your chances of success. We’ll explain your funding options, including the scenarios where your case might qualify for our No Win, No Fee Agreement.
• Step 3: EVIDENCE GATHERING & CASE BUILDING (WEEKS 1–4)
  We will help you gather all relevant documents, including contracts, communications, and financial records. Third-party expert opinions may be sought to support your claim (e.g. from surveyors, accountants, or financial specialists). We will begin to quantify your financial losses and build a clear, evidence-based case. If your case still passes our merits test, we will offer you our No Win, No Fee Agreement.
• Step 4: PRE-ACTION PROTOCOL (MONTHS 2-6)
  We follow the Pre-Action Protocol for Professional Negligence in order to keep your case on the right legal track. We will prepare and send a formal Letter of Claim to the negligent party. You’ll be informed of expected timelines; under the Protocol, the negligent party will have up to a maximum of 3 months and 3 weeks to provide a formal Letter of Response. We will explain your options to you at all times, keep you informed and explore early dispute resolution with the negligent party before taking further steps.
• Step 5: NEGOTIATION & DISPUTE RESOLUTION (MONTHS 3-9)
  Our solicitors negotiate directly with the other party or their insurers to seek a fair settlement. We’ll consider mediation or other forms of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) where appropriate. You’ll be supported and guided throughout the process, with full representation from our experienced solicitors.
• Ongoing Client Communication
  Throughout the entire process, you’ll receive regular updates, clear guidance, and fast responses to any queries. Your dedicated solicitor will be your main point of contact from day one to resolution.

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Professional negligence claims can be complicated, often involving complex legal issues and detailed evidence. Many of these claims can lead to dispute resolution — whether that’s mediation, arbitration (if the professional’s contract allows for it), or court proceedings.

To help reduce the number of cases going to court, the Ministry of Justice introduced a pre-action protocol. This process encourages early and open exchange of information between the parties. The idea is that if both sides understand each other’s position, evidence, and valuation of the claim, it increases the chances of settling early — saving time, legal costs, and court resources.

• Preliminary Notice: This is a simple letter to let the professional — and typically their indemnity insurers — know that you intend to bring a claim. It outlines the basic facts: what went wrong, why you blame the professional, and what losses you’re claiming for.
• Letter of Claim: This comes later and must include:
  • The identity of all the parties involved
  • A detailed account of what happened and what you say went wrong
  • Clear allegations of negligence and why the service fell below required standards
  • A breakdown of the financial losses incurred and how they’ve been calculated

  The letter can also request relevant information or documentation held by the professional. It may include proposals for instructing expert witnesses if specialist evidence is required.

• Letter of Acknowledgement: Once the Letter of Claim is received, the professional (or more commonly, their legal representatives or insurers) has 21 days to acknowledge it and confirm they will investigate.
• Letter of Response: They then have up to 90 days to fully investigate the claim and respond. The response must deal with each allegation in the Letter of Claim and explain what is agreed or denied, with reasons and supporting evidence.

If the claim — or part of it — is accepted, they can make a settlement offer. If it’s denied or no agreement is reached, both parties are expected to attempt some form of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), such as a meeting, mediation, or arbitration, before going to court.

While the protocol isn’t legally mandatory, it is strongly advised. If a case does go to court, judges will usually take a dim view if either party has failed to follow it — especially if it appears the matter could have been resolved earlier.

Courts may impose penalties for non-compliance. For example, even a successful claimant might have their compensation reduced, or a party could be ordered to pay some or all of the other side’s legal costs — regardless of the outcome.

Get expert legal support today – no win, no fee.

We understand that scam victims have already lost money — so we offer a “No Win, No Fee” Agreement.

What This Means for You

• If we don’t win, you owe us nothing.
• If we succeed, our fees are based on a regulated percentage.
• No upfront costs.
• Full legal representation, if required.
• 14-day cooling-off period—change your mind anytime.

Speak To A Solicitor Now About Your Recovery Options – No Win, No Fee!

There’s no fixed limit on how much compensation you can claim for professional negligence. The goal is to put you back in the financial position you would have been in if the negligence hadn’t happened — this is known as “full restitution.”

You may be entitled to claim for:

• Direct financial losses — e.g. costs to repair property defects or losses from a bad investment caused by negligent advice.
• Consequential losses — such as loss of opportunity or profit. For example, being unable to develop a property or missing out on a more profitable investment due to poor advice.
• Interest and legal costs — interest on your losses (up to the point of settlement) and legal fees involved in bringing your claim.

However, the law requires you to mitigate your losses — this means taking reasonable steps to reduce further losses where possible. For instance, if you lose a business contract because of negligence, you’re expected to try securing alternative work rather than letting your losses build up.

While you can technically claim unlimited compensation, the professional’s indemnity insurance limit may cap how much you actually recover.

• Solicitors, for example, are typically insured for £3 million per claim.
• Larger firms may carry cover of £10 million or more, particularly if they serve corporate clients.

If your losses exceed the available insurance, you may still claim the full amount — but any shortfall would have to be recovered directly from the professional or their business, who may not have the funds to pay.

To succeed in a professional negligence claim, you need to prove three things:

• Duty of care – There must have been a professional relationship where the professional owed you a duty to act with reasonable skill and care. This is well established in law when a professional is engaged and paid for their services.
• Breach of duty – You must show that the professional failed to meet the standard expected — that is, they made an error or acted carelessly in a way that a reasonably competent professional wouldn’t have.
• Loss caused by the breach – Finally, you need to prove that the professional’s mistake directly caused you financial loss. This is known as the “causal link.”
  For example, if a solicitor failed to disclose a right of way or planning restriction during a property purchase, they may argue the deal would have gone ahead anyway — in which case, no loss was technically caused.

The burden of proof is on the person bringing the claim. You must show on the balance of probabilities (e.g., more likely than not) that the negligence occurred and caused your financial loss.

In most cases, this will involve expert evidence — usually from another professional in the same field. They will review the documents and provide an independent opinion on whether the original professional fell below the expected standard.

If facts are in dispute, both parties may rely on contemporaneous documents and witness statements to support their case. A strong expert report combined with solid factual evidence can often lead to an early settlement without going to court.

There are four main things that need to be in place for a professional negligence claim to succeed. Think of them as questions to ask yourself:

• Did the professional owe me a duty of care?
  Usually, if you instruct someone to do a job using their specialist knowledge — like a solicitor, accountant, or architect — the answer is yes.
• Did they get something wrong?
  This means more than a bad outcome. It has to be something no reasonable professional should have done (or failed to do), like giving poor advice or missing a key step.
• Did their mistake cause me financial harm?
  You need to show a clear link between their error and the money you lost — not just that something went wrong.
• Did I actually lose money?
  Without a financial loss, there’s no claim — even if the professional did make a mistake.

If you’re unsure whether your case meets all four of these, we can talk it through with you. We’ll quickly let you know if it’s something we can help with.

Yes, it can — both for you and the professional you’re claiming against.

Most professionals have indemnity insurance, which means their insurer (not the individual) will usually handle, investigate, and settle any negligence claim.

What many people don’t realise is that their own insurance policies — such as home, car, or life insurance — can sometimes include legal expenses cover. This could help pay for:

• Your solicitor and barrister’s fees
• Expert reports and court fees
• A portion of the other party’s legal costs if you’re ordered to pay them

If you don’t have legal expenses cover, many solicitors (including us) offer “no win, no fee” agreements to remove the financial risk of pursuing a claim.

So, before starting a claim, it’s worth checking all your existing policies for legal expenses cover — it may already be in place without you realising.

In most cases, you have six years from the date of the negligent act to bring a professional negligence claim.

This is because engaging a professional usually involves a contract — and six years is the standard time limit for breach of contract under the Limitation Act 1980.

However, there’s an exception:

If you only become aware of the negligence and its financial impact later, you may still bring a claim — but you must do so within three years of when you reasonably became aware of the issue.

For example, an architect may have failed to meet planning conditions on development — but you might only find this out years later when trying to sell or develop the property.
Even in these cases, the absolute longstop limit is 15 years, so it’s important to act promptly once the issue is discovered.

The cost will depend on how your case is funded — but in many cases, it’s possible to pursue a claim without paying anything upfront.

The most common option is a “no win, no fee” agreement, where:

• You pay nothing if the claim is unsuccessful
• If successful, your solicitor takes a pre-agreed percentage from the compensation

Solicitors usually investigate the strength of the claim before offering this — reviewing documents, facts, and possibly even contacting the professional you’re claiming against to request key information.

We offer a free, no-obligation consultation to help you understand your legal options. Our experienced team handles professional negligence claims across England and Wales and will provide honest, practical advice from the start.

• Call us on +44 808 1697 109 (Mon–Fri, 9am–5pm)
• Email: [email protected] – we respond to all enquiries on the same day.
• Serving clients across the UK.

We take your privacy seriously. All enquiries are treated in confidence.
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