Terms of Service

1. Company information

Ashworth & Ingram Compensation Partners Limited ("A&ICP", "we", "us", "our"), The Old Mill, Kings Mill, Kings Mill Lane, South Nutfield, Surrey RH1 5NB, is registered in England and Wales (Company No. 16196898) and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in respect of regulated claims management activities (FRN 1042169). We are registered with the Information Commissioner's Office (Registration No. ZB907311). We trade as Council Repair Claims.

This agreement is between us and you, our customer ("you", "your"), in relation to your housing disrepair claim.

2. What this agreement is for

You rent your home from a council, housing association or other social landlord. Your landlord has a legal duty to keep your home safe and in reasonable repair. If problems you have reported have not been fixed, you may be able to make a housing disrepair claim for repairs to be carried out and for compensation for inconvenience, damage to belongings or effects on health.

Under this agreement we will prepare your claim and, if it appears suitable, refer it to a regulated solicitor.

3. What we will do

We will:

• Listen to your experience and record the information you give us about problems in your home
• Collect and check evidence, such as photographs, reports and proof that you told your landlord about the problems
• Confirm your identity and contact details
• Prepare your claim so it is ready for one of our panel solicitor firms to review
• Keep you updated while we prepare your file, which usually takes 1 to 2 weeks once we have everything we need

4. What we do not do

We are not a law firm. We do not act as your solicitor and cannot give you legal advice. At this stage we cannot confirm whether you have a valid claim or how likely it is to succeed. A regulated solicitor will review your file and advise you on your chances. If the solicitor takes your case, your claim will be handled under a separate agreement between you and that solicitor.

5. You do not have to use us

You could make this claim yourself without using our service. You can complain directly to your landlord and, if you are not satisfied with their response, refer your complaint to the Housing Ombudsman (England) or the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales, free of charge. Using a claims management company does not mean your claim will be dealt with more quickly or that you will get a better outcome.

6. What we need from you

To prepare your claim, we need you to:

• Give us accurate and honest information about yourself, your home and the problems you have experienced
• Provide one photo ID (passport or driving licence), proof of tenancy and one proof of address dated within the last 3 months
• Provide rent statements or arrears information
• Provide evidence of the problems and proof that you reported them to your landlord
• Tell us promptly if your details or circumstances change, including if you move out of the property
• Sign our Client Care & Consent Form

The sooner you send what we ask for, the sooner we can refer your claim.

7. Our commitment to you

We will:

• Treat you fairly and handle your information with care
• Use plain language and explain anything you are unsure about
• Never encourage you to exaggerate or invent any part of your claim
• Tell you if we do not think your claim is suitable to refer, and explain why
• Tell you if we identify a conflict of interest that prevents us acting for you
• Give extra support if your circumstances mean you need it; just let us know

8. Fees

We do not charge you for preparing and referring your claim, and we do not charge you if you cancel.

If we refer your case to a solicitor, we receive a referral fee from them. This is not charged to you and does not reduce any compensation you receive.

If you choose to go ahead with a solicitor, they will explain their own agreement and fees before starting any legal work. Our panel solicitors work on a no win, no fee basis (a Conditional Fee Agreement). If your claim succeeds, the solicitor's success fee is 25% of your compensation plus VAT (30% in total), deducted from your award. If your claim is unsuccessful, you do not pay the solicitor's legal fees. Once you have signed up with a solicitor, if you cancel after their 14-day cooling-off period, withdraw against their advice, or do not co-operate, you may have to pay costs already incurred, including disbursements and, in some circumstances, your landlord's legal costs.

9. Your right to cancel

You can cancel this agreement at any time, free of charge, by email (claims@ashworthingramcp.co.uk), phone (03330 111104) or post. If you cancel before we refer your case, we will stop work and will not pass your details to a solicitor. If we have already referred your case, cancelling with us does not cancel any agreement you have signed with the solicitor; you must contact the solicitor directly. Full details are on our Cancellations page.

10. If we end this agreement

We may end this agreement and stop working on your claim if:

• We reasonably believe your claim is not suitable to refer
• You give us information you know to be false or misleading
• You do not provide the information we need, after we have asked you and given you at least 14 days to do so

We will tell you in writing and explain why. You will not be charged.

11. Complaints

If you are unhappy with our service, contact us by email (complaints@ashworthingramcp.co.uk), phone (03330 111104) or post (address in section 1). Full details are in our Complaints Procedure. If you remain unhappy, you may refer your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service: phone 0800 023 4567 or 0300 123 9123; website www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk; post: Financial Ombudsman Service, Exchange Tower, London E14 9SR.

Complaints about your solicitor should be made to the solicitor first; they will explain their own complaints process.

12. Your personal data

We will use your personal information as described in our Privacy Policy. We will only share it with people or companies who help us prepare and progress your claim, such as the solicitor we refer you to and our identity verification provider. We will update you by phone, email, SMS, WhatsApp or post. We will only send you marketing if you have agreed to it, and you can opt out at any time.

13. Limits of our liability

We are not responsible for costs or losses caused by delays in you providing information we have asked for, delays or failures by postal or email services, or matters outside our control. We are not responsible for the conduct of your claim once it has been accepted by a solicitor. Nothing in this agreement limits our liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, for fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation, for failing to use reasonable care and skill, or for anything else that cannot be limited by law.

14. Before you sign

Please read these terms and our Privacy Policy carefully. If there is anything you do not understand, ask us before you sign.

15. Contact us

Email: claims@ashworthingramcp.co.uk
Phone: 03330 111104
Address: The Old Mill, Kings Mill, Kings Mill Lane, South Nutfield, Surrey RH1 5NB