Claiming back money for general client losses

If you need this guidance in a language other than English or in alternative formats, please contact us and we will provide it for you. If you need extra help with making a claim we will work with someone who has your permission to represent you, such as a new solicitor or legal advisor, or a member of Citizens Advice or other support agency.

This page contains guidance on how to claim back money owed from general client losses.

Before you start to make a claim, please read our general guidance on the claims process.

You may also find this other guidance useful:

• Eligibility and claiming back money relating to conveyancing transactions, such as
  • a mortgage that a solicitor has not paid off where they have been given funds to do so
  • unpaid stamp duty, land tax or land registry fees, and
  • lost mortgage advances
• claiming back money relating to estates of the deceased, or trust funds.

Claiming general client money or other losses

If your claim relates to a loss that is not covered by any of the other topics in this section, the list below is a general guide to what you will need to provide as supporting evidence for your claim.

What we need from you

To prove the amount you claim was paid to your legal adviser, we will need

• bank statements showing the payment of money to your legal adviser
• receipts issued by the legal adviser
• copies of any cheques paid to the legal adviser (you can get these from the bank)
• copies of bills the legal adviser may have sent to you, or details of fees agreed with the legal adviser, and
• copies of any ledger sheets—if we have closed the firm, you can obtain these from the agent we asked to close the firm: if the agent does not have them, contact us, as it is possible we are storing them.

We also need details of

• why you sent the money to the legal adviser,
• any money the legal adviser paid out, and
• any other matters the legal adviser was dealing with.