What Is A No Win, No Fee Agreement?
A “no win, no fee” arrangement is designed to help people pursue a claim without paying upfront legal fees, making legal action more affordable and reducing financial risk if the claim does not succeed.
The formal name for this type of agreement is a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA).
If The Claim Is Successful
If your claim wins, your landlord will pay your basic legal costs.
In most cases, a success fee will apply. This is an additional fee linked to winning the case and it is deducted from the compensation won. Most success fees do no exceed 25%.
As an example, imagine you win your housing disrepair claim and your landlord agrees to pay you £2,000 in compensation. With a 25% success fee, the total sum of compensation you will receive is £1,500. This is also alongside the completed repairs.
Some housing disrepair claims also use After The Event (ATE) insurance. This is a type of insurance that can help cover certain costs connected to the claim. There is usually no upfront payment for this, and the premium is normally only payable if the claim succeeds.
All details will be explained to you thoroughly before you start your claim.
If The Claim Is Unsuccessful
If your claim does not succeed, you won’t pay your basic legal costs, under the no win, no fee agreement, as long as you cooperate fully with the legal process and provide honest and accurate information.
No win, no fee does not always mean there is never any cost at all. Depending on the agreement and the insurance in place, there can sometimes be other case-related costs, such as expert report fees, court-related expenses, or costs that arise if a claim is withdrawn or ended early.
We will clearly explain any situation where you could be liable for costs before you sign.
Why It Helps In Housing Disrepair Claims
No win, no fee agreements are widely used in housing disrepair claims because they give tenants a practical way of taking action against a landlord without needing money upfront for legal fees.
This can be especially important where disrepair is affecting health, safety, or day-to-day living, and where the tenant may not otherwise feel able to pursue a claim.
In Simple Terms
No win, no fee helps make housing disrepair claims more affordable and lowers the financial risk of taking legal action. It gives tenants a clearer route to challenge landlords for failing to carry out repairs, while avoiding upfront legal costs.