Terms of Business

These Terms of Business, the applicable fee information and the individual Client Care Letter form the agreement for an accepted matter. The Client Care Letter identifies the client, instructions, scope of work, adviser, fees and any matter-specific conditions. If there is an inconsistency, the Client Care Letter prevails for that matter, except where doing so would conflict with law or a regulatory requirement.

Website information, a general enquiry, a booking, an initial triage call or a consultation does not by itself require us to accept continuing instructions. We will confirm in writing if we agree to act.

Dickson Law Office Ltd is registered in England and Wales under company number 15171914. Our registered office is Unit 8A, West Cross Shopping Centre, Oldbury Road, Smethwick, West Midlands, B66 1JG.

We are regulated by the Immigration Advice Authority at Level 1 in the categories of Immigration and Asylum and Protection. Our organisation number is F202636259. Dickson Tarnongo is an authorised adviser, number P062830.

We act only where a matter falls within our regulatory authorisation and professional competence. We do not undertake substantive asylum work, appeals, tribunal representation, judicial review or other work outside our authorised scope. If a matter is or becomes unsuitable for us, we will explain this and, where appropriate, refer or signpost the client to an appropriately authorised adviser.

Before accepting instructions, we may need enough information to understand the matter, check for conflicts, confirm identity, establish authority to act and assess whether the work is within our authorisation and competence. We may decline instructions where these checks cannot be completed, a conflict exists, the requested work is outside our scope, the relationship of trust has broken down or another proper reason applies.

We act only for the client identified in the Client Care Letter. We do not owe duties to a family member, sponsor, employer or other person unless we expressly agree in writing to act for that person. Where interests may differ, separate advice may be required.

The Client Care Letter states what we will and will not do. Any additional work requires our written agreement and may involve a further fee. Unless specifically agreed, our work does not include tax advice, financial advice, foreign law, reserved legal activities, appeal representation or monitoring a person's immigration position after the agreed matter closes.

We may revise the scope if the facts change, new information emerges, the Home Office raises a new issue or the matter becomes more complex. We will inform the client before carrying out additional chargeable work.

The Client Care Letter identifies the person responsible for the matter and gives their contact details. Appointments are normally required for meetings. We may communicate by post, email, telephone, secure video call and, for appointment booking or informal messages, WhatsApp.

Formal advice, significant case updates and important decisions will be confirmed by letter or email. The client must tell us promptly if contact details change, check communications regularly and keep copies. Electronic communication carries security and delivery risks. A client who requires a particular communication method should tell us before sending sensitive information.

The client agrees to:

• provide complete, accurate and honest instructions and documents;
• tell us promptly about changes in circumstances, immigration status, address, relationships, employment, finances or other relevant matters;
• forward Home Office and other relevant communications without delay;
• check drafts and factual summaries carefully and identify errors before submission;
• meet agreed deadlines and attend required appointments;
• pay agreed fees and third-party charges when due; and
• not ask us to mislead any person or authority, conceal relevant information or submit false evidence.

We may stop acting if the client gives information that we reasonably believe is false or misleading, refuses to correct a misleading position, fails to provide necessary instructions or otherwise prevents us from acting lawfully and professionally.

Our advice is based on the information available, the agreed scope and the law and policy reasonably understood at the time. Immigration law and Home Office practice can change. We will address relevant changes that occur while an accepted matter remains open, but we do not provide continuing monitoring after closure unless agreed in writing.

We cannot guarantee an application, request or decision will succeed or be decided within a particular period. Decisions and processing times are controlled by the relevant authority. Any view on prospects is an assessment, not a promise.

We normally charge an agreed fixed fee for the defined work. The amount, payment schedule and work included are stated in the Client Care Letter. No hourly rate applies unless expressly agreed in writing. We are not currently registered for VAT, so VAT is not added. If our VAT status changes, we will notify affected clients before VAT is charged.

A fixed fee applies to the agreed scope and assumptions. If instructions change or additional work becomes necessary, we will explain the proposed work and fee before proceeding. A client is not required to accept additional work, but refusal may mean that we cannot continue where the original scope is no longer adequate.

Home Office application fees, the Immigration Health Surcharge, biometric charges, priority service charges, translation and interpreting costs, expert fees, courier charges and other third-party expenses are not included unless the Client Care Letter states otherwise. The client remains responsible for those costs and for increases imposed by a third party.

We will not incur a material third-party cost without the client's authority, except where the client has already authorised a defined category of expense. Third parties may require payment in advance and their own terms may apply.

Invoices are payable in accordance with the Client Care Letter or invoice. Work may be paused if an agreed payment is overdue, provided that doing so is lawful, fair and does not improperly prejudice the client. The client remains responsible for deadlines unless we have expressly accepted responsibility for them in writing.

If instructions end after work has begun, we may retain a fair and proportionate part of the agreed fee for work properly completed and expenses incurred. We will provide a written calculation of any balance or refund. Any money held for a client, rather than received in settlement of an invoice, will be handled in accordance with applicable IAA requirements and the arrangement explained to the client.

Where a consumer enters a service contract at a distance, such as by telephone, email, video call or online, or away from our business premises, the consumer will normally have 14 days from the day after the contract is made to cancel without giving a reason. A cancellation may be made by a clear statement using the contact details in section 25 or the model form at the end of these terms.

We will not begin substantive work during the cancellation period unless the client expressly requests an early start. If the client requests an early start and then cancels, the client must pay a proportionate amount for work supplied up to cancellation. If the service is fully performed during the cancellation period after the client's express request and acknowledgement that the right to cancel will be lost on full performance, the right to cancel ends when the service is fully performed.

Where a valid cancellation requires a refund, we will make it without undue delay and normally within 14 days after being informed of the cancellation, using the original payment method unless another method is agreed. Statutory rights are not affected.

If a deadline or other urgency requires work during a cancellation period, the client must disclose the urgency and may be asked to confirm an express request for work to begin. We may decline urgent instructions if there is insufficient time to act competently or complete required checks. We accept responsibility for a deadline only when this is confirmed in writing.

We take reasonable care of original documents and return them when they are no longer required, unless a different arrangement is agreed. Clients should retain copies where possible and must not send an original document through ordinary post without prior agreement. We may copy documents for the client file and regulatory recordkeeping.

We keep client information confidential subject to legal, regulatory and professional duties. Disclosure may be required to provide the agreed service, comply with law, respond to the IAA, notify an insurer, prevent or report serious wrongdoing, protect legal rights or deal with a complaint. The IAA may inspect client files as part of its regulatory role.

Our Website Privacy Notice and any matter-specific privacy information explain how we use personal information. The client must provide personal information about another person only where permitted and should tell us if confidentiality or safety concerns require special handling.

We may suggest another authorised adviser or service provider where this is in the client's interests. We will explain whether the other person acts independently and whether information will be shared. We do not pay or accept prohibited referral fees. An independent provider is responsible for its own work and fees.

If an interpreter, translator, expert or other provider is needed, the client may be responsible for the cost. We may refuse to use a person whose independence, competence, confidentiality or reliability is reasonably in doubt.

We do not currently provide services under a Legal Aid Agency contract. A person on a low income or receiving benefits may qualify for legal aid for certain matters. If legal aid may be relevant, we may recommend that the person seeks advice from an authorised legal aid provider before instructing us privately.

We do not act where a conflict of interest prevents us from acting properly or where there is a significant risk that duties to one client conflict with duties to another. If a conflict arises after work begins, we may have to stop acting for one or more clients. We will explain the position so far as confidentiality duties permit.

The client may end instructions at any time by written notice. We may stop acting for a proper reason, including non-payment, loss of contact, failure to provide instructions, dishonesty, abusive conduct, a conflict, regulatory limits or a breakdown of trust. Where practicable, we will give reasonable written notice and explain any urgent steps the client should take.

When the agreement ends, we will account for fees and money, return original documents as appropriate and confirm the status of the matter. Ending the agreement does not remove rights or obligations that arose before termination.

We will tell the client when the matter is closed. We normally keep the client file and relevant records for at least six years after closure to meet regulatory, insurance and legal requirements. After the retention period, the file may be securely destroyed without further notice unless a longer period is required or another written arrangement has been agreed.

A client may request copies of documents held on the file, subject to data protection law, confidentiality, legal privilege, third-party rights and reasonable arrangements for retrieval or copying.

We aim to provide a high standard of service. A concern should be raised as soon as possible with Dickson Tarnongo, Managing Director and Head of Advice. A complaint may be made verbally or in writing using the contact details in section 25. We will acknowledge a complaint within five working days, investigate it fairly and communicate the outcome in writing. Our full Complaints Procedure is available on request and on our Complaints Policy page.

A client may complain directly to the Immigration Advice Authority at any time, whether or not the complaint has first been made to us:

We maintain professional indemnity insurance as required for regulated immigration advice organisations. The insurance is subject to its terms, exclusions and limits. Information reasonably required about the cover will be provided where appropriate.

We are responsible for providing accepted services with reasonable care and skill and in accordance with applicable professional duties. Nothing in these terms excludes or restricts liability where doing so is prohibited by law, including liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation.

We are not responsible for loss caused by incomplete, inaccurate or late information supplied by the client or another person; a client's failure to follow advice; changes in law or policy after a matter closes; a decision or delay controlled by a public authority; or the independent acts of a third party, except to the extent that the loss was caused by our breach of duty. Any matter-specific and lawful limitation will be stated clearly in the Client Care Letter.

We are not responsible for delay caused by an event outside our reasonable control, such as failure of a government system, serious technology outage, transport disruption, industrial action, fire, flood, epidemic or other emergency. We will take reasonable steps to reduce the effect, keep the client informed and identify any action the client should take.

If any provision is invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions continue to apply.

A delay in enforcing a right is not a waiver of that right.

No person other than the client and Dickson Law Office Ltd may enforce the agreement under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999, unless the Client Care Letter expressly provides otherwise.

These terms and the Client Care Letter contain the agreement about the accepted work and replace prior discussions about that scope, without excluding liability for fraud or rights that cannot lawfully be excluded.

The agreement and non-contractual disputes are governed by the law of England and Wales. The courts of England and Wales have jurisdiction, subject to any mandatory rights a consumer has to use the courts where the consumer lives.

Nothing in these terms affects statutory consumer rights.