New Consumer Contract Regulations and Their Impact on Solicitors' Retainers, Study notes of Business

Download New Consumer Contract Regulations and Their Impact on Solicitors' Retainers and more Study notes Business in PDF only on Docsity! 1 Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 Introduction With over a decade of fairly fundamental regulatory challenges brought about by the Access to Justice Act 1999, s.58 Courts and Legal Services Act 1990 (Conditional Fee legislation) and more recently LASPO (Jackson and DBAs), not to mention the overhaul of the Solicitors Code of Conduct to its present guise of the Handbook in October 2011, one would be forgiven for thinking that the solicitors profession is already sufficiently regulated without yet more intricate legislation. However, it seems not. It is now necessary for the profession to get to grips with this latest round of regulation bestowed upon the profession by Brussels. On 13 June 2014 the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 (“ The CCR 2013”) come into force. They apply to contracts entered into on or after that date. These regulations impose a new statutory regime governing the pre-contractual requirements of certain consumer contracts, including important provisions relating to cancellation. They complete the implementation of the Consumer Rights Directive (2011/83/EU), and thus represent a further step towards the harmonisation of consumer contract law across the EU. The Directive records that, “The harmonisation of certain aspects of consumer distance and off-premises contracts is necessary for the promotion of a real consumer internal market striking the right balance between a high level of consumer protection and the competitiveness of enterprises, while ensuring respect for the principle of subsidiarity.” Evidently this includes contracts which govern the relationship between solicitors and their consumer clients. For many solicitors conducting business via off premises or distance selling communication, they will be familiar with the Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000 and the Cancellation of Contracts made in a Consumer’s Home or Place of Work etc Regulation 2008. However, from 13 June 2014 those regulations will no longer apply. Parliament has not chosen to revoke these regulations, but rather to expressly dis-apply their application to contracts entered into on or after 13 June 2014. Application to Solicitors The new CCR 2013 are likely to apply to all Solicitors’ retainers where the client is a consumer and where the contract of retainer is entered into:  on their business premises 2  away from the solicitor's own place of business or following discussions that take place away from their own place of business  at a distance as part of an organised distance sales or service-provision scheme ‘Consumer’ is defined as an individual acting for purposes which are wholly or mainly outside that individual’s trade, business, craft or profession. Whether the regulations apply will therefore depend on the factual circumstances of each case. But there seems little doubt for the vast majority of solicitors where clients instruct the firm in respect of their own personal/private affairs outside that individual’s trade, business or profession, then the regulations will apply. There are essentially three different scenarios to which the regulations apply:  on premises contracts  off premises contracts  distance contracts Contracts concluded in the Solicitors’ office This will be an “on-premises contract”. The solicitor must now ensure that the requirements of Regulation 9 are met. This requires the solicitor to give or make available to the consumer information required by Schedule 2 to the CCR 2013. In essence most solicitors current retainers issued to clients are likely to meet these requirements but checks should be made. Under Chapter 1 of the Handbook “Client Care” the requirements for the provision of information to clients is outcome based and less prescriptive than Schedule 1. It is therefore necessary to cross check retainers against the specific requirements of Schedule 1. Information will include a description of the services to be provided, the identity of those providing the service, the total estimated cost or if fixed, the total price for the work to be completed, the manner in which the charges are to be calculated, arrangements for payment and performance of the services, the solicitors’ complaints handling policy, the likely duration of the contract. This information has to be provided or made available before making the contract. The information provided is to be treated as a term of the contract of retainer. Any change to the information provided is not effective unless expressly agreed between the consumer and the trader. This would apply, presumably, to increases in hourly rates and/or changes to budgets. 5 Distance Contracts ‘Distance contracts” are contracts concluded under an organised distance sales or service provision scheme ( eg mail order, online sales and telesales) without the simultaneous physical presence of the solicitor and the client, with the exclusive use of distance communication up to the point the contract is agreed. Contracts of this nature require the solicitor to provide the Schedule 2 information much in the same way as with “off-premises” contracts but there are special provisions where the means of distance communication (telephone/internet) allows for limited time or space to display the required information under Schedule 2. Solicitors conducting business of this type must familiarise themselves with r.13 and the Schedule 2 requirements. Where the distance contract is concluded by electronic means, then the solicitor is obliged to ensure that the client is aware from prominent postings of the client’s obligation to pay before the request for services is made. Specific requirements relate to the labelling of buttons on web sites and legibility of obligations to pay when confirming instructions (placing an order). If these requirements are not met then it can be fatal for the solicitor. Regulation 14(5) provides that if these requirements are not met then the client is not bound by the contract. Specific requirements are set out for the content of telephone conversations where contracts are concluded and obligations to provide confirmation of the terms of the contract following its execution. Where there is a dispute as to whether the solicitor complied with the requirements pertaining to off-premises and/or distance contracts, then the burden is placed on the solicitor to prove compliance: r. 17. Cancellation Notices The CCR 2013 introduces changes into the format of the Cancellation Notices which solicitors have been historically providing under the Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000 and the Cancellation of Contracts made in a Consumer’s Home or Place of Work etc Regulation 2008. There is a new prescribed cancellation Notice which must be used. There is also a “model instruction” which it is advisable to use. This is set out in Part A of Schedule 3. The Cancellation Notice/Form is set out in Part B of Schedule 3. 6 The right to cancel arises in off-premises and distance contracts. The CCR 2013 provide that the client may cancel a distance or off premises contract at any time in the cancellation period without giving a reason and without incurring a liability. Furthermore, the regulations provide that the solicitor (trader) must not begin the supply of any services before the end of the cancellation period unless the client has requested early supply of the services in advance of the cancellation period expiring: r.36(1). The normal cancellation period is 14 days after the day on which the contract is entered into. Furthermore, the solicitor must also make it clear to the client that if such request is made, that the client will be required to pay the solicitor reasonable costs for the work done up to the point of cancellation if cancellation occurs after the work is started. No charges can be raised for work in the cancellation period unless these requirements are met : r.36(6). If the solicitor fails to provide the client with a right to cancel then if the information is provided late, but within 12 months of the contract being entered into, then the cancellation period is extended to end 14 days after the client receives the cancellation notice. Otherwise, the cancellation period will be assumed to end at the end of 12 months from the contract being entered into. Of more concern to the solicitor however, will be the criminal sanction for failing to provide the cancellation information required by Schedule 2 in an off-premises contract. The Regulations create a summary offence with a fine not exceeding level 5 (£5,000): r. 19. A specific form is prescribed for the client to use if exercising a right to cancel (Part B of Schedule 3) which should be provided by the solicitor before the contract is executed. However, the client is in fact free to cancel by “any clear statement setting out the decision to cancel the contract”. Ancillary Contracts Solicitors must also be aware that where a client cancels an off-premises or distance contract, n any ancillary contract is also automatically terminated without cost to the client, unless the client has requested early supply of the service within the cancellation period under r.36. “Ancillary contracts” is defined as a contract by which the consumer acquires goods or services related to the main contract, where those goods or services are provided by the solicitor or by a third party on the basis of an arrangement between the third party and the solicitor. It will be a matter for future argument but it will doubtless be argued that ancillary contracts include retainers with barristers entered into by the solicitor on the particular client’ case and possibly ATE contracts too. 7 Conclusion There is much to think about for solicitors under these regulations. They contain a number of important requirements which if not met are likely to lead to clients successfully escaping costs liabilities which would otherwise arise under the contract of retainer. There are various trip-wires for the unwary. Whilst the regulations are clearly designed for the benefit of the client it remains to be seen to what extent, if at all, the courts permit third parties to pray in aid breaches of the regulations to avoid costs liabilities arising in inter partes costs assessments. Under the former CFA regulatory regime the Courts permitted third parties to rely on solicitors’ breaches of the regulations to avoid costs liabilities arising under inter partes costs orders in favour of the solicitor’s client. With this potential threat it is even more incumbent on solicitors to ensure they meet the requirements of the regulations – compliance will be the best defence. Nicholas Bacon QC 12 June 2014