0151 665 0320When people hear “solicitor”, they often picture a large bill landing before anything has even happened. That fear stops a lot of tenants from claiming compensation they’re owed. So let’s clear it up. A no win no fee tenancy deposit claim means exactly what it says: if your claim doesn’t succeed, you don’t pay us a fee. There’s nothing to lose by finding out where you stand.
This explainer breaks down what a no win no fee tenancy deposit claim really costs you, how the success fee works, and why the deposit check is free.
What “no win, no fee” actually means
“No win, no fee” is the everyday name for a conditional fee agreement (CFA). It’s a written agreement between you and your solicitor that says our fee is conditional on winning your case. Put simply:
- No upfront cost to start your claim.
- No hourly bills arriving while your case is running.
- No fee to us if you lose. If the claim is unsuccessful, you don’t pay our legal fees.
This is what makes a claim accessible. You don’t need savings or a budget set aside – you just need a claim worth pursuing.
How the success fee works
If your claim succeeds, we take a success fee out of the compensation you’re awarded. At Cook Legal Solicitors, that success fee is capped at 25% of your compensation. You keep the rest.
The key points to understand about the success fee:
- It only applies if you win. No win, no fee.
- It is a percentage of what you recover, not an open-ended bill. You always know it can’t exceed a quarter of your award.
- It is deducted from the compensation, so it doesn’t come out of your own pocket separately.
So if a claim recovered compensation, you would keep at least 75% of it, with our capped success fee covering the work of running the case. To understand what kinds of figures are realistic, see our guide on how deposit compensation is calculated.
Why the deposit check is free
Before any agreement is signed, we offer a free deposit check. This is a no-obligation review of your situation to work out whether you have a claim at all. There’s no charge, no pressure, and no commitment to go further.
We do this because most tenants genuinely don’t know whether they’ve been wronged. The rules – 30-day protection, prescribed information, the penalty of one to three times the deposit – aren’t widely understood. The free check is how you find out, at zero cost and zero risk.
Is there really no risk to me?
For most tenants, a properly run no-win-no-fee claim is designed to carry no financial risk to you. We’ll always explain the terms of your conditional fee agreement clearly before you sign, including the capped success fee and anything else you need to know, so there are no surprises. As an SRA-regulated firm, we’re held to professional standards on exactly this kind of transparency.
If you’d like to see the bigger picture of how a claim runs from start to finish, our step-by-step guide to the claims process walks you through it.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to pay anything to start a no win no fee tenancy deposit claim?
No. There are no upfront fees to begin a claim, and the initial deposit check is free.
What happens if I lose?
If your claim doesn’t succeed, you don’t pay our legal fees. That’s the whole point of no win, no fee. We’ll explain any specific terms in your agreement before you commit.
How much is the success fee?
Our success fee is capped at 25% of the compensation you recover. It only applies if you win, and it’s deducted from your award.
Will I always end up with most of my compensation?
Yes. With the success fee capped at 25%, you keep at least three-quarters of what you’re awarded.
Is Cook Legal regulated?
Yes. We’re solicitors regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, which means we’re bound by strict rules on transparency and client care.
Nothing to lose, potentially a lot to gain. Find out for free whether you have a claim. Cook Legal Solicitors offers a free deposit check with no upfront cost and a success fee capped at 25%. Call us on 0151 665 0320.
This article is general information, not legal advice. For advice on your own situation, contact Cook Legal Solicitors for a free deposit check.