FAQs

Frequently Asked Question about Alternative Costs

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What is the benefit of using an Alternative Costs' Draftsman?

It is quite likely that you have a good or even very good understanding of costs law. This is great for you as it will help you recover your costs to the utmost they can be. However if you do not have the time or expertise to manage, chase, negotiate and attend Court to chase your fees, that is where we can help. Alternative Costs’ Draftsmen are specifically trained and experienced in a wide range of Costs law. This means we are up to date with the most recent practices and legislation and can dedicate our efforts to recovering your fees. An experienced Costs Draftsman can recover up to 25% more than negotiation within your own office and not by unfair or inflated claims, but simply through the knowledge of how to recover, properly and justly, your fees for your work undertaken. Many items, presented or negotiated one way, may be allowed or not by the paying party or Court. We have significant experience of this and are able to pass on our knowledge to you. In most cases our fee is accounted for by the benefits our expertise can impart on your case. Why not recover the fees to which you are entitled?

Who will be dealing with your case?

We have around 50 members of staff here at Alternative Costs with combination of Costs Lawyers, Draftsmen and non-practicing Barristers. Once your first file is booked in you will be assigned to a team manager who you can liaise with throughout your claim. Our offices are manned and operational from 9-5pm Monday to Friday all year excluding Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.

What areas of Law Costs recovery are you experienced in?

  • Civil & Personal Injury
  • Clinical Negligence
  • Commercial Law
  • Family and Care Law
  • Private Client
  • Judicial Reviews
  • PPI and Financial Miss-selling

Where do you work?

We are based in Liverpool but have a diverse client base across England and Wales. We regularly conduct advocacy on behalf of our clients across the country.

What is your turnaround time?

Our maximum turnaround time is 14 days from receipt of the file but this usually translates as between 5-10 days. If there are extenuating circumstances we will be in touch with you immediately. We are efficient by nature but will always put quality and your recovery first.

Our total average turnaround from booking a file in to settlement at the start of 2016 was 52 days. We are able to achieve this through our expertise, endeavour and maintained professional relationships.

How do I instruct you?

You can call us, email or send files to us Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm. We are open all holidays except Christmas, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.

How do you receive files?

We are happy to receive files by hard copy, electronically, by memory stick, even by suitcase! We have received and dealt with it all.

If you have a case management system such as Pro-claim we are can offer a secure electronic transfer of files (ABS security level standard) to speed up the process and add a further level of security and recoverability to your system.

When do I have to pay?

Providing there is an understanding of on-going instructions then we are happy to defer payment until 28 days after the settlement of the case.

Can you help with Costs Budgets?

We have significant experience in preparing Costs Budgets and are here to help no matter how urgent your requirement is. Potentially we can turn these around in 24 hours if you have left it late.

Costs budgets are critical now and failure to submit can result in huge losses of costs you would otherwise be entitled to.

We are happy to attend Costs Budget hearings, on your behalf, prepare Precedent H forms and update your budget as necessary.

When is the deadline for filing a Costs budget?

As of the start of April 2016 the rules have changed. The Civil Procedure Rules now state the following:

CPR 3.13

(1) Unless the court otherwise orders, all parties except litigants in person must file and exchange budgets—

(a) where the stated value of the claim on the claim form is less than £50,000, with their directions questionnaires; or

(b) in any other case, not later than 21 days before the first case management conference.

(2) In the event that a party files and exchanges a budget under paragraph (1), all other parties, not being litigants in person, must file an agreed budget discussion report no later than 7 days before the first case management conference.

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