Reclaim PPI/Legal Fees - Bad Legal Advice

onesixfive

For speed & convenience - I contacted Just Answer/UK Law online in May.
Maybe not the best decision in my life!
I was given "legal advice" at a cost of £33.
Long Story but - I was told to put in a claim via the small claim court, as a last resort for reclaiming my PPI.
This cost me a further £60.
All went well - or so I thought.
Obviously my opponents were more experienced in such matters, because, this led to me receiving a counter claim - which I wasn’t forewarned about by the legal advice, and which could have cost me a further £250, which I could not run the risk of losing as I could not afford.
So - I have had to agree to drop my case so that they will drop the counter claim.
This has finally been dismissed by the court this week. Phew!
However, I feel I have lost all round.
I am looking to Just Answer/UK Law for suitable compensation, since it was their poor initial advice, which led me to approach the court in the first place and cost me almost £100 - but led to nothing!
I am £33 down on their fees (only refundable for 30 days - expired).
I have paid £60 to the court (asked for refund but not materialised), and I have no chance of getting back my £600+ PPI.
Any suggestions - I have emailed Just Answer/UK Law - no reply as yet.

dunstonh

I was given "legal advice" at a cost of £33.

legal advice at £33 was probably worth every penny not spent.

Long Story but - I was told to put in a claim via the small claim court, as a last resort for reclaiming my PPI.

PPI is an FSA issue. Not a legal one. Most court cases you read about fail as FSA guidelines are not laws.

Obviously my opponents were more experienced in such matters, because, this led to me receiving a counter claim - which I wasn’t forewarned about by the legal advice, and which could have cost me a further £250, which I could not run the risk of losing as I could not afford.

It is not uncommon to find a counter claim for losses with claims made. Typically a couple of hundred pounds in a small claims court.

I am looking to Just Answer/UK Law for suitable compensation, since it was their poor initial advice, which led me to approach the court in the first place and cost me almost £100 - but led to nothing!

http://ww2.justanswer.com/shockingly-simple-justanswer-promise

There is also the following in their T&C which wont help you:

7. Information Not Advice; No Client-Professional Relationship
Answers of Experts on the Site are provided by Experts and are to be used by Customers for general information purposes only, not as a substitute for in-person evaluation or specific professional (medical, legal, veterinary, tax, financial, etc.) advice. For example, Experts in the Legal category will provide only general information about the law, and will not provide legal advice nor propose a specific course of action for a Customer; by answering questions, Experts do not form attorney-client or doctor-patient relationships with Users of the Site. The laws, regulations, other governing authorities, standards, practices and procedures that apply to your particular question may differ depending on your location and information typically discovered through in-person evaluations or visits. Experts in some categories may be licensed, certified, educated, employed by or have experience in only particular jurisdictions.

No professional-client relationships shall be formed on the Site.

Communications on this Site are not confidential and shall not be the subject of any associated privileges. Communications on this Site are limited, as described above, do not involve in-person evaluations or visits, and do not include safeguards and procedures typical of in-person evaluations and visits.

Before you can interact with an Expert, you will be required to agree to a Disclaimer reminding you of these and other important provisions of the Terms.

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bottom line appears to be that you paid money for an internet opinion (that many of us give for free on here every day) and that opinion was wrong (as you often see on the internet every day) but was not a personal recommendation or advice.

onesixfive

dunstonh - I took on board your comments when I first posted problems with this case in May. Thank you.

onesixfive

Their Customer Support have said they will ask my "expert" to refund my £33 payment.

I am awaiting their comments regarding the court fees etc.

magpiecottage

Sadly, too, now you have tried the court, FOS will not consider the case either.