Litigation or mediation – fight or compromise?

Debt matters, consumer issues and housing disputes are just some of the areas in which Guardian Solicitors have successfully resolved litigation cases in court or by mediation. We also offer advice on personal injury cases and, after first assessing the case, may be able to offer our services under a “no win, no fee” agreement.

Mediation

"Mediation is useful where opposing parties want to find a solution but cannot reach settlement"

Mediation is one of the fastest and most cost-effective ways of achieving settlement of a dispute. Increasingly, people are choosing mediation as an alternative to civil litigation which can be expensive, stressful and often take months or even years to come to trial, with no guarantee of success. Mediation is useful where opposing parties want to find a solution but, for some reason, cannot reach settlement. By bringing your dispute to mediation, a workable solution can be found without having to go to court, thus saving a significant amount of time, money and unpleasantness. Read more...

Building disputes

Many of us know stories of builders pulling out of contracts and leaving the householder stranded in the middle of a loft conversion. The builders may claim they are bankrupt and thus have to stop building.

"Is your neighbour insisting on building an outhouse or extension that blocks out your sun?"

Maybe they say they cannot afford to continue without a large amount of money upfront, which was not previously agreed by the customer.

Is your neighbour insisting on building an outhouse or extension that blocks out your sun? Is a contractor threatening to pull down a nearby house and put up unsightly flats overlooking your garden? We have worked with many clients in this area, regularly bringing claims to the county court and referring matters to adjudication when contracts demand it.

Consumer issues

You’ve been to various shops, compared prices, decided on a purchase and then find when you get home that it doesn’t work. Have you bought a defective item? Did the shop selling it to you make false claims about the item? Was it sold to you under a misrepresentation?

Alternatively, do you have a consumer credit problem? We are regularly asked to bring actions linked to these and other issues, where sellers overstep the mark and litigation or mediation is the right option.

Contentious probate

"At these sensitive times, the outcome is often greatly helped by choosing mediation rather than litigation"

Increasingly, families are disputing wills after a loved one dies because they say insufficient provision has been made for them. They question the deceased’s mental capacity to make a will, whether it was properly executed, or if it was written under duress. You may be the contester or the defender but, regardless of the situation, Guardian Solicitors can suggest a solution. Often, at these sensitive times, the outcome is greatly helped by choosing mediation rather than litigation, and so avoid creating what can, at worst, become destructive and long-lasting family rifts.

Contractual disputes

Contracts you enter can go wrong, whether you are an individual or a huge corporation. A long-running dispute can undo years of painstaking work building up relationships between your own firm and a supplier, and then what may have been a well-priced contract could end up costing you far more and bringing few of the benefits that encouraged you to sign up originally. At times, however, there is no alternative to litigation or mediation, and we can help you to find a solution both in and outside court.

Landlord and tenant

Do you own a leasehold property but still have to pay service charges and ground rent to a freeholder (landlord), or do you simply rent and need advice on a tenancy agreement? Whatever your problem, we can advise you on your rights and the remedies available regarding disputed demands for rent or service charges.

"Guardian Solicitors can tell you exactly what your rights are when you want to serve or have received a notice to quit"

Are you uncertain about the terms of a tenancy agreement, as landlord or as tenant of a rental property? Guardian Solicitors can tell you exactly what rights you have under such agreements when, for instance, you want to serve or have received a notice to quit, or, if possession is the issue, you face eviction (as tenant) or want to gain possession of your property.

Property disputes

We can help you resolve a variety of issues, such as ownership of property between parties, boundary disputes and disagreements with neighbours. People can get very particular when it comes to boundaries, so we are here to handle the issues to ensure positive, ongoing relationships with third parties and avoid producing an unpleasant relationship that can make life very difficult for one or both parties.

Debt collection

"We offer a wide variety of solutions to get your bills paid"

Collecting debts is a serious concern for businesses and individuals, particularly for those hit by the economic downturn. We offer a wide variety of solutions to get your bills paid. For businesses, we have various packages to make bulk debt collection affordable and to ensure that your debts are actively pursued right through to enforcement.

Personal injury

We provide services to handle a wide variety of personal injury cases, including road traffic accidents, accidents at work, and those in public places (e.g. tripping or slipping). We will give you an initial free interview to assess if we can take your case on a “no-win, no-fee” basis. Unlike many insurance companies that advertise no-win, no-fee agreements, we do not take any of your compensation to settle our fees. Instead, we recover our fees in addition to any compensation from the person who caused the accident. Read more...