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There are laws to protect us from being treated unfairly, but it still happens. When it does we have to stand up for ourselves – but it isn't always easy. It's often hard to know who is in the right, where to start, or what to do. That is, until you know how.
The information in this guide applies to England and Wales.
Last updated: September 2024
This guide is for you if you have an everyday legal problem like unfair treatment at work, a problem with your benefits or landlord, or an argument about a bill or something you have bought.
It will guide you through the seven steps you can take to solve your problem and will lift the lid on the tricks of the trade which advisers use to solve problems as quickly and effectively as possible.
You need to be clear exactly what your problem is. This might be obvious, but sometimes it takes a bit of unpicking.
Sometimes you have a couple of problems tangled up together. Don’t get flustered. Try and work out the facts for each one and what you need to do in what order.
To help, try and answer these questions:
Once you are clear about the facts it will help you to carry out the next steps.
Make sure you know:
Once you have got all the information you will be in the best position to make decisions about what to do (see Step 3).
Friends and family are often keen to give you advice, but there are a lot of myths out there about the law, and the law often changes. So make sure you look up what you need to know to make sure it is right.
You can find lots of free information on your rights online. You can also visit your local library, Citizen’s Advice Bureau or other advice centres to find out where you stand (see our Help Directory for more information).
Not all the information on the internet is up to date, trustworthy or easy to understand. So, start your search at Advicenow where we have brought together all the best information on the law in one place.
If you don’t have a clear idea of what your choices are, or what a realistic outcome would be look up your rights or speak to an adviser. Don't just believe what you are told by someone who might not be on your side.
Be clear what you are asking for. Do you want an apology, a refund, compensation, or something else?
What your options are will depend on how strong your position is. For example, does the law protect you or will you have to rely on goodwill to get what you want?
It will also depend on how confident and motivated you feel. Sometimes it does not feel worth the hassle, and that can be a fair enough conclusion to come to once you have understood your options.
Even if the law does not protect you, it might still be worth having a go. If you negotiate confidently you may still get what you want.
Work out who to speak to in order to solve the problem.
If it is an organisation rather than an individual, ask who the best person to talk to is and try to talk or write directly to them each time.
Sometimes there will be a set process to follow. Find out if there is, and what to do. The more you understand about the process, the stronger your position.
If you are not getting anywhere with the people you are talking to it might be time to approach somebody different, for example, the customer services department, or go up a level, for example by contacting an ombudsman (an independent person at the top of the complaints ladder, whose job it is to investigate complaints fairly.)
To resolve most everyday legal problems you will probably have to talk to the person or organisation involved, either in person, on the telephone or in writing. Below we give you guidance on how to do this effectively.
When you call an organisation and are told ‘your call will be recorded’ make a note of exactly when you call. That way if they later go back on what they agreed you can ask for the recording. They probably will not have the recording, but it can mean that they take your issue more seriously!
If you are writing to complain about something write ‘Complaint’ in bold across the top of your letter. That way they may have to deal with your letter in line with their complaints procedure and reply within a certain number of days.
To solve your problem you need to keep records of what went wrong and how you tried to solve it, and gather evidence to prove you are in the right. For example:
Recording things properly and getting all your evidence together can be crucial to solving your problem. Not only will it be very helpful for anyone trying to help you, like an adviser, but it could also make all the difference if you have to make a formal complaint or go to court further down the line.
If you hand over documents or evidence make sure you get a receipt and keep it safe.
If you are not getting anywhere, or if you are confused, you need to get help.
You can get help from your local advice or law centre, a solicitor, many charities, and organisations like Citizens Advice or ACAS.
Depending on your problem, they may step in and do some of the work for you, or they may just clarify what you should be doing and advise you on tactics. Help from a professional, even if it just confirms that you have been doing the right thing, should help to stop things getting out of control and becoming more stressful.
See Advicenow's Help Directory for where you can get free or low cost legal advice about different types of legal problem.
If you have an important deadline approaching fast, perhaps a court date, get help or advice as soon as you can.
The information in this guide applies to England and Wales.
The law is complicated. We have simplified things in this guide. Please don’t rely on this guide as a complete statement of the law. We recommend you try and get advice from the sources we have suggested.
The cases we refer to are not always real but show a typical situation. We have included them to help you think about how to deal with your own situation.
This guide was most recently updated by the Advicenow team in September 2024
This guide was updated in September 2022 thanks to funding from the Litigant in Person Support Strategy.
© Advicenow 2024
