Disciplinary Record - Ashtons Solicitors Limited

Decision - Fined

Outcome: Fine

Outcome date: 6 December 2023

Published date: 5 July 2024

Firm details

Firm or organisation at time of matters giving rise to outcome

Name: Ashtons Solicitors Limited

Address(es): 60 St Martins Lane, London, WC2N 4JS

Firm ID: 614351

Outcome details

This outcome was reached by SRA decision.

Decision details

Ashtons Solicitors Limited was directed to pay a stage two fixed financial penalty of £1,500 and costs of £150. 

Reasons/basis

The SRA Transparency Rules came into effect on 6 December 2018.

They require all firms authorised and regulated by the SRA to display specified information on their websites if they provide certain types of legal services.

The purpose of the Transparency Rules is to ensure people have accurate and relevant information about a solicitor or firm when they are considering purchasing legal services.

They are intended to help members of the public and small businesses make informed choices, improving competition in the legal market.

Ashtons Solicitors Limited failed to publish mandatory details about its:

• costs for residential conveyancing work
• costs for probate work
• costs for immigration work
• its complaints procedure and
• how a complaint might be made to the SRA or the Legal Ombudsman.

in breach of rules 1.5 and 2.1 of the Transparency Rules.

The firm continued to breach these requirements after the SRA directed it on 16 October 2023 to pay a fixed financial penalty of £750.

Decision - Fined

Outcome: Fine

Outcome date: 16 October 2023

Published date: 8 July 2024

Firm details

No detail provided:

Outcome details

This outcome was reached by SRA decision.

Decision details

Fixed financial penalty stage one fine of £750 and costs of £150

Reasons/basis

The SRA Transparency Rules came into effect on 6 December 2018.

They require all firms authorised and regulated by the SRA to display specified information on their websites if they provide certain types of legal services.

The purpose of the Transparency Rules is to ensure people have accurate and relevant information about a solicitor or firm when they are considering purchasing legal services.

They are intended to help members of the public and small businesses make informed choices, improving competition in the legal market.

Ashtons Solicitors Limited failed to publish mandatory details about:

• its costs for residential conveyancing, will and probate, and immigration services 
• its complaints procedure and
• how a complaint might be made to the SRA or the Legal Ombudsman

in breach of rules 1.5 and 2.1 of the Transparency Rules. 

The firm failed to remedy this breach after being given notice and reasonable time in which to do so.

The firm was directed to pay a fixed financial penalty of £750 and costs of £150.