Privacy Policy

VICTORIMAX LEGAL’s REGULATORS, POLICIES, PROCEDURE AND INSURERS 

 

Client Engagement

Each client will be sent a client care letter to each client detailing their instructions, our advice based on information collected, defining scope of services, evaluating merits and demerits of their case, key dates, applicable timescales, professional fees and its basis, disbursements, terms and condition of retainer, insurers, regulators, bank details for payments and file archive procedures. 

 

Our Regulator, The OISC

The Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC) is an executive non-departmental public body established by the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 (the Act) to regulate the provision of immigration advice and services throughout the UK. It is led by the Immigration Services Commissioner – a corporation sole – supported by the Deputy Commissioner.  The OISC seeks to protect consumers by ensuring the continuing fitness and competence of registered advisers and organisations, setting standards for registration and promoting good practice throughout the sector. In addition, it operates a scheme to receive complaints relating to immigration advice (whether or not provided by registered organisations) and it enforces the regulatory regime by identifying and, where appropriate, prosecuting individuals who are acting illegally. In addition, the Immigration Services Commissioner monitors the effectiveness of regulation of the immigration advice sector by bodies in Scotland and Northern Ireland which are beyond the jurisdiction of the Legal Services Board. 

 

Client Communication

Each client will be communicated in plain English through post or email as chosen by the client. 

 

Office Timings 

Victorimax Legal will operate on working weekdays between 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. It will be closed on all weekend and bank holidays. Annual holidays will be between 22 December to 2 January of following years 

 

Insurance

Victorimax Legal will be covered by professional indemnity insurance for work done on matter to the sum of £250,000 by an insurer approved by the OISC. 

 

Complaints Policy

If in the unlikely event that there is any aspect of service at Victorimax Legal with which our clients are unhappy or our staff members or the conduct of your case. You can address your complaint with your fee handler/caseworker in writing, and we will do our best to resolve the problem.  If you are still not satisfied, you can ask to speak to Mrs Rachana Lakdawala, director of the firm who will take up your complaint personally.  However, you will be entitled to complain directly to the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC) at any time at: OISC Complaints Team, PO Box 567, Dartford, Kent DA1 9XW or  
Tel: 0345 000 0046 or complaints@oisc.gov.uk 

 

Money Laundry Checks

Victorimax Legal will need to carry out a money laundry check on you and confirm your ID. We will ask you to provide us with the ID documents. We will accept the following documents in combination as proof of ID and address :  

Passport                                                      Utility Bill 

Full UK driving license                               Council Tax Bill 

ARC Card                                                    TV License 

IS96 issued by the Home Office               Bank Statement (within past 3 months) 

BRP Residence Permit                               Letter from HMRC (within past 3 months) 

(Compulsory if on LTR)                               Letter from NHS addressed to you  (within past 3 months) 

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Fee Policy

1. Please see our fee scale which details our fees for respective immigration advice and services.

2. If we agree a different fee other than what is mentioned on our website, we will confirm it in writing with you. We will confirm this via our Client Care Letter.

3. We will define our scope of work for the fees quoted in our Client Care Letter.

4. Should you wish to withdraw your instructions mid-way, we will charge you for all the work we have undertaken on your behalf at our hourly rate of £300 + VAT.

5. We reserve the right to stop acting for you if we have serious differences, if a potential or actual conflict of interest arise, if you do not pay our invoice and/or if we have some other reasonable justification. Termination of our representation does not affect your responsibility to pay our fees and expenses incurred up to the time of termination. We will not terminate instructions without reasonable cause and only on reasonable notice.

6. It is our normal practice to request payment on account before commencing work on your matter. Our fees are payable 100% in advance. We will hold all such monies in our client account until work has been completed on your matter.

7. Our fees are payable directly into our client account.

8. Complex and urgent matters may attract an uplift in fees.

9. Please note all fees quoted are exclusive of VAT and are subject to VAT @ 20%

10. Please note all fees quoted are excluding any Home Office Fees, Immigration Health Surcharges and/or any disbursements. Our fees also do not include advocacy at court or tribunal fees.

11. Our fees are payable 100% in advance. In certain circumstances, if a fee payment schedule has been agreed, please note an administrative fee of 10% will be applicable on all part payments. This will be notified in writing in our Client Care Letter.

 

Data Protection Privacy Notice

How Victorimax Legal will use your data?

As a company, Victorimax limited is registered as a Data Controller with the Information Commissioners Office.  We will use the information that you give us to provide you with legal services, as per your instructions.  We will keep your information confidential and will only use it for the purpose for which it was provided or as is permitted in law. 

 

Sharing information 

We may have to share some or all of your information with other third parties.  This may include barristers, experts and other third parties who we need to instruct to assist us with your matter.  We may also have to share information with the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (the statutory body that regulates us). In doing so we will always take care to ensure that your information remains confidential and safe. We will liaise with you during your case about which experts, barristers and other third parties we instruct on your behalf.   

 

How long will we hold your data? 

We will only hold your information for as long as necessary to provide you with immigration, asylum and/or protection related legal services and then for only so long as we are required either contractually or under our regulatory obligations.  This will not be more than six years after the end of your case.  After this time, we will confidentially destroy all information that we hold about you other than your name, address and date of birth which we will be obliged to continue to hold for the purposes of ensuring that we never act for another client where doing so would conflict with our obligations of confidentiality to you. 

 

End of your matter 

At the end of your matter, we will keep our file of your papers for (6) six years after which they will be destroyed, except those papers that you ask to be returned to you.  If you would like our storage procedures explained to you, please let us know. If we retrieve papers or documents from storage in relation to continuing or renewing instructions to act for you, we will not normally charge for such retrieval. However, we may make a charge based on time spent providing stored papers or documents to you or another or making copies of any documents at your request.