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We have shared some answers to questions below that you may find helpful in fully completing the engagement process.
You should have received your ID-Pal email from noreply@id-pal.com. If any of the links from our previous emails have now expired, please get in touch with us at enquiries@austenhays.com.
Austen Hays is a new company that has been set up within Gateley, a listed law firm on the London Stock Exchange AIM market. Although a new business, Austen Hays has been set up by very experienced class action litigators who have over 15 years’ experience in successfully running class action cases at other well-known firms. Austen Hays is approved, and is regulated, by the Solicitors Regulation Authority under registration number 8003694. Gateley Plc itself is a long-established law firm which has been in operation since the 1870s and is also regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
There will be no direct cost to you in joining the claim. Austen Hays will represent you on a ‘no win no fee’ basis. The costs of the case, and the risks associated with it, are taken by Austen Hays and any litigation funders that Austen Hays work with. This ensures that you can sign up without worrying about the cost of joining the claim. The claim costs would come out of any payout that is secured from the defendant. You are guaranteed at least 70% of the amount awarded to you. Austen Hays’ costs are capped at 30%. Even if the claim is unsuccessful, there will be no cost to you, provided that you fulfil your obligations set out in the documents that you are required to read and agree to, as part of the sign up process.
Collective actions, also known as class or group actions, bring together claimants to pursue a single legal claim. You may be familiar with some of the large-scale collective actions in the UK. For example, the VW diesel emissions collective action was successfully pursued by the Austen Hays litigators securing a positive outcome for over 70,000 claimants. Other high-profile UK collective actions that you may have heard of include the collective action to recover credit card fees, a claim against BT in respect of landline fees, and the recent sub-postmaster collective action. This means that your claim is not going to be dealt with individually by the court; instead, the court will consider the issues that all claimants are pursuing collectively.
To comply with UK money laundering and ‘know your client’ requirements, as solicitors we need to confirm your identity to engage you as a client. Our AH Hub is linked to a market-leading application called ID-Pal, which is ISO 27001 Certified, GDPR compliant, award winning, and five-star customer rated. You will receive a unique link via email from noreply@id-pal.com, which will allow you to submit your documents through the ID-Pal app, so that we can complete the ID verification process simply and effectively, protecting your data at every stage. Your personal data will never be shared with any third parties and the information that is captured within the submission is securely encrypted and wiped from the mobile device as soon as you have completed the submission.
It is a simple process. Step 1 is to complete the eligibility questionnaire. If your eligibility is confirmed, step 2 is to confirm your ID as part of our regulatory compliance protocols. Our ID portal makes this process as quick and easy to complete following the onscreen instructions. You will need to have identity and proof of address documents ready before you start. Step 3 is to register onto our Austen Hays claim portal, where you can keep up-to-date on the progress of the claim. Step 4 is to sign our engagement letter. This completes the steps required to join the claim.
No, we will be looking to secure anonymity for 99% of claimants. This will be achieved by making an anonymity application to the court on your behalf. The reason that this is not 100% of all claimants is that the claims process requires six claimants to be appointed to a Claimant Committee and their details cannot be anonymous. The role of the Claimant Committee is to make decisions on behalf of the entire claimant group. Joining the committee is voluntary, so those individuals’ details will not be shared unless they clearly agree. If the court does not grant the anonymity application, you will have a choice whether to proceed or withdraw from the claim.
This varies depending on the behaviour of the defendant and how quickly the court can manage the different stages. In some cases, it can take up to five years. The Austen Hays team are experienced in managing the process to make it as efficient as possible and will keep you informed throughout the process.
Austen Hays supports claimants where there has been an injustice and claimants have suffered a detriment. We do not represent defendants in collective action cases and always work with claimants who have potentially been wronged, to help them try to secure the compensation which they deserve.
Yes, if you know people who may be eligible to join the claim, please let them know as we want to help as many people as possible who may have suffered a loss as a result of this situation.
You can send any queries to enquiries@austenhays.com where our team will strive to answer all your questions.
