Solicitors who enter into distance selling arrangements and / or contracts which are entered into at a client’s place of work or home, should give thought to how they may shortly need to make important changes to their terms of business.

The Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 (the regulations) come into force on 13 June 2014. These regulate most contracts made between solicitors and their clients.

The regulations supersede two previous sets of regulations:

• The Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000; and
• The Cancellation of Contracts made in a Consumer’s Home or Place of Work etc Regulations 2008.

The Law Society has issued a comprehensive practice note explaining in some detail the nature of the changes and when they are likely to affect firms.

In particular the guidance note looks at the information which the regulations say must provided to your clients, regardless of whether contracts are concluded on premises, off premises or via distance selling. These together with the exceptions that apply, can also be found in the Law Society note.

The guidance note, entitled “Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 ” can be found on the Law Society web site at www.lawsociety.org.uk/advice/practice-notes/consumer-contracts-regulations-2013/